The Soft Skill Requirements for Graphic Design

Your dream job is graphic design, and you're eager to begin your career as soon as feasible. Although you already have a natural talent for design, you're not sure where to go from here. After all, why do you need a degree when you can easily pick up the necessary technical abilities on your own and succeed as a designer?

No, although some really gifted or well-connected designers might be able to pull it off, it's not the best course of action. Beyond having a natural eye for what looks nice and the ability to make it happen, graphic designers need a variety of abilities. Technical abilities are taught in degree programs together with a crucial component you might not have thought about: soft skills.

Successful graphic designers need to know more than which fonts work well together and how to use the latest design software. Join us as we explore why soft skills matter for graphic designers and what you can do to improve your own transferable skills.

Why soft skills matter for graphic designers

Soft skills are the traits and behaviors that make a job candidate a well-rounded employee. Soft skills include characteristics that can be hard to measure, like creativity, good communication and critical thinking. Because these skills are applicable to careers in many different industries, they’re sometimes referred to as transferrable skills.

Graphic designers may rely on technical know-how to create a design project, but soft skills are equally important in the workplace.  

The goal of graphic design is to communicate a clear message to others, and the right soft skills are essential to accomplishing this.  

6 Graphic design soft skills to hone

Our experts identified these six soft skills for graphic designers to have. Take a look to learn which soft skills could make a difference in your graphic design career and how you can add them to your repertoire.

1. Communication

Why it’s important: “You are talking with clients or managers, and you have to be able to communicate and understand effectively—both in writing through emails and verbally through phone calls and in-person, face-to-face conversations,” says graphic designer Jordan K. Buckway.

How to improve it: Challenge yourself to practice communicating about design with others outside the field. “Find ways to explain stuff without mentioning kerning or pantone,” Buckway says. “The typical client will not know this, so you have to explain stuff in a way that they will understand.”

Try recording yourself explaining a complex subject or your rationale for a design decision—do you sound confident? Would you trust this person to make decisions that could have an impact on your livelihood? Even better, ask for the input from people you know on what you can do better. Communication skills won’t be mastered overnight, but just being aware of what you might struggle with is a good starting point.

2. Active listening

Why it’s important: Graphic designers must be able to accurately understand a client’s vision and translate it into a piece of visual design, and that means developing active listening skills so you truly understand what others are saying.  

How to improve it: Go out for coffee with a friend and practice focusing on what they’re saying rather than thinking about what you’ll say next. Try repeating what they said back to them using your own words to see whether you understood them correctly. This might seem a little odd at first, but by leading with a summarization of what you’ve heard, you’re providing an opportunity for the other speaker to clarify.

3. Conflict resolution

Why it’s important: Graphic designers work with teammates, bosses and clients, so there’s bound to be disagreement about a project from time to time. Designers with conflict-resolution skills can remain calm while helping everyone move forward toward a solution.  

How to improve it: You can gain experience with conflict resolution by working with classmates on a group project or taking freelance design projects to build your portfolio. Inevitably there will be a point of friction and tough conversations to navigate—focus on finding middle ground where possible and putting yourself in the shoes of the person you disagree with.

4. Creativity

Why it’s important: Graphic designers must think outside the box to develop innovative ideas and design concepts. Not only are they tasked with creating attention-grabbing designs that communicate a clear message, they must also use creativity to capture a client’s vision while applying the principles of good design.

How to improve it: If you’re in a degree program, seek mentorship from your instructors. You can also use social media to reach out to designers who are already established in the field. There’s also the tried-and-true method of observing other creative work—you never know what might serve as a creative spark later on.

5. Time management

Why it’s important: Graphic designers need the ability to manage multiple projects or project elements at one time. Strong time management skills help them juggle all their projects and clients without dropping the ball. Design comes with deadlines—learning how to be efficient with your time allows you to dedicate more of it to productive work.

How to improve it: Once again, practice makes perfect. Students working toward earning a degree are also receiving a crash course in time management as they plan around multiple commitments, such as coursework and attending class, going to work and spending time with family. Learn to organize your life so you know what needs to be done by when.

6. Persistence

Why it’s important: As a designer, you have to be able to take stuff in stride and stay persistent. Know what to hold to and what to concede on, but during the entire process, maintain your resolve to produce the greatest design you can.

How to improve it: College courses offer plenty of opportunities to develop persistence. Students learn to carry on with their studies even when a lesson is difficult or their life becomes busy. Those lessons follow them beyond the classroom into persistence that’s a valued asset in a design career.

Improve your soft skills, design your career

You can see that a design career requires more skills than you may have realized! Gaining and improving these soft skills for graphic designers will help you launch the career you’ve been dreaming of, and a graphic design education could be what it takes to help you get there.

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