Alison Parriss, creative and managing director of Lindon Parriss, a marketing and communications agency in Norwich.

Graphic designer

Answers supplied by Alison Parriss, Creative and Managing Director of Lindon Parriss Limited, a Marketing and Communications Agency in Norwich. As a full service agency, Lindon Parriss offers all the traditional skills you would expect such as design, art direction, copy writing, marketing, sales promotion, research, print procurement, web development and production. Lindon Parriss prides itself on approaching all projects with a strong marketing proposition and creative edge. With use of good in-house resources it offers solutions with fast turnaround times, vital in today’s market place.

What does the job entail?
As a graphic designer you need to translate a written brief into a viable design. You need to produce something that works as a design, but also meets the client's requirements and attracts their audiences. You need good working knowledge of most design programmes. Most importantly, you need a good imagination.

What skills and qualifications are needed?
This is one area in business where artistic talent really counts more than qualifications, but any type of graphic design or art-based qualification would be extremely useful. You would need to be able to multi task and work well under pressure and any existing knowledge or experience of artwork to reproduction for print would also be helpful.

What type of person will fit in?
Someone with good artistic flair, a sense of humour and the ability to stay calm under pressure. You need to have the ability to work as part of a team and also independently. The job would probably suit someone who could be flexible when deadlines dictate that extra time is needed on a project to get the optimum result for a client. You need to be confident and a good communicator as you may need to deal with clients direct from time to time. You also need to be able to take rejection of ideas constructively without taking things personally as a proportion of the work is subjective.

What are the pluses and minuses of the job?
The work is often fun and stimulating. Every day is different so it is unlikely that you will get bored. It can be very rewarding when a client is pleased with your work and it is good being part of a team which works well together. Generally this is quite a well paid vocation. On the downside, it can be stressful working to tight deadlines and the hours can be quite long.

What opportunities exist for career progression?
Eventually you could work your way up towards being a creative director at the top of the design ladder and this would normally lead to a position on a board of directors. Alternatively you may wish to branch out on your own. The creative director has full responsibility for developing ideas and overseeing and training studio staff who could be working on very varied projects for clients, involving brochures and general print design, website management and various marketing promotional projects.

What can I expect to earn?
There are massive regional variations in this business and most of the best paid jobs are in London. Regionally you could expect £12,000 as a starting salary, working up to £25,000+ at the top end as a creative director.

Any hints on getting a job in this area?
The best advice would probably be to get in on the bottom rung and work your way up, gaining experience and qualifications which could help as you go. One way of doing this if you do not already have relevant qualifications is through a modern apprenticeship which allows you to work as you learn. Look at the local courses online and at City College to see what is available. Alternatively, you could offer to do work placement, free of charge if necessary to get your foot in the door. If you already have experience, prepare a portfolio and present this to your prospective employer. When making initial contact you need to show you can communicate well and that your CV looks “polished”. Keep an eye on the recruitment pages of your local paper.