What kind of designer do you need?

A designer’s role is usually defined by what they create (e.g. user interface designer, packaging designer, etc). However, every design job shares a common goal: being at the service of people and developing innovative products and/or services.

This post is for all design warriors out there who get a little confused by all the job titles out there (or is it just me). Don’t feel bad or slide into an existential crisis because you are not entirely sure what your specialisation is or that you aim towards a more generalist career. It can be confusing for companies (who are trying to find a design specialist) and for designers (finding a well-suited job title/role that explains best what you can offer).

Specialising in a single type or a set of related types

It’s useful to know that many designers specialise in a single type and others focus on a set of related, similar types. For example a graphic designer specialised in only packaging design. Or a graphic designer specialised in marketing, branding and social media. And that some companies need specialists and others are better off hiring generalists (that’s where an intake or job interview comes into play).

Fact is that the industry is constantly changing, and designers must be adaptable and lifelong learners so they can change or add specialisations throughout their careers.

Enjoy your design journey! Please feel free to add more types of designers in comment.