In our sphere of influence, body art might seem off topic for graphic designers and media developers, but there is a relevant correlation. For instance, if you're in the process of recruiting or selecting a design professional to produce print collaterals, advertising design, or web visuals, it's possible that your "criteria" could negatively impact the quality of the design professionals you attract. Here are some basic guidelines to consider when recruiting, contracting, or attempting to hire a design or new media professional (which includes web and video producers.)

Already understood by most talented professionals, are the long-standing ethical standards promoted by AIGA™, the nation's largest and oldest association for design & media professionals. For instance, AIGA strongly discourages the practice of requesting that design work be produced on a speculative (unpaid) basis. Similarly, would you agree to receive a tatoo on a speculative basis? Probably not! Therefore, if your project (or design) solicitation includes speculative criteria, you're already excluding a high percentage of designers who adhere to acceptable industry standards and would take offense to such a condition for employment or contractual collaboration. The following details several other key points that if considered, will ultimately enhance the effectiveness of your talent search.

Compelling design is the result of a successful cooperation between client and designer. To assure you receive the most talented and responsive design candidate, it's important to develop a concise statement (or creative brief) of your project goals without adversarial conditions. Remember that exceptional talent will yield value for your brand or service, and support the strategic communication of your sales and marketing goals. How you enroll and interact with design professionals will set the tone for how they address the needs and challenges of your project.

For instance, a capable and talented designer does not work for free, so don't ask them to participate in a speculative competition which will only result in a superficial assessment of the design challenge. Such competitions might be appealing to an unseasoned professional, but more likely they will foster inappropriate submissions that require some form of genetic mutation before they meet the criteria of a usable brand or marketing campaign. While some designers are willing to participate in an open call without any assurance of compensation, you will immediately relegate your talent pool to those who are usually the least experienced.

A more effective and ethical approach would be to ask a design or media professional to submit a portfolio (or examples from previous assignments.) An equally acceptable solution would be to request a statement of how the prospective designer would fulfill your project goals. You can then assess the quality of the designer's previous work samples and the aptitude of their written response. Once you select a designer, have them begin your project by designing a strategic component first. If, while under contract, they deliver an agreeable concept that matches your specifications, there would be no reason for further speculation.

Talented and knowledgeable designers are in demand and work according to the standards of their profession. The self-respecting ones are guaranteed to infuse their work with talent, skill, and professional experience. That's an unwritten work ethic that every client can and should anticipate from a qualified design candidate. Quite often though, media buyers will secure a less talented or inexperienced designer whom they suspect will compromise the outcome of a project. Why? Usually some budget constraint or a presumed compliance with criterion that is irrelevant to the campaign objectives. Unfortunately, when the inexperienced candidate complies with a self fulfilling prophecy and fails to deliver a crucial visual strategy, a more experienced designer will be required to amend the concept. Of course, the resulting hybrid will incur additional expenses that impact the overall budget and ROI for the campaign. In our opionion, this sounds like a bad tattoo!

Equally debilitating (and regrettable) are unreasonable client expectations due to poor planning, inadequate budget development, and a limited understanding (or value) for design and media talent. There are very few skilled professions where the service provider is expected to do the work prior to a guarantee of payment. For instance, consider asking a handful of lawyers to write a brief under the guise of a competition. Or, ask several tattoo artists to work for free until you decide which is the most talented. Undoubtedly, you will realize that there are skilled and creative professions with unique standards that help protect the eventual outcomes of creative ability. Compliance with such standards is generally an acceptable prerequisite to securing qualified candidates, not a compromise or inequity that must be undermined after competitive analysis.

As with most design professionals who provide qualified solutions, we're pleased to demonstrate how we exceed expectations and do so within a reasonable budget. To that end, we provide all the necessary collaterals to assist a potential client in making informed decisions about our suitability and level of participation in any campaign. To learn more, request a consultation or a free site audit.