What does a Designer do?
Designers play key roles in creative companies and use elements including typography and illustration within their daily work. Designers have several fields they could choose from, including graphic design, interior design, floral design, and fashion design.
Designers use research to help solve problems and to properly assess what a client or an audience may need; they strive to get to know their customers by finding solutions and products that satisfy their needs. Designers use their creativity which helps ensure they are on the right path to create what the customer desires. Designers stay current with industry trends to keep ahead of their competitors and strive to produce consistently excellent work. As nurturers of creativity, they encourage others to share ideas, and they provide direction for projects and team members. While there is no formal requirement to become a designer, many attend art schools where they learn expertise and their field of choice. Most designers have fluency in software packages including InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop.
- Setup and manage weekly meetings with civil design teams.
- Coach and develop the team and managers, including any under-perform members.
- Perform system design layout and sizing for assigned projects.
- Extensive daily interaction with internal colleagues, management and customers.
- Take responsibility for the quality of the team's work.
- Place and track orders and assist in product invoicing.
- Assist in the studies and selection of equipment to fit the project design.
- Collaborate with engineering, product and marketing teams.
- Lead design initiatives to recommend and implement new systems, processes or procedures.
- Review shop drawings and working drawing submissions from contractors.
- Participate in and contribute to project debriefs, templates and design POVs.
- Support creative team on accounts, pitches, and content across wide range of platforms.
- Lead and monitor projects to ensure design objectives are met.
- Develop detailed design documents (structural steel, concrete and civil).
- Research market to determine trends in color, theme, fabric, trim and style.
- Stay current with latest design software improvements and upgrades.
- Manage, promote and release engineering data using appropriate software and systems.
- Research and recommend design software and computer workstations for mold design purposes.
- Provide advice and guidance on all service-level related issues.
- Assist in the preparation, execution and shipment of seasonal concept and sketch presentations.
- Work with devs and QE to deliver polished final product.
- Bachelor's or Graduate's Degree in computer science, engineering, or computer engineering or equivalent experience.
- Experience with AutoCad, CAD Software, InDesign, and Photoshop.
- Experience with GIS, HTML, Agile, and UI Design.
- Experience in a consulting position.
- Demonstrated drawing experience.
- A critical thinker with a strong work ethic.
- Can collaborate and lead while paying strict attention to detail.
- Fluency in schematic capture.
- CAD work in both 2D and 3D CAD environments.
How much does a Designer make?
Base Pay
Additional Pay
$59,639
/ yrDesigner Career Path
Learn how to become a Designer, what skills and education you need to succeed, and what level of pay to expect at each step on your career path.
Years of Experience Distribution
Designer Insights
TPXimpact“Information on how I was going to be judged during my interview was incorrect and misleading.”
Eve Waldron Design“Eve is a highly skilled and experienced designer and I definitely learned a lot during my placement.”
Octopus Energy“Friday night family dinners are great and a great way to keep the whole business on the same page.”
dancker“Benefits are okay but not enough to stay in a job with a career cap.”
“You get to work with great people who are really good at what they do.”
Seera“Can get promotion or good salary hike easily if you are very close to your manager or director.”
Rainbow Design Services“Direct supervision/leadership can be good to work with IF you get assigned to a good boss.”
The Levy Group“Also my pay was inconsistent because my boss would forget to sign off on my hours which happened 1”
Frequently asked questions about the role and responsibilities of designers
Designers spend a typical day using their creativity to produce solutions that meet clients' specific needs. They play a key role in creative companies and are typically employed in a variety of industries, such as fashion, architecture, transportation, and web development.
The job outlook for designers remains strong, thanks to advances in technology, especially when it comes to computer design software programs. An advantage of becoming a designer is that the job can likely be completed from home or remotely instead of in an office.
Yes, designers do get paid well. The average annual salary for designers in the United States is around $59,639 but this number depends on experience. Highly experienced designers can make up to $93,983 annually. Designers might be able to increase their earnings by taking on freelance work.
Working as a designer can sometimes be challenging, especially if dealing with difficult clients. They must maintain their creativity while adhering to the clients' requests, often adjusting their vision several times. Designers might also be required to work long hours to fulfill deadlines.