Visual designers are increasingly in demand in the design industry. These Swiss-army-knife designers are responsible for designing the look and feel of a website, app, or other digital asset to optimize user experience. Their skill set combines elements of graphic design, such as color theory and typography, with visual communication, user interface (UI) design, and UX design to enhance the usability of assets.
The demand for visual designers is growing, with a steady 20% increase since 2020 for both visual and graphic designers. Since demand currently outweighs supply, hiring managers and Heads of Design need to be prepared with the right offers and questions to find the best candidate for the role and make sure their offer is competitive enough to snag top visual design talent.
This article will walk you through 25 visual designer interview questions that will help you make your next hire.
25 visual designer interview questions
Use these 25 questions to guide your interview process, and remember to tailor them to your specific company and design team’s needs — this will help you ensure you get the most relevant and insightful information about each candidate.
Skills and Competencies
- “Can you walk me through your design portfolio and explain the thought process behind your design work?”
This question helps assess the candidate’s design skills, creative process, and problem-solving skills.
- “How proficient are you in industry-standard design software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign?”
Understanding the candidate’s technical skills is essential to ensure they can efficiently work on design projects.
- “Can you share an experience when you collaborated with cross-functional teams on a design project?”
This question gauges their soft skills — such as teamwork and communication skills — that are vital for a visual designer role.
Work Environment Preferences
- “Describe your ideal working environment and the team structure that brings out your best performance.”
Understanding their preferences ensures a cultural fit within the design team and that they’re a team player.
- “How do you handle tight deadlines and high-pressure situations?”
This question reveals the candidate’s ability to manage stress and maintain quality work under pressure.
- “Are you open to receiving and providing constructive feedback regularly?
Assessing their openness to feedback helps maintain a healthy feedback culture within the team.
Behavioral Traits
- “Tell me about a challenging design project you worked on. How did you overcome obstacles and achieve successful results?”
This question demonstrates the candidate’s resilience and problem-solving capabilities.
- “What inspires you as a visual designer, and how do you stay up-to-date with design trends?”
This shows the candidate’s passion for design and their dedication to continuous learning.
- “How do you prioritize multiple design projects to ensure timely delivery?”
This assesses their organizational skills and ability to manage workload effectively.
Work Ethic and Commitment
- “How do you approach design projects with tight budgets?”
This question evaluates their resourcefulness and ability to deliver quality work within constraints.
- “Can you describe a situation when you had to adapt to a change in design direction?”
Understanding their adaptability is crucial for handling shifting project requirements.
- “What motivates you to stay focused and productive on a long-term design project?”
This question helps gauge their commitment to seeing a project through to completion.
Employee Benefits and Growth
- “Are you interested in pursuing additional design certifications or attending relevant workshops?”
This question measures the candidate’s eagerness for professional growth and development.
- “How do you handle failure or negative feedback on a design you worked hard on?”
Understanding their response to setbacks reveals their emotional resilience and willingness to learn.
- “What kind of design projects do you hope to work on in the future, and how does our company align with your career goals?”
Assessing their career aspirations helps determine long-term fit.
Company Culture and Collaboration
- “Can you share a time when you had to compromise your design vision to align with a client’s preferences?”
This question assesses their ability to collaborate and find common ground.
- “How do you ensure your designs are inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences?”
This highlights their commitment to ethical and inclusive design practices.
- “Describe your experience with conducting user research and incorporating feedback into your designs.”
Understanding their user-centric approach helps evaluate their design process.
Leadership Potential
- “Have you ever led a design team or mentored junior designers?”
This question assesses their leadership capabilities and potential for growth within the organization.
- “How do you foster creativity and innovation within your team?”
This shows their ability to nurture a creative and inspiring work environment.
- “Can you provide an example of how you successfully advocated for a design idea or strategy with upper management?”
This demonstrates their communication and persuasion skills as a leader.
Client Relations
- “How do you manage client expectations and feedback during the design process?”
This evaluates their client management skills, crucial for a Head of Design working with stakeholders.
- “Have you worked on design projects with tight confidentiality or non-disclosure requirements?”
This question ensures the candidate can handle sensitive information with discretion.
- “Can you describe a time when you had to address conflicting feedback from multiple stakeholders?
This helps assess their diplomatic approach to managing diverse opinions.
Design Methodologies
- “What design methodology (e.g., Agile, Design Thinking) do you find most effective, and how do you incorporate it into your projects?”
Understanding their design process and methodologies gives insights into their approach to problem-solving.
Hiring your next visual designer
A visual designer can be a strong asset in any design team — especially if they are skilled in using AI design tools that they can incorporate into the workflow.
While AI is unlikely to steal designers’ jobs anytime soon, those who learn to work with the machines can boost efficiency, creativity, and productivity for themselves and the rest of the team.
When hiring new design team members, look for candidates who have integrated AI into their skill set — particularly generative AI.
Curious about what the future holds for AI in design? The Playbook team took a look into our crystal ball and came up with some predictions — you can check them out here.