Pre-Employment Tests For Graphic Designers
Top Skills and Abilities:
- Active Listening
- Operations Analysis
- Speaking
- Originality
- Written Comprehension
Top 3 Tasks:
- Create designs, concepts, and sample layouts based on knowledge of layout principles and aesthetic design concepts.
- Determine size and arrangement of illustrative material and copy, and select style and size of type.
- Confer with clients to discuss and determine layout design.
Overview
Graphic designers are charged with creating the imagery, design collateral, and visual themes that form such an important part of an organization’s product development, brand building and marketing initiatives. Generally graphic designers will be adept at using software to create artwork in a variety of media. Organizations of all kinds enlist graphic designers to help convey their message and position their brands, and graphic design has taken on a special importance for web-based companies where design and user experience can play such a vital role in determining the success of a business. Some designers work for advertising firms while others work freelance, gaining experience with a diverse client base. When collaborating on a project, designers will often work closely with copywriters to arrange text on an advertisement and discuss font and color options.
Requirements
Graphic design is a broad field and many designers choose to specialize in particular media, a fact that employers should keep in mind when interviewing applicants. A graphic designer's greatest asset is his or her ability to produce effective content and build a portfolio of work that demonstrates the critical-thinking and design skills necessary to make a project succeed.
Assessments for Graphic Designers
It is difficult to evaluate an individual's creative capabilities in a standardized, scalable way, but it is relatively easy to assess his or her ability to problem-solve, digest information, and think critically. The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is a short (15-minute) aptitude test that is popular with employers evaluating applicants for graphic designer positions. In fast-evolving fields such as graphic design, where new technologies require constantly evolving skill sets, the CCAT is used to predict learning ability, assess problem-solving skills, and identify high level critical thinkers.
Additionally, Criteria's Employee Personality Profile (EPP) is recommended to assess key traits in Graphic Designers, including Creativity (associated with Openness), Attention to Detail (related to Conscientiousness), Patience, Stress Tolerance, and Cooperativeness.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor