Where a graphic designer can go next
12 destinations recorded, ranked by how much of the target role a graphic designer already meets. The closer to the top of Table 1, the less there is to learn.
Graphic designers create text and images to communicate ideas. They make visual concepts by hand or using computer software, intended for publishing in paper or online media such as advertisements, websites, and magazines.
Also known as advertising artist, graphic design expert, graphic artist, graphics designer, graphic design specialist, commercial graphic designer, commercial designer.
Professionals 64 skills on file 12 career moves 0 above 60% overlap Closest: special effects artist, 56%
- 70% and above · short step
- 50 to 70% · real move
- Below 50% · substantial retraining
Table 2 · A bigger jump
Possible, but expect real retraining rather than a sideways step.
- desktop publisher 49% covered · difficulty 55.4
- animation director 47% covered · difficulty 55.7
- animation layout artist 46% covered · difficulty 61.4
- cartoonist 43% covered · difficulty 58.5
- creative director 40% covered · difficulty 61
- 3D animator 39% covered · difficulty 60
- advertising specialist 37% covered · difficulty 60.8
- illustrator 34% covered · difficulty 67.2
- advertising assistant 34% covered · difficulty 61.7
Table 3 · What the job itself asks for
A graphic designer needs 19 required skills and areas of knowledge. These 10 are the ones fewest other jobs share, so they say the most about the work.
- convert scribbles into virtual sketches working with computers
- use creative suite software working with computers
- respect publication formats communication, collaboration and creativity
- adobe creative suite information and communication technologies (icts)
- translate requirements into visual design communication, collaboration and creativity
- digital media arts and humanities
- design graphics communication, collaboration and creativity
- develop an artistic framework communication, collaboration and creativity
- follow a brief communication, collaboration and creativity
- desktop publishing information and communication technologies (icts)
Table 4 · Jobs that lead here
The reverse view: occupations whose skills already cover much of what a graphic designer does. The figure is how much of this job each one brings.
Look up another occupation
Graphic designer is filed under Professionals, ISCO major group 2. The full index lists all ten groups.
How these figures were compiled
Overlap is how much of the target role is already part of a graphic designer’s work. It is directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. Every entry above opens the full comparison for that move: what carries over, what is missing, and where to start. The full method.