Web Designer Freelance Interview Questions & Answers

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Reviewing a web designer's portfolio is the main way to get a sense of their overall design style. If you don't like their style, or know that it wouldn't be a good fit for your brand, then they're probably not the right designer for you.

When reviewing examples of a designer's past work, look for variation across their design projects. If they are fairly "cookie cutter," consider whether they will be able to adapt their style to fit your brand and audience profile.

Try to get an idea of whether they pay attention to detail in their designs. For instance:

☛ Are they consistent with their use of fonts, colours, and styles throughout the entire site?
☛ Have they considered the "little" things like appropriate font selection, line height, and text spacing?
☛ Is there a common theme carried throughout all pages and sections of the site?
☛ Do you find their sites easy to use and navigate?
☛ If you said yes to all or most of these questions, then the decision will come down to your personal preference and taste. It's natural that the work of some designers will simply appeal to you more than others.

Also note that if your designer is bringing in a photographer or copywriter to develop content for your site, you may want to see samples of their individual work as well, again looking to make sure that you like their overall style and approach.

If you're applying for a job designing print media, chances are the employer is going to want to know what kind of print you've worked with in the past. This also rings true for any design job, not just print-employers want to know how comfortable you are working in different mediums.

This is because employers want to know if they're going to have to train you on anything down the line, which could be expensive on their behalf. So they want to see what you already know to gauge how much further you still need to go. Be sure to mention the types of media you've worked within, the equipment you've used and any formal training you might have received along the way.

If you can manage it, bring examples of your past print work for the employer to see. Since this is print we're talking about, it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves. Check out our tips for designing a unique print design portfolio for more information.

...it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves.

If you don't have much experience with print (or any medium you might be planning to work with), then you still need to find a way to impart your knowledge of the subject so employers know that you at least have something to bring to the table. For example, do some research on print design before the interview so you can at least say that you understand the basic concepts and limitations of working in the medium.

When interviewers ask this question, they're trying to find out if you're able to use their in-house software, or how quickly you'd be able to learn if you're unfamiliar with it. Obviously, your best-case scenario is to know ahead of time what kind of software they use. If you already know how to use their preferred software, this will be a pretty straightforward answer.

If you don't know their software or you have no idea what they use, this can be a tricky question to answer. Tell them what you do know, and try to include any program you think they might use. If you use something that's similar to another program, that can also be a big help and the interviewer might not always be able to make that connection, so be sure to do it for them. For example, if you use one of the many Photoshop alternatives out there, you probably understand the basics of Photoshop too.

Express a willingness to learn new programs-this is a good idea even if you're familiar with their in-house software. You never know when the company might upgrade to new software, so designers who can make the switch without taking a long time to adjust are always favorable candidates. If you've ever had to learn new software for a job in the past, be sure to mention this in your interview.

Express a willingness to learn new programs-this is a good idea even if you're familiar with their in-house software.

With online courses being so easy to access these days, almost anyone can say they are a website designer. However, having at least some formal education from a post-secondary institution provides a solid, well-rounded foundation on which to base the ongoing learning required in the rapidly changing field of web design. It also gives students the opportunity for one-on-one review and feedback on their work from a professional in the field, as opposed to the hands-off approach of studying books and blogs.

Knowing a web designer's educational background also provides some insight into how invested they are in improving their own skills. With technology and web standards always changing, you'll want to know that your designer is furthering their knowledge through continuing education courses, online learning, industry manuals, and web-related blogs.

Since this can be a long, detailed answer, you'll want to have prepared for it ahead of time so that you don't trip over your words, accidentally omit details, or ramble on with too much information. Employers ask this question because they want to know how you do what you do, how long it'll take you to do it and the kinds of roadblocks you are likely to run into along the way.

Employers ask this question because they want to know how you do what you do, how long it'll take you to do it and the kinds of roadblocks you are likely to run into along the way.

Some designers are lucky to be able to just sit down and crank out an amazing design with barely any thought or planning, while other designers need to utilize a dozen different drafts and outlines to get their design finished.

Employers usually want you to be somewhere in between these two extremes. You should have a process that allows for revisions and critiques, but is also speedy enough that you'll hit your deadlines without any problem. For some designers, this might mean actually sitting down and figuring out what your process is-but that's okay. The more thought you give to the kind of designer you are, the more you'll have to work with during your interview, and the easier it is to showcase yourself as the best candidate for the job.

You know that lame thing where you try to make your "weaknesses" sound like a positive thing?

"Oh, I work too hard. I'm too much of a perfectionist. I'm too nice!"

Interviewers can see right through that act. When they ask about your weaknesses, they're not trying to find out what's bad about you, they're trying to find out how you deal with your own shortcomings, and what steps you've taken to improve yourself as a designer. When you try to cover up your weaknesses, it demonstrates to the interviewer that, well, you try to hide your weaknesses instead of fixing them.

When you try to cover up your weaknesses, it demonstrates to the interviewer that, well, you try to hide your weaknesses instead of fixing them.

Give a few relevant examples of your greatest weaknesses, but also provide examples of ways in which you've tried to work on them. Once again, you should back up your claims. Suppose your biggest weakness is that you have difficulty managing your time. Instead of just saying it's something you need to work on, mention how you got a new app for your phone that's helping you better manage your time, or that you've started writing out a schedule before working each day.

Whether working with a freelancer web designer or a small design company, you need to be clear about who will actually be designing your site. If it's not the person you are speaking with, learn how your ideas and feedback will be communicated to the design team. Even if you are working with a freelancer, don't automatically assume they will be doing all the work themselves. It's worth asking if they will be contracting out your project to a more junior designer, outsourcing it overseas, or even handing it off to a virtual assistant.

You don't want all your feedback and requests to go thru middlemen as this offers too many chances for miscommunication. Know who will be doing the work and make sure you'll have direct contact with that person.

Employers want to work with designers who are already good at what they do, but they also want designers who will continue to improve with time instead of stagnating. You didn't get to where you are by doing nothing, so talk about your experiences getting here.

You didn't get to where you are by doing nothing, so talk about your experiences getting here.

You'll want to provide your educational background, but also talk about some of the classes you took and why that made you a better graphic designer. Have you learned new software over the past few years? Have you tried your hand at designing a different type of media than you're used to? Do you spend time reading design books, blogs and forums? These are all great things to mention.

You might even want to pepper in some future ideas in your responses. If you have plans to take a class in the future or if there's a design book you've had your eye on, use this to demonstrate to the employer that you're still taking steps to improve yourself.

Like always, if you can tailor your responses to fit the particular job at hand, it will better your chances of becoming employed. For example, if you're interviewing for a print design career, you'll want to talk about the ways you've improved yourself as a print designer instead of focusing on all the ways you've improved your digital work.

Give a brief summary of your professional persona. Include who you are, any education or experience you might have, and maybe a few snippets of information on your career thus far. You don't want to go into too much detail, just think of this as an introduction to who you are. You want to be friendly and open, with a focus on your accomplishments as a designer.

You don't want to go into too much detail, just think of this as an introduction to who you are.

It's a good idea to hand over a business card at this point. Many people wait until the end of the job interview for this (if they have a business card at all), but it makes a better first impression if you offer your card during introductions. It not only shows you have a professional attitude, it actually gives your interviewer a first look at how you design (assuming, of course, that you design your own business cards.)

Employers love it when employees take an interest in their company or brand, especially in the case of designers. After all, how can you design something that matches their brand's style if you don't know anything about them?

After all, how can you design something that matches their brand's style if you don't know anything about them?

Do your homework before the interview and try to come prepared with some idea of what the company is all about. You don't need to know all of the facts, but you should try to have an understanding of their overall message and philosophy, and why you are a good fit for them.

Employers are looking to work with designers who want to work with them, so if there's something about the company that you particularly like, now is the time to say so. Demonstrating that you share the same values as the brand helps you to look like the best candidate for the job.

If you can't find anything about the company, then this is your opportunity to learn more. Let the interviewer know that you tried to find information about the company, but were unable to. Then, ask them if they could fill you in on what you don't know. When the interviewer is done telling you about their company, reiterate your interest in the position based on your new knowledge of the company, and give some examples of why you fit in with their overall identity.

If you're applying for a job designing print media, chances are the employer is going to want to know what kind of print you've worked with in the past. This also rings true for any design job, not just print-employers want to know how comfortable you are working in different mediums.

This is because employers want to know if they're going to have to train you on anything down the line, which could be expensive on their behalf. So they want to see what you already know to gauge how much further you still need to go. Be sure to mention the types of media you've worked within, the equipment you've used and any formal training you might have received along the way.

If you can manage it, bring examples of your past print work for the employer to see. Since this is print we're talking about, it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves. Check out our tips for designing a unique print design portfolio for more information.

...it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves.

If you don't have much experience with print (or any medium you might be planning to work with), then you still need to find a way to impart your knowledge of the subject so employers know that you at least have something to bring to the table. For example, do some research on print design before the interview so you can at least say that you understand the basic concepts and limitations of working in the medium.

A lot of web designers are great at the technical aspects of website development, but are lacking on the marketing side. Your website is online and promoting your business 24/7. It should be strategically developed with your target audience and business goals firmly in mind.

A great web designer will always consider what you want visitors to do after they've arrived at your site. They'll prompt you to consider conversions, lead generation, and success metrics. They can offer suggestions about what content and features will best achieve your vision and goals.

In addition, a designer familiar with web marketing will take into account all the supporting pages that are not specifically included in the site outline, such as thank you pages, opt-in confirmation pages, free giveaway download pages, and a privacy policy.

Many freelance web designers require content to be provided by the client, including both text copy and photographs or other images. If you're not comfortable writing the content yourself or taking professional photographs (or just do not have the time), ask if the web designer works with a preferred copywriter and/or photographer. Find out if this work can be included in the project quote.

Make sure to discuss your content requirements and timing up front. All too often the design and set up of the site is complete but the website cannot be launched (sometimes for months) because the text and images are not ready.

This question is less about specific tasks and more about how they approach and prioritize the work.

☛ Things to listen for: Organization and consistency. Their response should reflect your earlier discussion including their project management skills, understanding of your project, and ability to prioritize.

☛ Follow-up question: "Given your understanding of the project, are there any potential problems we might run into and how would you address them?"

Sometimes, unforeseen circumstances can bring additional pressure to the job and employers want to make sure that the designers they work with aren't going to fall apart the minute the going gets tough. Questions like this tell the employer two things-not only how you handle pressure, but what constitutes a stressful situation in your book.

Questions like this tell the employer two things-not only how you handle pressure, but what constitutes a stressful situation in your book.

Be ready to answer this with an anecdote or example from your life that shows you know how to keep cool under pressure. Stories about deadlines, editorial mandates or last-minute changes are good to include, because these are the kind of stresses that will naturally occur in the design field. Showing that you've already dealt with these kinds of stresses makes you a stronger, more experienced candidate.

Learn your web designer's preferred method of communication. If you are someone who always picks up the phone to discuss ideas or concerns, then you should choose someone who works hours similar to yours and is readily available by phone. In this case, both their work hours and time zone will be factors.

Some designers (and business owners) prefer communicating primarily by email as they may travel, work odd hours, or have family obligations that make regular phone calls difficult. Email is also a great option for maintaining a "paper trail" to document decisions and agreements.

Finally, if you prefer to meet face-to-face, you'll naturally want to be sure you're working with someone local. Always meeting in person may not be feasible for a freelance web designer so be up front about how many in-person meetings are expected throughout the process, and at what stages these meetings will occur.

Different communication styles can certainly work together. The key is to make sure that you and your web designer are clear on how each of you will communicate and the expected response time for calls and emails.

If you have accolades, awards, academic achievements or other lofty accomplishments in your past, then this question is likely going to be easy for you to answer. This is your chance to blow them away with all the great stuff you've been able to accomplish in the design field so far.

However, many people may have difficulties answering this question for a number of different reasons. Maybe you don't feel as if you've accomplished much of anything, maybe you're actively working towards something big but haven't quite made it yet, or maybe your big life accomplishment has nothing to do with graphic design.

Remember why employers ask this question in the first place-they want to work with people who have ambition, because ambitious people tend to put in the work to accomplish their goals. Employers also want to understand what inspires you; what do you consider an accomplishment in the first place?

...they want to work with people who have ambition, because ambitious people tend to put in the work to accomplish their goals.

Your job in this scenario is to show them why your greatest accomplishments make you the best candidate for the job, even if they don't seem that great or have much to do with graphic design at first glance.

Tell a story about how you achieved this accomplishment and what obstacles you had to overcome to do so. Also, be sure to let the interviewer know why this accomplishment means so much to you. This way, no matter what your achievement might be, the interviewer knows more about what motivates you and how you utilize that motivation to get stuff done.

Not all freelancers are available on a full-time basis, and if this hasn't already been discussed, it's important for you to know their availability. Many people have successful freelance businesses in addition to other employment, and you should feel comfortable that your expectations will still be met.

☛ Things to listen for: Time management. Confirm that they can meet your deadlines and communicate in a timely manner.

☛ Follow-up question: "What time zone are you in?" There are benefits to working across time zones, and often the impact is minimal. However, this will help set expectations; it's also helpful to identify hours that overlap so you know when you're both available to connect live.

Many freelancers, like those who work on the Upwork platform, have testimonials and client feedback they can share with you.

☛ Things to listen or watch for: Highlighted qualities. Does the freelancer deliver quality work? Do they communicate effectively? Are any problems identified? Working relationships aren't always flawless, but you should feel comfortable that any issues were isolated or have otherwise been addressed.

☛ Follow-up question: "What are your top strengths and weaknesses?" or "What worked well and what did not work well in past projects?" This classic interview question gives freelancers an open-ended opportunity to be genuine while also positioning themselves as a great fit for your work. You could also ask for references.

Everybody has their own opinion on what makes a good designer, and your opinion on the subject can give potential employers some insight on how you operate. That's because the qualities you describe are going to be ones that you either already have or aspire to become better at.

It's best to go for a wide range of different qualities that show that you understand what it takes to be a successful designer. If you say something like "a good designer is creative, imaginative and has a unique sense of style," you're going to come off as a bit single-minded. Saying something like "a good designer is creative, punctual and open to feedback" will make you seem like you understand everything that goes into the job.

But don't forget that the person interviewing you is likely going to hear a lot of the same thing from every designer they talk to. Come prepared with a few unique attributes to set yourself apart from the rest of those being considered for the job. Focus on unique attributes that relate back to your own personal experiences as a designer, and also tie into the job you're applying for. Surprise the interviewer with an answer that is well thought-out and one they haven't heard a dozen times before.

Surprise the interviewer with an answer that is well thought-out and one they haven't heard a dozen times before.

If you've written a good job post, and if they've responded with a thoughtful proposal, these core skills may have already been identified.

☛ Things to listen for: Understanding. Do they really understand your project? Core skills aren't necessarily technical skills, and it's possible a freelancer will list skills that aren't reflected in the description or the proposal. However, their response should show a firm understanding of your project or issues they may encounter.

☛ Follow-up question: "Of the three, which would you describe as your strongest skill? Your weakest?"

We've all made blunders along the way. Employers are sympathetic to this fact, but they also want to work with designers who have learned from their mistakes and improved their craft because of it. Be prepared with examples from your career that demonstrate your ability to bounce back from a mistake-without making you look like a total doofus.

Be prepared with examples from your career that demonstrate your ability to bounce back from a mistake-without making you look like a total doofus.

Employers also want to see that you've learned from your mistakes-not just that you've learned to avoid making the same mistake again, but that you were able to adjust the way you work or think. They want to know how this mistake has made you a better graphic designer, not merely that you were able to save face after the fact.

Perhaps making a mistake in a graphic design program inspired you to research and learn more about it, to not only prevent future mistakes but discover new ways to improve your craft. Employers see you as an investment, so you have to show them that you'll only get better with time, and that the longer they stick with you, the more value you'll demonstrate.

This is a standard way to close an interview, giving the contractor the opportunity to ask any questions you haven't covered.

Things to listen for: If you've communicated your needs well, or if the project isn't very complex, they may not have any follow-up questions. Even so, questions about your organization or your next steps in the selection process show an active interest in your project.

The page should only have one H1 element, unless there are ARTICLE or SECTION elements, in which case each of those can have a single H1 of its own.

The H1 tag is important for search engines and other machines that read the web page's code and interpret its content. The H1 of a document, article or section is considered to be its main heading or title. Not using H1 elements properly can impact the website's SEO performance.

Different people thrive in different situations. What elements of this recent project helped them excel, and what can you do to replicate them?

☛ Things to listen for: Work style. Are they able to work independently? Are they good at prioritizing? Consider how their preferred work habits fit your project.

☛ Follow-up question: "Considering that same project, what do you feel could have been improved?" As above, listen for clues that indicate their work habits.

Make sure you understand how much collaboration your web designer expects, as well as when you will be expected to provide feedback. This will help you plan for and schedule the time required to review each stage of work and minimize delays.

I recommend making time to be actively involved in the design process. Why? It's your website and you have to be satisfied that it clearly reflects your company's brand and message. My best projects have been realized when the client has set aside time to closely review designs and drafts at each stage of development so that we were able to have a truly collaborative relationship with no surprises late in the game.

Obviously, budget, timing, and references will all be key elements of your decision process, but developing a positive, responsive relationship with your web designer is just as important. If you have a great rapport with your designer, are able to communicate well with them, and like their previous work, your odds are good for hiring a freelance web designer that will deliver a positive experience and outstanding results.