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.
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
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
Coverage is the share of the target role’s weighted skill requirement a graphic designer already meets, counting required skills in full and supplementary ones at 0.35. 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.