Graphics specialist skills for your resume and career

Three soft skills stand out most: an ability to see the big picture, an ability to "read" people, and an ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s).
i. An ability to see big picture: there are an infinite number of details in graphic design, whether you work in website design on the front or back end, or in print media with physical outputs. It's easy to get caught up on the details, especially when clients are making specific demands about things such as paper type. A skilled designer must be able to see beyond the details and look at the big picture for an effective design solution. For example, a client may be asking for an invitation design for an up-coming event. A skilled designer will ask questions and dig in, eventually uncovering that perhaps for a successful event, the client also needs a splash page and social media, either in place of or in addition to an invitation. A skilled designer addresses design problems holistically, rather than minutely.
ii. An ability to "read" people: designers are trained in art-specific vocabulary. Hue, saturation, pixels, gestalt...most non-art folks don't use or speak that language. When clients are describing their goals, they aren't using art-vocabulary. It's a designer's job to translate what the client is saying into an advanced and effective creative solution. They must be able to speak and understand the language of non-creative folks, as well as the language of the broader creative industry.
iii. An ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s): many young and inexperienced designer tend to get their hearts broken when a client smashes one of their [very well thought-out] ideas. Rather than rolling over, a designer must learn to navigate how best to build support for their idea(s). That might mean in some instances you work more fluidly with the client throughout the design process, so that they feel they have ownership in the development of the solution. In other instances it might mean that the designer is presenting options, rather than a single solution, so that the client feels empowered to make choices throughout the design process. And in some instances, it might be a matter of better explaining and presenting your idea to a client; perhaps the designer needs to push back more, perhaps they need to provide more research as to why their solution is best, or maybe they simply need to present it with more excitement and enthusiasm.

This completely depends on which sector of the graphic design industry you're involved in. Generally speaking, a working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite is essential, with expertise in other software as it applies to your field. I also find it refreshing and highly effective when designers can begin exploring and developing solutions in an more analog fashion on the front-end of projects, before jumping to the computer. For example, it's easier to visually organize complex ideas via a post-it/mood board wall in which you can physically move ideas around, especially when you're working with a team, which is more common than not.

Sketch, sketch, sketch, and work on your portfolio. Use the many resources at FIT to stay current with technology, including 3d printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality. Volunteer with one of the professional organizations, attend virtual conferences, enter a competition, develop your personal/professional profile, and become familiar with digital material resources. Work on your research and presentation skills. Create a well-organized digital library of your 2d and 3d assets. Prepare yourself to go back. Take some masterclasses. Volunteer as a virtual artist-in-residence at a local school. Be creative, remain engaged.

The reason that students who study in the Arts are immensely employable is that they have developed a broad set of skills that are transferable to an equally broad set of on-the-job challenges. As part of their training, they have had the opportunity to work both in teams and to work independently. They must hone their time-management skills, and they engage with the process of basic research and professional practices. Arts students learn to speak about their practice of self-reflection and to set goals to move their personal work forward.

Students in the Arts learn to critique their own presentations and are therefore experienced in the routine of observation, review, and iteration of a concept/performance or presentation. At the University of Toledo, as in many other institutions, several advanced writing courses are part of the Core Curriculum, so all students are encouraged to polish their written skills. Many aspects of Arts programs rely on digital skills as part of the pedagogy, and these experiences translate into important advantages when it comes to a workplace.

It is certainly no secret that we are living in disruptive times, both wonderful and terrible. The pandemic has accelerated our ability to work remotely. There is no replacement for being on-location, in the lab or classroom; however, this has given students and professors, opportunity to develop virtual skill. Presenting a professional "face" as a designer may be one of the most important skills a student will develop. We will not go back to things as normal, normal was never that good anyway. We are looking forward to new ways of working and interacting within the world as designers at Angelina College.