Careers in Graphic Design

Careers in Graphic Design and Marketing

These days the world is covered in art and design.  Marketing often relies heavily on unique graphics and artistic displays to help sell product.  As such, there is really a high demand for anyone with skills useful in the marketing and advertising industry.  You’ll find that there is a need for graphic designers, marketers and copywriters to create the ads that sell everyday products we all use.

It’s not difficult to find these jobs.  Just about every large company has a need for a graphic designer or someone in marketing.  All it really takes is a little research into the industry to find which companies are actively hiring.  Here are a few of the companies that have been seen hiring recently;

Companies Who Hire Graphic Designers:

Names and Numbers
1225 E. Centennial - P. O. Box 1479
Pittsburg, Kansas 66762
1-800-592-7625

This is your typical phone and address directory company.  Think the phone book, except they also offer online listings too.  Don’t disregard the potential graphic design position with a phone book publisher.  They do after all need someone to pick font types, sizes, colors and work the layouts for all those ads!   The same is true for marketing.  Someone needs to contact all those companies paying for larger ads and figure out how to give each one his or her own spotlight in the book.

Topps Company Inc.
Topps US
One Whitehall Street
New York, NY 10004

Baseball cards are a lucrative business and it’s ripe with graphic design and marketing opportunities.  Check out companies like Topps that create and sell trading cards.  If you look around you’ll find that these companies need a lot of people to promote their trading cards and develop new marketing materials for their products. 

Genuine Business Solutions
9229 Ward Parkway, Suite 360
Kansas City, MO  64114

If it’s more the marketing focus you’re interested in, check out this company that actively markets for its clients.  They believe in using new and dynamic marketing techniques to reach potential customers for their clients.  Plus, Genuine Business Solutions are fans of %100 promotion from within!

The Bradford Group
Human Resources
9333 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Niles, Illinois 60714

This company focuses on creating and marketing unique collectables to the public.  The Bradford Group brings in much of its marketing income through direct mailings and print publications so they need graphic artists, designers and marketers to help get their product out to the public.  Look into the collectables market for lots of hidden marketing jobs!

Beyond doing the proper research to find companies that are looking for graphic designers and marketers you’ll need to get the right education.  Here are a few of the excellent degree programs you can enroll in to further develop your skills in marketing and graphic design:

College Degrees for Careers in Graphic Design:

Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

If you are planning on becoming a graphic designer then this degree should prepare you for it.  It includes four years of coursework focusing on Advertising Design, ID Design, Three-Dimensional Design and that all important Typography.  You are sure to get a good basis in art and advertising with this degree.  Many companies hiring designers will want some kind of art training and prefer it if you are trained in graphic design, advertising design or even computer art.

Associate of Occupational Studies with a concentration in Graphic Design

Some colleges and schools will go so far as to offer an associate’s degree in graphic design, art, marketing or advertising.  If you are on a budget, or just want to get into the job market as soon as possible this may be the best option for you.  The courses may be more intense, with you taking several studio classes at once though.

Bachelor’s of Marketing

If you find you don’t have much interest in the artistic side of advertising but still want to work in the area, a marketing degree is a great option.  This basic degree with help you develop the skills needed to find new clients for large companies, find the demographics and other need to know stuff for your products.  So you’ll be able to provide the designers with the information they need to create the best ads and marketing materials.