Graphic designers design or create graphics to meet specific commercial or promotional needs, such as packaging, displays, or logos. May use a variety of mediums to achieve artistic or decorative effects.

  • Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
  • Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
  • Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts, based on knowledge of layout principles and esthetic design concepts.
  • Develop graphics and layouts for product illustrations, company logos, and Web sites.
  • Use computer software to generate new images.
  • Review final layouts and suggest improvements as needed.
  • Maintain archive of images, photos, or previous work products.
  • Prepare illustrations or rough sketches of material, discussing them with clients or supervisors and making necessary changes.
  • Draw and print charts, graphs, illustrations, and other artwork, using computer.
  • Key information into computer equipment to create layouts for client or supervisor.
  • Research new software or design concepts.
  • Study illustrations and photographs to plan presentation of materials, products, or services.
  • Mark up, paste, and assemble final layouts to prepare layouts for printer.
  • Prepare notes and instructions for workers who assemble and prepare final layouts for printing.
  • Produce still and animated graphics for on-air and taped portions of television news broadcasts, using electronic video equipment.
  • Photograph layouts, using camera, to make layout prints for supervisors or clients.
Work Context
  • Electronic Mail — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Spend Time Sitting — 92% responded "Continually or almost continually".
  • Telephone — 70% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 70% responded "Every day".
  • Time Pressure — 54% responded "Every day".
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 58% responded "Extremely important".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 47% responded "Extremely important".
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Work Activities
  • Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Maintain records, documents, or other files.
  • Research new technologies.
  • Design layout of art or product exhibits, displays, or promotional materials.
  • Design layouts for print publications.
  • Create computer-generated graphics or animation.
  • Design layouts for print publications.
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Knowledge

Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
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Skills

Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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Abilities

Originality
  • The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Near Vision
  • The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Fluency of Ideas
  • The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Trimble SketchUp Pro Hot Technology
  • SmugMug Flickr Hot Technology
  • Microsoft Visio Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Cloud Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Flash
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Fireworks
  • Adobe Systems Adobe FreeHand
  • Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite
Web page creation and editing software
  • LinkedIn Hot Technology
  • Facebook Hot Technology
  • Social media sites Hot Technology
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Flash Player
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Macromedia HomeSite
Object or component oriented development software
  • jQuery Hot Technology
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