Effective Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Graphic Designers

In today's visually-driven marketplace, hiring the right Graphic Designer can significantly impact your brand's perception and marketing effectiveness. A skilled designer doesn't just create aesthetically pleasing visuals—they strategically craft communications that resonate with target audiences, solve business problems, and elevate your brand identity.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a designer's true capabilities. While portfolios showcase polished final products, they rarely demonstrate a candidate's process, problem-solving abilities, or how they handle feedback—all crucial aspects of day-to-day design work. This is where thoughtfully designed work samples become invaluable.

Work samples bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, allowing you to observe candidates applying their skills to realistic scenarios relevant to your company. They reveal how designers approach challenges, manage constraints, and translate requirements into visual solutions—insights impossible to gain from resume reviews or standard interview questions alone.

The following exercises are specifically crafted to evaluate the essential competencies of successful Graphic Designers: creative problem-solving, technical proficiency, attention to detail, communication skills, and adaptability. By implementing these exercises in your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into each candidate's capabilities and identify those who will truly excel in your organization.

Activity #1: Brand Refresh Design Challenge

• Provide a paragraph or two describing the activity and how it demonstrates a necessary skill for the role.
• Do not write a title for the post or a sub-title for the Introduction. Start the post with the body of the introduction.

This exercise evaluates a designer's ability to understand brand identity, apply creative problem-solving, and produce polished designs under constraints. It reveals how candidates balance creativity with strategic thinking while maintaining brand consistency—a fundamental skill for any Graphic Designer who will be responsible for evolving and maintaining your visual identity.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide candidates with your current brand guidelines and 2-3 existing marketing materials (e.g., a brochure, social media graphic, and advertisement).
• Create a brief that requests a refresh of one specific marketing piece while maintaining brand recognition but giving it a more contemporary feel.
• Include specific business objectives for the refresh (e.g., appeal to a younger demographic, highlight a new service offering, or improve visual hierarchy).
• Allow candidates 24-48 hours to complete this exercise at home.
• Request both the final design and a brief written explanation (250 words max) of their design decisions.
• During the follow-up interview, allocate 15-20 minutes for the candidate to present their work and thought process.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided brand guidelines and existing marketing materials to understand the current visual identity.
• Create a refreshed version of the specified marketing piece that maintains brand recognition while giving it a more contemporary feel.
• Ensure your design meets the business objectives outlined in the brief.
• Prepare a brief written explanation (250 words maximum) of your design decisions, including how they support the business objectives.
• Be prepared to present your work and discuss your process during the interview.
• Submit your final design files in both editable format (.ai, .psd, or .indd) and PDF, along with your written explanation.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate presents their work, provide specific feedback on one aspect they executed well (e.g., "Your color palette choices effectively modernized the brand while maintaining recognition").
• Then offer one constructive suggestion for improvement (e.g., "The typography hierarchy could be strengthened to better guide the reader through the content").
• Give the candidate 5-10 minutes to verbally explain how they would incorporate this feedback if they had more time, or to sketch a quick revision addressing the feedback.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and how thoughtfully they can adapt their approach.

Activity #2: Rapid Prototype Design Challenge

• Provide a paragraph or two describing the activity and how it demonstrates a necessary skill for the role.
• Do not write a title for the post or a sub-title for the Introduction. Start the post with the body of the introduction.

This exercise assesses a designer's ability to work efficiently under time constraints while maintaining quality—a crucial skill in fast-paced marketing environments. It reveals how candidates prioritize elements, make design decisions quickly, and translate client needs into visual solutions when time is limited.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a simple design brief for a social media campaign announcing a fictional product launch or event (provide product/event details).
• Create a template document with placeholder content and brand elements that the candidate can use.
• Conduct this exercise during the interview, allowing exactly 30 minutes for completion.
• Provide access to design software (Adobe Creative Cloud preferred) or allow candidates to use their preferred tools.
• Observe their process, noting how they organize their time and approach the challenge.
• Have a marketing team member available to answer any clarifying questions, simulating a real client interaction.

Directions for the Candidate:

• You will have 30 minutes to create a social media graphic based on the provided brief.
• Use the template document and brand elements provided as a starting point.
• Focus on creating a visually compelling design that effectively communicates the key message.
• You may ask clarifying questions to the "client" (interviewer) during the exercise.
• Save iterations of your work every 10 minutes to demonstrate your process.
• At the end of 30 minutes, be prepared to present your final design and explain your design decisions.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Immediately after the time expires, ask the candidate to walk through their process and explain their design decisions.
• Provide specific positive feedback about one aspect of their design approach or execution.
• Offer one piece of constructive feedback about how the design could better meet the campaign objectives.
• Give the candidate an additional 10 minutes to make adjustments based on your feedback.
• Observe how they incorporate feedback under pressure and their ability to iterate quickly.

Activity #3: Client Communication Role Play

• Provide a paragraph or two describing the activity and how it demonstrates a necessary skill for the role.
• Do not write a title for the post or a sub-title for the Introduction. Start the post with the body of the introduction.

This exercise evaluates a designer's communication skills and ability to translate client needs into visual concepts—essential for successful collaboration with stakeholders. It reveals how candidates gather requirements, present ideas persuasively, and handle potentially difficult client interactions.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a scenario where a fictional client has provided vague or contradictory feedback on a design project.
• Create a mock-up of the "current design" that needs revision based on the client feedback.
• Provide written client feedback that includes some specific requests, some vague directions, and some contradictory elements.
• Assign a team member to play the role of the client during the exercise.
• Allow 10 minutes for the candidate to review materials, 15 minutes for the client conversation, and 10 minutes for follow-up discussion.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the design mock-up and client feedback provided.
• Prepare questions to clarify the client's needs and expectations.
• During the role play, engage with the "client" to:
• Ask clarifying questions about their feedback
• Suggest design solutions that address their concerns
• Explain your reasoning for certain design recommendations
• Navigate any contradictions in their requests diplomatically
• After the conversation, summarize the key points and next steps you would take to revise the design.
• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach implementing the changes based on the conversation.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, the interviewer should provide feedback on one aspect of the candidate's communication that was particularly effective (e.g., "You did an excellent job of asking probing questions to uncover the client's true concerns").
• Then offer one suggestion for improving client communication (e.g., "Consider using visual examples to illustrate your points when explaining design concepts").
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to reflect on the feedback and explain how they would approach a similar situation differently in the future.
• Observe their self-awareness and ability to adapt their communication approach.

Activity #4: Design System Planning Exercise

• Provide a paragraph or two describing the activity and how it demonstrates a necessary skill for the role.
• Do not write a title for the post or a sub-title for the Introduction. Start the post with the body of the introduction.

This exercise assesses a candidate's strategic thinking and ability to plan complex design projects—crucial for maintaining consistency across multiple assets and platforms. It reveals how designers approach systematic thinking, organization, and documentation of design elements for scalable implementation.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a brief for developing a simple design system for a fictional product or service.
• Provide basic brand guidelines (logo, colors, typography) and examples of 2-3 existing design pieces that lack consistency.
• Include a list of digital and print applications that the design system needs to accommodate.
• Allow candidates to complete this exercise at home with a 3-day deadline.
• Request a presentation of no more than 10 slides or a document outlining their approach.
• During the interview, allocate 20 minutes for presentation and 10 minutes for questions.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided brand elements and existing design pieces.
• Develop a plan for a cohesive design system that would ensure consistency across all specified applications.
• Your deliverable should include:

1. An audit of current design inconsistencies
2. A proposed structure for the design system (components, patterns, etc.)
3. Visual examples of 2-3 key components of the system
4. A process for implementing and maintaining the system
5. Recommendations for documentation and team adoption

• Prepare a presentation (maximum 10 slides) or document outlining your approach.
• Be ready to explain your strategic thinking and how this system would improve design efficiency and consistency.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, acknowledge one particularly strong aspect of their design system approach (e.g., "Your component hierarchy shows excellent understanding of scalable design principles").
• Provide one constructive suggestion for enhancing their approach (e.g., "Consider how you might incorporate accessibility guidelines into your design system").
• Give the candidate 10 minutes to expand on how they would address this feedback, either verbally or by sketching additional ideas.
• Evaluate their ability to think holistically about design systems and adapt their approach based on new considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions

• After all the activities, write a Frequently Asked Questions section.
• Anticipate what questions the interviewer or interview designer might have about using one or more of the work samples.
• Write 4-6 of the anticipated questions and answer those questions.

How much time should we allocate for these work samples in our interview process?

The time investment varies by exercise. Activities #1 and #4 are take-home assignments requiring 24-48 hours for completion, followed by 30-minute in-person discussions. Activities #2 and #3 can be conducted during an interview, requiring approximately 45-60 minutes each. Consider spreading these across different interview stages rather than attempting all in one day.

Should we compensate candidates for take-home assignments?

For more extensive exercises like the Brand Refresh or Design System Planning, offering compensation demonstrates respect for candidates' time and expertise. This could be a flat fee (e.g., $100-200) or an hourly rate based on estimated completion time. At minimum, keep take-home assignments reasonable in scope (3-5 hours of work).

What if a candidate doesn't have access to specific design software?

For in-person exercises, provide access to standard design software (Adobe Creative Cloud). For take-home assignments, clearly communicate that candidates can use alternative tools if necessary. The quality of thinking and problem-solving is more important than the specific software used, though proficiency with industry-standard tools remains valuable.

How should we evaluate candidates who have different design styles?

Focus evaluation on how well the design meets the stated objectives rather than subjective style preferences. Create a rubric that assesses technical execution, strategic thinking, problem-solving approach, and alignment with brief requirements. Include multiple evaluators with design expertise to minimize individual bias.

What accommodations should we make for candidates with disabilities?

Be prepared to offer reasonable accommodations such as extended time, alternative formats, or modified exercises. Ask all candidates if they need any accommodations to complete the exercises effectively, and work with them to find solutions that allow fair assessment of their skills.

How do we ensure these exercises don't disadvantage candidates from underrepresented groups?

Review exercise materials for cultural bias, ensure diverse representation in any example materials, and have multiple reviewers from different backgrounds evaluate the exercises. Focus evaluation on objective criteria related to job requirements rather than subjective "culture fit" assessments.

Finding the right Graphic Designer requires looking beyond portfolios to understand how candidates approach real-world design challenges. These work samples provide a comprehensive framework for evaluating technical skills, creative problem-solving, communication abilities, and strategic thinking—all essential competencies for success in this role.

By implementing these exercises, you'll gain deeper insights into each candidate's capabilities and work style, helping you make more informed hiring decisions. Remember that the best designers combine technical proficiency with strong communication skills and strategic thinking—qualities these exercises are specifically designed to reveal.

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