Graphic Design Career Options

If you're interested in pursuing a degree in graphic design, you should know that there are many career options from which to choose. Many think that graphic design is limited to the arrangement of words and graphics on the written page, but that is only a small part of what designers are able to do. With increased growth on the internet, graphic designers are spending more time producing for electronic media, but they also have other options.

Creative Director/Art Director

Graphic designers are hired as art directors or creative directors by different types of media outlets - particularly magazines, newspapers, and television networks. As an art director, or creative director, the designer will be in charge of a team that consists of artists, designers, photographers, and others. The team will work under the guidance of the art director/creative director to develop and produce the company's media products.

Brand Identity Designer

In larger cities, graphic designers can find employment with a company as a brand identity designer. Brand identity designers are responsible for developing products and promotional materials that will mold how the company is viewed by the public. Designers choose the look, feel, and use of particular brands or identities, and even have control over the psychological impact these products will have on consumers.

Logo Designer

Many graphic designers specialize in logo production, which often offers the perfect balance of font/word choice and graphic creation that designers crave. Logo designers often freelance their services out and work as an independent contractor. They are hired by companies to produce signage, in-office products, and even marketing and promotional materials. Similar to the brand identity designer, a logo designer works to mold the company's public image using color, type, and graphics.

Flash Designer

Graphic designers who work online often freelance, or they may work in house for companies that design and create websites. Flash designers are designers who take interactivity and the web one step further. They use flash animations, one of the hottest technologies to hit the Internet, to design unique applications for company websites. These flash designs can be used as advertisements, entertainment, or an information tool for the website visitor.

Website Designer

A graphic designer who specializes in coding can work as a webpage or website designer. Web designers understand complicated computer languages and create appealing websites for clients. They may also be hired to create just one page of a client's site, and projects can be as big or small as a client needs. Designers who create websites can be found working for website building companies, both online and in house, or they can freelance. Many website designers begin their business as a freelance venture until they have built an in-depth portfolio - the kind needed to impress large firms.

Prepress Technician

Graphic designers are often employed as prepress technicians for magazines and newspapers. Prepress technicians are responsible for several tasks before publications go to print - such as checking for typos and other errors, colors and graphic placement, and more. Prepress technicians also find work in desktop publishing.

Regardless of the path a graphic designer wishes to take, there are bound to be many great opportunities available. As the demand for books, magazines, websites, consumer goods grows, so does the demand for the advertising - and all these things and more offer career paths from which graphic designers can choose.