Todd Sumamno
Sooner or later you will need a graphic designer, no matter what sort of business you’re running. These days, if you’re not on the Internet and on social media, you don’t exist. Period. For a big company, having a graphic designer on the payroll full-time makes sense. Lots of products to advertise and marketing campaigns to conduct justify the costs of having your in-house graphic designer. What about other businesses? Where and how can you find the right graphic designer for your Australian business?
Find a freelance graphic designer
If you only need a graphic designer a couple of times per year, hiring one on a temporary basis is, frankly, a waste of money. This type of work can easily be done remotely so all you have to do is to find a good freelancer. There are two ways to go about it. You can go on the various freelance platforms, such as Fiverr, Upwork or Freelancer.com and browse through the profiles or post your job offer and evaluate the answers you get. At the same time, you can use a platform like Behance, which is not meant for hiring people outright. It is a portfolio site, where graphic designers present their work. Look around until you find someone whose style fits with your needs and contact them to employ their services.
How to screen a graphic designer
Here’s what you need to keep in mind when selecting a graphic designer:
- Define your goal
The most important thing for you as a business owner is to find someone whose style is most appropriate for what you have in mind. This is important, too, graphic designers are not magicians so they cannot guess what you want. You have to, at least, give them an idea of what you want. After that, they will come back to you and present several design outlines for you to choose from.
- Test their communication skills
When you have an in-house designer, they’re part of your team. You’re on the same page, so to say. When you hire a freelancer, good communication is crucial. If they take a lot of time to answer and don’t seem too interested in your project, drop them. Find someone more willing to work, answer your questions patiently, provide details and offer their input. Beware of a designer who has no input and blandly accepts all your ideas without making an effort to bring in their professional expertise. You need their expertise.
- Ask for a background check
This is important when you’re planning to launch a new project and the graphic designer will have access to sensitive business information. Don’t be shy! Real professionals understand your concerns and, in most cases, are happy to oblige. Getting a background check is the easiest thing these days when you can use an online character check agency to get a full police check in no time. You can get started by filling out an online application form.
- Check out their portfolio
If their portfolio is not online already, ask to see some examples of their previous work. A good professional is always happy to present his or her past jobs. You might also want to get some references, especially if you think you will need a graphic designer for more than one job. (You will.) On freelance platforms, professionals are routinely rated by previous employers so it’s easy to find a 5 star designer. If they’re not on any of these platforms, just ask them to provide a couple of names of companies they’ve worked with. A quick phone call and you’ll know if other employers were satisfied with their work and their attitude.
