How to hire a graphic designer and photographer

How to hire a graphic designer and photographer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step graphic designer and photographer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a graphic designer and photographer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new graphic designer and photographer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The graphic designer and photographer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A graphic designer and photographer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, graphic designer and photographers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents graphic designer and photographer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Graphic Designer And Photographer	Description	Hourly rate
   Graphic Designer And Photographer	Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for various applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.	$17-32
   Production Artist	A production artist is responsible for managing digital content, meeting clients' standard specifications and requests for successful project completion. Production artists must have computer proficiency, especially on utilizing various software tools and applications to create illustrations and layouts... Show more	$19-45
   Designer	A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences... Show more	$21-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Product Photography
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Adobe Illustrator
   • Flyers
   • Art Direction
   • Brochures
   • Portrait Photography
   • Layout Design
   • Website Design
   • Adobe Indesign
   • Posters
   • Photo Shoots
   • Business Cards
   • Lightroom

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage graphic design projects from concept through production, including corporate logos, product catalogs, brochures, and sales flyers.
   • Implement the design for the website's graphics, brochures, business cards, flyers, newsletters and social media sites.
   • Conceive original designs and marketing concepts used in brochure and magazines; develop production-ready graphics in HTML and CSS.
   • Design daily newspaper ads, create brochures, logos, business cards, newsletters, prepare photos, outline images.
   • Develop and design print collateral for company use including: posters, invitations, annual publications, advertisement and large-scale renderings.
   • Start and maintain company Instagram profile.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your graphic designer and photographer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A graphic designer and photographer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, graphic designer and photographers' average salary in south dakota is 50% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level graphic designer and photographers 46% less than senior-level graphic designer and photographers.
   • Certifications. A graphic designer and photographer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a graphic designer and photographer's salary.

   Average graphic designer and photographer salary

   $50,782yearly

   $24.41 hourly rate

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   Entry-level graphic designer and photographer salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a graphic designer and photographer job description

   A graphic designer and photographer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a graphic designer and photographer job description:

   Graphic designer and photographer job description example

   *Who we are *
   
   We began life in Clapham, London in 1963. And now you'll find us worldwide. An iconic British Super Brand. And international fashion and style leader creating trends. Our story begins with two brothers with vision and ambition. Today, the company they created is home to thousands of the World's most talented and award-winning hairdressers.
   
   *What we are looking for*
   
   We're looking for an energetic fashion loving photographer who is excited to create and share unique and engaging content on our social media platforms. Our ideal candidate enjoys taking pictures, videos and other building creative content to display products and engage our customers and followers. You will work closely with our Art team to participate in lifestyle, editorial and product shoots. You're also encouraged to arrange and brainstorm visual concepts as needed to create content.
   
   *Responsibilities *
   
   * Taking pictures in the photo studio, on location or other places.
   * Use cameras, along with a variety of equipment, such as tripods, filters, and flash attachments to capture high quality content.
   * Set up, mount, or install photographic equipment and cameras at studios and event locations.
   * Determine desired images and picture composition, selecting and adjusting subjects, equipment, and lighting to achieve desired effects.
   * Creative mind for styling, concept and location shoot ideas. In collaboration with the Art team, organize photo/video shoots to turn ideas and concepts into resonating content across all platforms.
   * Capturing the day-to-day of the team, behind the scenes etc. type of content.
   * Create branded art/graphics to be used in-store, and on company website, mailings, email newsletters, and social media.
   * Manage, coach and develop salon hairstylists and academy students on social media trends and use, how to take high quality photo/videos.
   * You'll identify strategic opportunities to elevate T&G's voice and presence in key social media communities, contributing strategic input and recommendations for elevating executive and marketing content.
   * Keen attention to detail and experience in a deadline-driven workplace. Assist in maintaining overall organization of equipment and studio.
   
   *Qualifications *
   
   * You have 5+ years of experience in photography (preferably in a high production environment).
   * Existing portfolio of content captured and edited. Awareness of fashion and design, social media trends.
   * You have the ability to hit tight deadlines, calmly change direction on a dime, and assess tradeoffs and risks with air-tight judgment with air-tight judgment.
   * A strong storyteller, able to create content that resonates on social media.
   * You have a proven record of high performance on a productive and organized team, deftly managing competing deadlines and priorities.
   * You are eager to leverage feedback, learn, and problem-solve collaboratively in real-time, and work cross-functionally with internal and external team members.
   * You have immense attention to detail, with the ability to understand the power of the written word or images, and hold high standards for what is posted out there.
   * Design skills (Adobe Creative Suite) to enhance content created and deliver a strong visual experience on social.
   * Strong digital photography, still life, lighting, and compositional skills Photography degree preferred but not required.
   * Degree in fashion a plus.
   
   Job Type: Full-time
   
   Pay: $14.00 - $31.00 per hour
   
   Schedule:
   * 8 hour shift
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find graphic designer and photographers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any graphic designer and photographers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level graphic designer and photographers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your graphic designer and photographer job on Zippia to find and recruit graphic designer and photographer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dribbble, authentic jobs, working not working, coroflot.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit graphic designer and photographers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new graphic designer and photographer

   Once you've found the graphic designer and photographer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new graphic designer and photographer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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