When it comes to hiring a graphic designer, it’s important to take the time to find the right person for the job. A good graphic designer can bring your vision to life and make your project a success, but hiring the wrong person can be costly and time-consuming.
That’s why you have to lay down your expectations before you commit. You want to get your designs done quickly, but you can’t just hire a graphic designer without asking questions and getting into details.
When it comes to hiring a graphic designer, it pays to be meticulous. Here are a few things to consider before making a decision.
1. Look at their portfolio
A graphic designer’s portfolio is like their dating app profile. You’re supposed to know everything about their sense of style and experience on that single page.
Not only does their portfolio tell you about their breadth of work, but it also gives you a look into how they adapt their creative style to fit their clients’. Finally, you can even look at their specialties. Whether it’s in logo and branding, animations, or layout–you can get a lot of information just by taking a glance.
2. Check their work ethic
You can tell a lot about a designer with the way they communicate with. Most freelance marketplaces have processes where designers can send in a draft before you hire their service. This will help you pick a great designer that will understand your brief and take your project to the next level.
3. Consider their services
It’s unreasonable to expect artists to be able to do everything art-related. Most graphic designers thrive on a certain niche…whether it’s logo and branding, animations, or video editing. If you’re looking for someone to design a logo for your business, look for designers who are specialized in logo and branding design.
However, if you want more animation and video editing services, you might want to look for artists who specialize in that area. Whatever the case, be sure to consider their services before you commit so it’s the right fit for your needs.
Upwork Profile Example
4. Evaluate their design quote
Let’s face it. Good design takes money. When you’re a small business with a tight budget, it may not be the wisest decision to splurge on an expert graphic designer. Evaluate each designer’s costing quote before you commit.
Pro tip: Be sure to get quotes from multiple designers and compare prices, but don’t compromise on quality for the sake of saving a few pennies.
5. Look at their industry experience
It’s important to find a designer with experience working on projects that are similar to yours, both in scale and nature. Graphic design requires specific software proficiency, so make sure your designer is comfortable working with the software you need for the project. If you want to know more about their street cred, just head on over to their resume page.
Graphic Designer Resume
6. Client reviews
On the other hand, don’t be afraid to look for reviews from previous clients. Your creative solutions should be the least of your worries. Checking client references will give you a good idea of the designer’s work ethic and how they handle deadlines and revisions.
7. Accessibility
Some designers are freelancers, which may be great for some projects. However, if you need someone more dedicated to your project, then you may want to look for a designer who is part of an agency. Language and cultural barriers, time zones, and other logistical factors may affect a designer’s accessibility, so make sure you choose an associate who can accommodate you in their schedule.
With these factors in mind, you can make sure to find the right graphic designer for your project. But, if you want a more affordable and flexible option that’s great for small businesses, keep reading below.
[Bonus] The Best Graphic Designer Alternative
Is hiring a graphic designer too much of a hassle for you? You’re not alone. You may want to consider an unlimited graphic design platform.
It’s definitely a tough and exhausting process to vet and communicate with potential designers. But with unlimited graphic design services, you can get access to a full creative team without having to go through an expensive and time-consuming process. For just a flat fee every month, you get a dedicated team of designers who can do social media content, landing page design, animations, and more.
DotYeti Social Media Portfolio
Read more: Why an Unlimited Graphic Design Subscription is Your Best Option for Creative Work
Interested to know more? You can book a demo with us to learn exactly how we plan on fulfilling your design requests.
