We all know the importance of hiring the right people for your organisation. It’s the people, after all, who keep a company running and make it thrive!
When hiring, for every role that needs filling there’s a certain list of criteria that should be met. But no matter how well you know your company, there could be certain job criteria you have no clue about. A HR specialist with a background in finance may know nothing about the specifics of a social media strategist, for example.
With that in mind, let’s break down some of the most important things to keep in mind when hiring a digital designer for your company.
Know the difference between digital designers
Designer is a bit of a catch-all term, and while most digital designers can work across multiple disciplines, it’s important to know where someone specialises.
UX Designers
Are concerned with the user experience of a website or app, and often have insights and skills based in consumer psychology.
UI designers
Create the actual interface of a digital product, such as computer software or a phone app.
Website designers
Are concerned with the interface of a website, and should have coding skills as well as a keen eye for design.
Graphic Designers
Create digital graphics like logos, infographics, and illustrations.
Understand your business’ unique needs
When you’re job seeking, there’s nothing worse than unclear requirements or job ads with minimal information. Before starting the hiring process, have a think about exactly what you’re looking for. Some questions you could ask yourself include:
- What kind of designer do you need? Or do you need someone who can work across multiple categories?
- How long do you need a designer for? Is this a temporary role for a single project or are you hiring a full-time permanent worker?
- What is your budget? And what is the maximum salary you would pay for this role?
- Do you want to make one hire or multiple hires?
Keep your job ad simple but specific
A good job advertisement toes the line between providing the right details, without overwhelming applicants. The last thing you want is to cram it full of all the tools and skills under the sun.
Keep it clear, easy to follow, and, most of all, enticing.
Describe your company’s culture, employee benefits and stick to a tone that reflects who you are. If you offer any education, training, or mentorship as employee perks, include that on your ad! You want to attract workers who are keen to learn and expand their skill sets.
Choose a fair salary
Of course, this is going to vary by location –– a UX designer in London is paid on average £10,000 per year more than one in Chester, for example.
As a rough guide, you can explore sites like Payscale and Glassdoor to get an idea for a fair salary based on experience, location, and job title.
How can potential employees help your company?
When you get to the interview stage, it’s important to ask candidates why they’re the best fit for your company. Everyone has something new and different to bring to the table, so which will be most beneficial for you?
Maybe someone has a background in project management and can help wrangle a team that needs direction. Perhaps another candidate is fluent in a coding language that will help elevate your web design. Or someone may have 10 years freelancing experience and has an address book full of contacts you can tap into.
Whiteboard task
There are many views (for and against) the use of whiteboard tasks during an interview. From our vast experience we have continually found them to be one of the best methods in determining if a candidate has what it takes. You get a great sense of their energy, their soft skills and if they would fit nicely into your design team and culture.
Finding the perfect digital designer for your company can be tricky –– but Thunk is here to make things a little easier! We design world class digital products and services, driven and informed by research. If you’re looking to grow your design maturity, across your teams and business as a whole, get in touch today and we can chat about bringing your specific goals to life.