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Five things to look out for when hiring a designer
In addition to the apparent qualities you want.
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I’ve had the luxury of never having to apply for a design job. We founded our agency nearly 12 years ago, in 2008, and we’ve have had just enough clientele since then to afford a place to live and the occasional craft beer. Oh, and MacBooks, of course. Can’t be seen without a MacBook.
I did, however, hire people — mostly designers. Recently, I was in the opportunity to witness a job-hunt from the other side — the designer’s side — and I noticed some anomalies in how other agencies interview people, and the hiring process in general. It turns out; I hire differently. And for good reason, I believe.
This realization got me inspired to find out what exactly I look for when hiring a designer (or other creative). Here’s what I found.
A note beforehand: these are not vague or arbitrary hiring requirements, rather they are focus points that help me understand better who someone is as a designer. Only looking at a portfolio and job history gives you a very limited idea of what kind of designer someone is. Having other things to look at helps make better judgements, from my experience.