Senior Graphics Designer Interview Questions & Answers

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This is your chance to learn as much as possible about the role so you can decide whether this is a job you really want. By learning more about the day-to-day tasks, you will also gain more insight into what specific skills and strengths are needed and you can address any topics that haven't already been covered.

With this question, the employer is basically asking you why they should hire you over any other candidate and they're also testing how well you know yourself as a professional graphic designer. Again, with this question it's important to be honest and to think about what qualities and experience you might possess as a graphic designer that other candidates might not - this could be your previous client base, the range and depth of your experience - or even some of the techniques you've picked up in your career. Whatever reasons you give, be sure to have some examples to hand so you can back them up.

Ask about your interviewer's personal experience for additional insight into the company's culture.

Explain what you do to be creative. Researching, sketching, reading, collaborating, critiquing, discussing with client, wait-time…

I was assigned a project disappointed when I was given a project with a very short deadline and I wasn't able to spend as much time on the project as I wanted to. I completed the project on time and the customer was satisfied, but I would have liked to spend more time on the project.

This question can help you learn whether the company promotes from within, and how career advancement works within the organization. By asking the question, you show your interest in growing with the organization - just be careful not to phrase it in a way that sounds too self-serving (i.e. When can I expect a raise and a promotion?).

This question can seem a bit personal - but again, it's just another question to try and determine what makes you tick as a designer. Again, with this one it all comes to down to personal opinion and - as with any other interview question - it's important to be honest because if you lie here, it could come back to haunt you later down the line. In general, the design process can be split into three chunks - the initial consultation, the creative process and the final negotiations/finished results. If you can't pick one particular stage, you could pick out different aspects of each and explain why you enjoy them.

Logo design is a frequent job for graphic designers. It's not advisable to simply list a long history of all the products you've ever done. Instead, linger on one or two and demonstrate your expertise by talking about them. For example, say that logos may seem like a job for beginners, but actually they require a fine sense of the current trends and client's need to be efficient and simple, but memorable.

If you plan to be in this role for several years, make sure the company is growing so you can grow with the company.

With this question, the interviewer is obviously keen to find out where your passion lies and what your motivations are for working in the industry. When trying to prepare your answer to this question, think about what it is that makes you want to continue to work in the graphic design industry. Is it the creativity aspect? The chance to create pieces which will be seen by thousands of people every day? Or the fact you get to create lots of different pieces of work every year? With this type of answer, it's easy to tell who's being false and who's being honest so whatever answer you give, try and stay true to yourself and avoid copying anyone else.

☛ Freelance work for area businesses
☛ I read several industry publications, MacWorld, STEP, Print, Communication Arts, Step-by-Step graphics, etc.
☛ I attended a Mac tradeshow specifically focused on prepress and printing

Usually it depends on the printer and his press and the project, around one sixteenth to one eight of an inch sometimes one quarter inch.

An employer will ask this question because they're looking for your opinion on what makes a great graphic designer in terms of qualities and skills - something which should be easy to name if you're a great designer yourself. When trying to prepare an answer for this question, think about the skills and traits you have which help you in your day-to-day work - examples could include things like patience, strong communication skills and a great eye for detail, as well as more technical things such as familiarity with the whole Adobe Creative Suite. With this type of question, there are no real right or wrong answers - an employer is looking for your opinion and the reasons behind your opinion.

On the flip side, you may want to ask about challenges. This question can help you uncover trends and issues in the industry and perhaps identify areas where your skills could save the day.

☛ I have difficulty working with people who show they do not care about their job.
☛ I have difficulty working with people who don't pull their weight.
☛ I have high standards for my work and I expect others to have high standards too.
☛ I'm learning to speak up and request that others contribute more completely long before I start getting angry about a situation that is unequal.

☛ I am motivated most by seeing a project completed and taking pride in having been a part of the
☛ team that made it happen.
☛ I am motivated by seeing my hard work help the company succeed, grow, and continue to attract
☛ new customers
☛ I am motivated when I receive continuous feedback from my boss
☛ I am motivated when I feel that my opinion matters
☛ I am motivated when I feel I am rewarded for my talents and contributions

An employer might ask this question because, although you might have mentioned it on your CV or included it in your portfolio, they want to hear about your most successful campaign in your own words. With this question, the employer wants to hear about your passion for that particular campaign and why you personally think it was such a success. They're also looking to see how you judge the success of a campaign and how and what you did to make it successful. Obviously with this question, your answer will depend on your previous experience - but whichever campaign you choose, try and have some stats to hand and be careful not to take responsibility for other people's work.

Find out what your employer's expectations are for the person in this position.

This is a slightly risky choice. You don't want to put the interviewer in an awkward position. However, if things are going well and you've built a strong rapport, this question can help you see if there are any concerns or issues that you could address to show why you're the best person for the job.

IF YOU HAVE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED THE JOB IN THE INTERVIEW, AND YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION…
I accept! When can I start?
IF YOU HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THE DETAILS OF THE JOB, TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE POSITION AND WOULD LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION.

Superior - there are endless possibilities with it. You can even animate with it!

I am open to learning all tasks that will help me excel as a graphic artist

Graphic designers are not independent artists. They are highly skilled team workers. Their core creative activity is in translating their client's financial goals and market demands into visuals. This requires the ability to listen, ask key questions, and collaborate with whoever is necessary to get the feel of what is needed.

☛ I would like to keep up-to-date on all the equipment and software that I would use as a graphic designer at your company
☛ I would also like to consider additional training in marketing and possibly product development.
☛ I would like to learn more about our manufacturing plant and what happens to my artwork once it leaves the graphics department

Now, at first, you might think that this question is the same as the "most successful" one - but it's actually a bit different. Why? Because with this question, the employer is asking for your opinion as an individual - they're asking for you to judge a piece of work based on your own feelings, rather than things like stats and success rates. Why? Because this gives them an insight into who you are as an individual and helps them to assess how well you'd fit in with their current workforce.