Don’t spend weeks polishing your portfolio only to slip up during the interview process. Here are some graphic design interview questions you can prepare for.
Whether you’re a seasoned graphic designer with years of experience or brand new to the design industry, one thing never changes: interviews are stressful.
Most graphic designers spend weeks polishing their portfolios in preparation for a graphic design interview but then neglect to spend enough time preparing answers to common interview questions. Portfolios are great to show off your design skills and showcase recent graphic design projects, but in the increasingly-competitive design industry, how well you interview can be what allows you to stand out from a sea of other applicants.
At the end of the day, hiring managers are looking for the best graphic designers for the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re looking for the candidate with the most impressive portfolio. The interview process is where great designers can really stand out and is the perfect opportunity to showcase their passion for the role, skills, and creative process.
Thankfully, there are some common interview questions that most hiring managers will ask during the interview process. By carefully preparing answers for these questions ahead of your interview, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of making a good impression and landing a job offer.
We’ve written this article as a step-by-step guide on how to prepare for your graphic design interview, with example answers to common questions.
Sample Questions with answers
1. How would you explain the color theory to someone without any graphic design experience?
By asking this question, the interviewer wants to find out what graphic design theories and terminology you are familiar with. Your answer should address the definition of color theory and use common language to define it.
Sample answer: “Color theory is very important to graphic design as it theorizes that colors have a significant impact on a consumer’s receptiveness to a design. It looks at the aesthetically pleasing nature of certain color combinations and the psychology of color. The aim of color theory is to help graphic designers and other artists to use colors in a purposeful way.”
2. How would you handle negative client feedback on one of your designs?
An interviewer might ask this question to see how well you are accustomed to receiving critical feedback. Your answer should reflect a positive outlook on the situation and how you approach such situations.
Sample answer: “Negative comments are always disappointing, as you want to deliver the best quality of work to represent your company and please the client. In these situations, I would use the client’s feedback as fuel to revamp the project to incorporate their new vision and restructure my design based on the elements they disliked.”
3. When was the first time you realized you wanted to work in graphic design?
An interviewer might ask this question to learn more about the foundation of your graphic design career. Your answer should recount the event or instance to the best of your abilities and reflect your passion for graphic design.
Sample answer: “I was in my senior year of high school when I first realized I had an interest in graphic design. As a part of my business class, we had to create an infographic and logo for a made-up company. Up until that point I had considered myself an artist and enjoyed painting and calligraphy, but I hadn’t tried applying it to a digital format. I was intrigued by it and decided to pursue a graphic design degree.”
4. If you had a chance to revamp our company logo, what changes would you make and why?
5. Are you comfortable with the design programs you would be expected to use in this position?
This question is designed to gauge how well you read the job description and the requirements that are expected of an ideal candidate. A good answer should include the names of the design programs that a candidate is expected to be familiar with and examples of when you used those programs.
