Expert: LizaL - 7/5/2006

Question
Hi I'm Zac and I am a student at college.  Im in a career class and one requirement is to interview someone in the field of graphic design.

1.) What steps did you take ( education, training, relocation) to land a job in this career?
2.) Why is this a job that you are good at?  Why is this a job that you enjoy (natural abilities, likes, dislikes, etc.)?
3.) What skills did you gain (and how), or did you have, that are important to your job?
4.) What is your job environment like? (the places, things, people you work with).
5.)  Who do you report to?  Who reports to you?
6.) What sort of tasks do you routinely do?
7.) What do you like, and what do you dislike, about the job?
8.) What is the most interesting part of your work?
9.) Do you get paid well?  Do you deserve more based on the amount of work, training, or risk?
10.) How have you advanced?  What jobs did you start with that led you up to what you are doing now?
11.) Do you want to stay in this career or specific job?  Why or why not?
12.) How does your family feel about your job?  Are the benefits (vacation, insurance, etc.) attractive?
13.) Would you, as a person in this career, recommend this field to someone graduating from high school?

Please answer all the questions you can.  It will be greatly apreciated. Thanks

Answer
Hi Zac,

I may or may not be the best person to answer this question, as I work totally freelance now. But I used to teach Career Development, and I understand this kind of assignment, so I'll give it a shot!

1. In college, I majored in English and minored in elementary education. My first job was copywriter for an advertising agency. I wound up not exactly liking this job, and after a couple of years, I made an inhouse move to the agency's advertising department and fell back on my art skills and training. So it's not like I sought a job in graphic design. It was actually my second choice.

But I've been a graphic designer now for 22 years, and into Web design for 6.

2. I have an inherent talent for design, and I've always thought this was important to anyone's success. I taught college commercial art and design for 10 years, and I've always believed you can't teach talent -- a student has to have at least a mindset for order and and an understanding of spatial relationships between objects and color. I can't say specifically what I enjoy or why; it's just what I do, and it's second nature to me.

3. I've always made it a point to just keep on learning. After college I went back to school and got a certificate in programming, which I think prepared me for a career based on using the computer. I've used the most important computer design and layout programs pretty much since they were first released, and I think it's vital to keep up with changes in software.

4. I work at home, and I work alone.

5. I report to no one, and no one reports to me.

6. I do print design (logo design, brochure design, corporate identity packages, signage design, page layout, etc.); Web design and maintenance; product illustration; Flash animation; portrait and photo retouching.

7. I like setting my own schedule, and dislike clients who don't respect it.

8. I guess the most interesting part of my work is the variety involved. I won't always be doing the same kind of job from day to day.

9. I think I get paid well, and I base my fees on my talent, and years of experience and knowledge.

10. I think I mentioned how I advanced in the beginning of this answer.

11. I'm sure I will. Design is all I know, basically. I can't imagine doing anything else.

12. One of my favorite benefits is being able to take time off whenever I want!

13. Actually, I would encourage any student to first take an internship with either a printing company or a newspaper, before they commit to an actual job in the field. I think it's important for a student to get an idea of how it feels to work under a deadline, as well as learn everything they can about the field in which they choose to work.

Hope this helps --

Lisa