Creatives love a fancy title. In this thrill ride I will introduce you to my experience with this phenomenon in the wilds of design. Why? Because I can’t help myself.

In the time I have held the title of “Creative Director”, I have had the opportunity to review a literal* metric ton of creative resumes. To this day, I find myself inspired and excited by how inventive and effective my fellow creatives are; personality rich cover letters, meticulously crafted portfolios, and interviews where the excitement in the room is so electric you can almost see it in the air. Every single candidate is as different in their approach to presenting themselves as they are unique in their creative process and execution.
*not literal at all

Within these differences, there exists a dark and evil place filled with “tried and true” tricks that are meant to crush the competition. These methods of differentiation are relics of a bygone era where designers didn’t have to be a one-stop-shop for all kinds of creative needs to keep relevant in a sea of growing competition. Today we are focusing on one that personally bothers me more than most others; giving yourself a graphic design job title outside of the role you are applying for – because you’re a designer*, so call yourself one.
*see what I did there with the post title

“What a grand intro…what does that even mean Preston?”

Great question potential reader of this article! In a competitive field like design, everyone is always seeking their competitive edge. What better way to stand on the lowly faces of your mortal enemies “peers” than giving yourself a fancy title. Unlike the rest of the unwashed masses, you are an Illustrative Designer, a Digital Artiste, a UI/UX Aficionado, or something equally special and important sounding. After all, you are a creative force, so being creative with your title is a sure way to shine!

Nope. 

Unless a job application specifically asks for your super special title, most marketing and creative managers often do not see your self-imposed title as a benefit.

“But why Preston? I bring the goods and they need to know it!”

As a hiring manager, I definitely need to understand what you are bringing to the party. But there is a time and place to hit us in the head with the weight of your immense talent. But before we get into those recommendations, let’s discuss some of the most common examples of title bombing*.
*trademark pending

The Artist
An artist produces work that evokes an emotional response that is rooted in the artist’s vision and personal journey. Artists are rightfully fiercely protective of their point of view, because that point of view is the vehicle for their work being given life. It is beautiful to watch someone put a piece of themselves into the ether and receive a reaction from their fellow (wo)man.

That is not what effective design does. Art revolves around you as the center of the experience, design is quite literally the opposite, focused on everyone and everything but you. Let’s explore that more.

A designer must produce creative that evokes an emotional response from a very specific population segment, targeted by a client’s very specific business sector and its highly personalized objectives. On top of that the creative must drive action to meet those objectives, seeing the pretty picture isn’t enough to call something good design.

A designer may have zero personal connection or even knowledge of what they are designing for before it is given to them. I believe designers with the greatest potential are able to innately synthesize data into an empathic response that enables them to see the world through the eyes of their client and target audience.

That isn’t to say fine art skills are not incredibly useful in the realm of design. Some of the best designers I have encountered are exceptional fine artists. Their ability to bring fine art elements into traditional design projects have created some of the most unique, impactful work I have laid eyes on. But these designer/artist hybrids* use their fine art powers as a tool in their overall arsenal, and not as the definition of who they are as designers.
*aka dartists… trademark pending.

It is important to acknowledge that this distinction has forever been a hot button topic in the creative community. For more rants and raves on this topic just search Art VS Design. No matter how you decide to move forward with featuring your fine art abilities, ensure you understand your stance enough to take advantage of the benefits it offers and potential pitfalls to present it tactfully in your search for employment.

The Illustrative Designer
An illustrator produces stunning custom visuals that tell a story without words. They breathe life into infographics, compliment collateral and upgrade boring old websites with custom visuals that leave you saying wow. Back in my college days I dubbed myself an “Illustrative Designer” because I loved illustration and I knew that made me more than just a designer – and I was oh so wrong.

Illustration is a sub-segment of what it means to be a well-rounded design professional. Illustration definitely has its place in the spectrum of great design and giving a client the flexibility to include them in their marketing through your years of work perfecting this craft is invaluable. But what if the client does not want illustration?

A designer produces design that follows a client’s vision, but more importantly adheres to their brand standards.

As an “Illustrative Designer” you have added your personal preference for a certain aspect of design in blinding lights on your resume and that preference is not endearing. Clients are almost without exception not interested in your personal preferences and as a result, creative managers cannot be boxed in by them. Designers must be trusted to always make decisions for clients based on the client, that personal bias can be dangerous to project integrity and difficult to manage someone away from.

We all have things we would prefer to be doing when creating. However, that bias cannot supersede the integrity of your partnership with a client or your company. Passion is contagious, take some time to observe the love and respect others have for the importance of photography, the power of typography, or learn more about how your clients are encouraged to use design for their business. Put yourself in their shoes and share in their excitement so you can begin to see how each of these elements work together to build an ecosystem of opportunity for your clients.

The UI/UX Designer
With most of the world online, the power of digital marketing is greater than it has ever been and will most likely keep growing as technology continues to advance and play bigger roles in our daily lives. It is no wonder that the understanding of digital design is so important. So, with all of that said, how could it possibly be considered negative to scream to the world that you are a UI/UX specialist?

Similar to the “Illustrative Designers” out there, this is not all we do as designers. Unless you are applying for a job that says “UI/UX Designer Needed”, then chances are the position is going to be asking for more than just your mastery of UI/UX. This is another situation where you are positioning yourself as a one-note creative.

Being a designer today means being able to be the chameleon that each client needs to accomplish their goals. While that can be difficult to live up to, limiting the foundation of who you are to UI/UX cuts you off from the other meanings of what it means to be a Graphic Designer – branding, print, corporate communications, motion, strategy, marketing, and so much more.

I am not saying that showcasing your experience with UI/UX is bad. But it is just a skill and should be treated as such within the grand scope of everything else that makes you a designer. If you do decide to keep using the title moving forward, ensure you are familiar with what these terms mean and some of the other potential pitfalls of using them.

The Art/Creative Director
You have years of industry experience and have worked your way up the competitive ladder to design management. Your experience is soaked in all of the blood, sweat and tears you have sacrificed for your career. As a Creative Director myself, I have a deep understanding why you may want to scream from the mountains that you are a manager damnit. You have all this experience under your belt, how the hell could it be bad to let the universe bow to your title when applying for a job?

If you are applying for a position to be creative management, it makes perfect sense to advertise yourself as such. However, if you have never actually held this position before, or if you are applying for a job that is not management, leading in with I am management to a non-management position is basically saying, “Buckle up, I am about to be a major pain in your ass.”

The responsibility of a designer is to collaborate with an Art Director or Creative Director and synthesize client directives alongside managerial direction to satisfy all of the project’s creative requirements. Art Directors and Creative Directors are often used to having more creative control than that. If you are going into a position thinking of yourself as management, you are going to retain some of those qualities. If you are applying for a designer position you are no longer a manager, you were a manager. That doesn’t mean your resume history should downplay that, but your working title needs to reflect the type of work you are applying for.

Also, for those who have graduated with degrees in Art/Creative Direction. If you are going to claim the title, your portfolio needs to live up to the hype. That title flex just signed you up for some major expectations that those who are applying as just lowly unwashed designers may not be scrutinized over. Pay can be negotiated based on your skillset, work, and the history in your resume. Let those speak to your education or previous work history positions and be the candidate that is willing to take it all on. After all, at the end of it all, we are all just designers with different levels of experience doing different things.

“If I knew this was so long, I would have read another article, please wrap it up…”

When hiring you, no manager or client cares how trendy your job title sounds. They care about whether you know how to solve problems effectively, take into consideration perspectives outside your own, and make decisions based on facts and good practices rather than your own ego.

We are all designers first and foremost. Designers are meant to be jacks of all trades, and the world views us as such. Using the term designer to describe yourself already says you are inherently creative. Let that drive employer interest without trying to inflate your title unless it puts you in an advantageous situation. Otherwise, you are just labelling yourself, save the labels for your package design and let your work do the talking.