Visual Designer Job Description and Salary Outlook

Visual Designer Job Description and Salary OutlookVisual Designer Job Description and Salary OutlookVisual konzeptioners are in demand, but how does the job differ from more well-known konzept roles like graphic designer or web designer? Weve got the scoop on this hot job.Once upon a time, when embarking on a design career path, there were two choices graphic designer or web designer. Today, there are many flavors on the design job menu, from UX designer to digital designer, making it difficult to distinguish which role is right for you or your company. Perhaps the murkiest of all these titles is visual designer, which sounds like a catchall - and at times it can be. Here, we break down this in-demand yet often ambiguous job.Just as graphic designer has become a blanket term for those who do print design work, think of visual designer as a blanket term for digital. It covers a large spectrum of digital design, but what distinguishes it from other digital design roles is that its ori ented toward what a user sees on a screen and is less about behind-the-scenes work. In some ways, its a hybrid of UI design and graphic design.A visual designer, for example, might create web banner ads, email templates, landing pages, or a visual overlay for a button, reiter or icon. Much like the role of UX and UI designers, the goal of visual designers is to get users from Point A to Point B in a visually intuitive way. And while web designers are typically responsible for some coding, visual designers often are not, which sets the two roles apart.Visual designer duties and expectationsA visual designer designs for a variety of platforms, which may include Internet and intranet sites, games, movies, kiosks and wearables. In short, they create the concepts, artwork and layouts for digital projects based on creative briefs and client meetings. Visual designer duties are often industry- or project-specific, therefore job descriptions frequently call for knowledge of a particular bus iness sector. Individual companies may also prefer for candidates to have B-to-B, B-to-C or marketing expertise in a certain area.In general, most visual designers are required toEstablish the look and feel for various interfaces, including websites, mobile devices, apps, kiosks, games and wearablesWork within brand guidelines to create layouts that reinforce a brands style or voice through its visual touchpointsDesign user-centered interaction models, wireframes or screen mockupsDesign logos, icons and infographicsClosely collaborate with IT and business teams to solve complex issues, like interaction models and data visualizationHave basic coding knowledge so they can work hand-in-hand with codersCreate and organize production assetsResize assets for different devices - tablet, mobile and webSource images (stock photos and video footage)Work with a component libraryWork on email marketing items, presentation materials and interactive event materialsJuggle multiple projects while effectively managing timelines and expectationsLooking for a creative job? Submit a resume and check out our open positions nowProfessional experience and skillsVisual designers are typically required to have a bachelors degree in design and should have a firm grasp of the Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator. Experience with other software may be required. A visual designer should have an understanding of web design issues, including browser usability and cross-platform compatibility. Responsive design and e-commerce experience are a plus. The position requires strong design and troubleshooting skills, as well as an eye for detail.In general, a visual designer should haveA solid foundation in typography, layout and designStrong problem-solving skillsExperience with transitions, animation, motion design and dynamic interactionExcellent visual, written and verbal communication skills, along with presentation and negotiation skillsA penchant for detai ls and organization, including the ability to prioritize tasks, communicate progress and meet deadlines?The ability to effectively take direction and work both collaboratively and autonomouslyVisual designer salary benchmarksAccording to The Creative Group 2019 Salary Guide, the midpoint starting salary for visual designers is $79,000. Use our Salary Calculator to find out what a visual designer can earn in your city.GET THE SALARY GUIDEThis post has been updated to reflect more current information.

14 Conversational Skills You Can Easily Learn and Apply at Work

14 Conversational Skills You Can Easily Learn and Apply at Work14 Conversational Skills You Can Easily Learn and Apply at Work Making conversation at the amtsstube can be awkward. Stay all business and you risk coming across as a buttoned-up, stuffy person who doesnt know how to cut loose. Too nice? You might find yourself taken for granted or even passed over for promotions . And if your conversations are too casual, you may find that youre not taken seriously. How do you strike the perfect balance when making workday chat?When it comes to office chatter, there are a few simple best practices you should observe.We naturally like people who are interested in us. Open conversations with a question, and then genuinely pay attention to the answer. A simple Hows your day going? goes a long way.Casual banter and humor may not fly in a formal setting. Ditto for an overly serious attitude at a workdistribution policy that embraces a more casual tone. The office is one place where you want to fit in.Its cool if you let your co-workers know that you love your dog, or that you like to skydive on the weekends, but leave more charged topics like religion and politics alone.Yes, bad things happen at work, but that doesnt mean you have to have a negative mindset. Keep your tone positive by focusing on solutions instead of grumbling about problems.Office gossip will almost always come back to haunt you. When someone shares private information with you, be sure to keep their confidence. And whatever you do, dont badmouth management or your colleagues.Make it a rule to listen more often than you talk. The more insight you gain into your colleagues and the general vibe of your office environment, the more relevant and meaningful things youll have to say when its your turn to speak.Conversing with office mates who share the same rung of the corporate ladder is one thing, but the dynamic changes when youre talking to someone higher up. All of the tips we just pr ovided are still in play (you werent really going to talk politics with your manager , were you?), but there are a few more you should observe to keep things professional.Dale Carnegie was right - the secret to being liked is to show an interest in others. But mind that you keep the topics professional. How was your fishing trip? is a great question. Were you as drunk as you looked at the club this weekend? . . . not so much.Chat with your senior colleagues when you know theyre not in a hurry, like when youre both heading to grab a cup of coffee. Match the topic to the length of time at hand. Asking something like How did you get into this field of work? might be an appropriate conversation-starter at an office dinner function, but its not well-suited for a two-minute break at the water cooler.Have an idea for improving the quality of your social media analytics? Dont present that during a thirty-second elevator ride. Instead, consider using email or other office channels to s chedule a meeting. Otherwise, your ideas may get lost in the shuffle or, worse, youll come across as a pest.No one likes the colleague whos doing everything short of jumping up and down, shouting Look at me Look at me to stay on the bosss radar.Once more, the rules change a bit when youre making conversation with someone you directly manage . Now youre in a position where you need to command respect, and that applies even in casual settings. Heres how.If it comes naturally, use humor to make yourself more approachable. Just keep it office-appropriate. Remember, youre setting the tone for everyone else.Even the most casual banter with a senior colleague can feel intimidating when its one-on-one. Consider inviting others into the gemisch to ease the tension and help everyone feel comfortable .Keep your chatty questions neutral. Its fine to ask whether your employee had a nice time on vacation, but when you ask about their relationships with their significant others, youre straying i nto personal territory. Would you feel comfortable answering if your employee asked you the same question?Its helpful to praise individual performance-related wins that you might only mention cumulatively on a performance review . (Good job on the presentation this morning Your PowerPoint chops are becoming legendary.) They can provide confidence boosts that increase morale.Whatever your hierarchy in the office jungle, making conversation is a matter of applying a combination of empathy (chat like youd like to be chatted to), good observation skills and a little common sense.This article was originally published on Grammarly . It is reprinted with permission.

No stress productivity Newtons law on getting things done easy

No stress productivity Newtons law on getting things done easyNo stress productivity Newtons law on getting things done easyIn 1685, Sir Isaac Newton - a genius physicist with long, curly, white hair - set out to mathematically prove how planets moved through space and revolved around the sun.Over a period of 18 months, Newton isolated himself from the world, barely eating or sleeping, and working day and night until he discovered the proof. After years of painstaking work, Sir Isaac Newton submitted a 500 page draft of his findings to the Royal Society for publication.In 1687, his groundbreaking work was published. Widely considered to be one of the most important scientific books ever written,The Principia Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, laid the foundation for the science of mechanics through Newtons three famous laws of motion.Specifically, Newtons first law of motion contains useful ideas and analogies that can be applied to increase productivity in everyday lif e.Heres how to use Newtons first law to get more stuff done the easy way.Newtons First Law of ProductivityNewtons first law of motion states that An object at rest remains at rest, or if in motion, remains in motion at a constant velocity unless acted on by a net external force.In laymans terms, an object in motion stays in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest.Newtons First Law implies that procrastination leads to more procrastination, and action leads to more action. In other words, if we can simply get started on a task or goal, taking the next steps is much easier. But, this is easier said than done because most times, we struggle to overcome procrastination, get started andfollow through on ur plans.Theres one common mistake that prevents us from staying productive. Its the difference between motion at rest and motion in action.Motion at Rest versus Motion in ActionOften, in the pursuit of our goals, we get deckenfries in motion at rest, instead of motion in acti on. Let me explain.Motion at restis busyness that doesnt produce any outcome by itself. On the other hand,motion in actionis a behavior that directly leads to an outcome.Here are some examples of the differences between motion at rest and motion in action If your goal is to lose weight and get in shape, researching diet plans and exercise programmes is motion at rest, eating a healthy meal and working out is motion in action.If your goal is to increase your geschftliches miteinander sales, creating a list of prospects is motion at rest, cold calling them is motion in action.If your goal is to write a research paper or a book, brainstorming ideas is motion at rest, writing a draft is motion in action.The difference between the two isresults.When we get stuck in motion at rest, we make little to no progress towards our goals. Conversely, motion in action produces results and brings us closer to achieving our goals.Motion at rest isnt bad, but its only useful up for a certain period of time, after which, it becomes a form of procrastination that hurts our productivity.The problem is that often, we spend the majority of our time stuck in motion at rest. As a result, a lot of time and energy is wasted, with little results to show for all of our efforts. The best way to increase productivity is to spend less time in motion at rest and more time in motion in action.Here are three simple ways to get things done and increase your productivity.3 ways to increase productivity1. Use the 2-minute ruleAn effective way tostop procrastinatingand move away from motion at rest, is to block out time, for the sole purpose of motion in action. One way to do this is to set a timer to work in two minute intervals. Within those two minutes your only focus is productive action, nothing else.For example, using the writing example, if youve spent 2 hrs researching ideas for a book or paper, set a timer for 2 minutes and just write. Once youve completed the two minute interval, you can t ake a break and return again later for another two minute interval.The purpose of this exercise is simply to help you get started on a task. Once you take action, it becomes easier for you to take further action and stay productive on the next task.2. Schedule 10 minutes of daily downtimeJust like how a saw used to chop down trees needs to be regularly sharpened, we also need regular periods of downtime to stay productive.Peak performance experts, Dr. Jim Leohr and Tony Schwartz suggest - in their book,The Power Of Full Engagement - that highly productive peoplemanage their energy betterthan everyone else. They regularly schedule downtime, which prevents niedergeschlagenheit and helps them to recover from a period of motion in action, so that they have enough energy to tackle the next set of tasks.Its easy to confuse downtime with laziness, because they both involve doing nothing, but their not the same. Laziness is an unwillingness to take action. Downtime is the strategic use of your time to reenergize for another round of action.Block out ten minutes of downtime or more each day, tosharpen your saw.3. Match important tasks with energy levelsOne of the best ways to stay productive is to tackle your most important tasks, when you have the most energy to do so. For example, I typically writemy articleswhen I have the most energy between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Then, I work on my less creative, less important tasks in the afternoons and evenings.Building daily rituals around energy levels is a common strategy used byfamous writers, artists, athletes and entrepreneurs. By matching your most important tasks with your highest energy levels, getting started is easier. Plus, you avoid wasting precious time and energy on the least important tasks.Less rest, more motionNewtons first law is a fitting analogy for productivity in everyday life. By taking the first step away from rest to motion, staying in motion and getting things done becomes easier down the line.And just like a ball that keeps rolling down a hill, we can stay productive for a lifetime.Mayo Oshin writes atMayoOshin.com, where he shares practical self-improvement ideas and proven science for better health, productivity and creativity.To get practical ideas on how to stop procrastinating and build healthy habits, you can join his free weekly newsletterhere.A version of thisarticleoriginally appeared atmayooshin.comas The Physics of Stress-Free Productivity Newtons First Law on Getting Things Done the Easy Way.FootnotesInterestingly, Newton didnt self initiate the discovery of the three law of motion. It was physicist, Edmond Halley who convinced Newton to investigate these laws.The original idea of the 2-minute rule comes from David Allens book,Getting Things Done.Thanks toJames Clearfor inspiring the Newton analogy idea.