Operational Web Designer Freelance Interview Questions & Answers:

1. Can we see samples of your work?

Reviewing a web designer's portfolio is the main way to get a sense of their overall design style. If you don't like their style, or know that it wouldn't be a good fit for your brand, then they're probably not the right designer for you.

When reviewing examples of a designer's past work, look for variation across their design projects. If they are fairly "cookie cutter," consider whether they will be able to adapt their style to fit your brand and audience profile.

Try to get an idea of whether they pay attention to detail in their designs. For instance:

☛ Are they consistent with their use of fonts, colours, and styles throughout the entire site?
☛ Have they considered the "little" things like appropriate font selection, line height, and text spacing?
☛ Is there a common theme carried throughout all pages and sections of the site?
☛ Do you find their sites easy to use and navigate?
☛ If you said yes to all or most of these questions, then the decision will come down to your personal preference and taste. It's natural that the work of some designers will simply appeal to you more than others.

Also note that if your designer is bringing in a photographer or copywriter to develop content for your site, you may want to see samples of their individual work as well, again looking to make sure that you like their overall style and approach.

2. Tell me what kinds of print media have you worked with?

If you're applying for a job designing print media, chances are the employer is going to want to know what kind of print you've worked with in the past. This also rings true for any design job, not just print-employers want to know how comfortable you are working in different mediums.

This is because employers want to know if they're going to have to train you on anything down the line, which could be expensive on their behalf. So they want to see what you already know to gauge how much further you still need to go. Be sure to mention the types of media you've worked within, the equipment you've used and any formal training you might have received along the way.

If you can manage it, bring examples of your past print work for the employer to see. Since this is print we're talking about, it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves. Check out our tips for designing a unique print design portfolio for more information.

...it makes an even bigger impression if you have actual, physical examples that the employer can touch, hold and possibly even keep for themselves.

If you don't have much experience with print (or any medium you might be planning to work with), then you still need to find a way to impart your knowledge of the subject so employers know that you at least have something to bring to the table. For example, do some research on print design before the interview so you can at least say that you understand the basic concepts and limitations of working in the medium.

3. Tell us what kind of design software are you familiar with?

When interviewers ask this question, they're trying to find out if you're able to use their in-house software, or how quickly you'd be able to learn if you're unfamiliar with it. Obviously, your best-case scenario is to know ahead of time what kind of software they use. If you already know how to use their preferred software, this will be a pretty straightforward answer.

If you don't know their software or you have no idea what they use, this can be a tricky question to answer. Tell them what you do know, and try to include any program you think they might use. If you use something that's similar to another program, that can also be a big help and the interviewer might not always be able to make that connection, so be sure to do it for them. For example, if you use one of the many Photoshop alternatives out there, you probably understand the basics of Photoshop too.

Express a willingness to learn new programs-this is a good idea even if you're familiar with their in-house software. You never know when the company might upgrade to new software, so designers who can make the switch without taking a long time to adjust are always favorable candidates. If you've ever had to learn new software for a job in the past, be sure to mention this in your interview.

Express a willingness to learn new programs-this is a good idea even if you're familiar with their in-house software.

4. Tell us what type of education and training do you have?

With online courses being so easy to access these days, almost anyone can say they are a website designer. However, having at least some formal education from a post-secondary institution provides a solid, well-rounded foundation on which to base the ongoing learning required in the rapidly changing field of web design. It also gives students the opportunity for one-on-one review and feedback on their work from a professional in the field, as opposed to the hands-off approach of studying books and blogs.

Knowing a web designer's educational background also provides some insight into how invested they are in improving their own skills. With technology and web standards always changing, you'll want to know that your designer is furthering their knowledge through continuing education courses, online learning, industry manuals, and web-related blogs.

5. Tell us what is your graphic design process?

Since this can be a long, detailed answer, you'll want to have prepared for it ahead of time so that you don't trip over your words, accidentally omit details, or ramble on with too much information. Employers ask this question because they want to know how you do what you do, how long it'll take you to do it and the kinds of roadblocks you are likely to run into along the way.

Employers ask this question because they want to know how you do what you do, how long it'll take you to do it and the kinds of roadblocks you are likely to run into along the way.

Some designers are lucky to be able to just sit down and crank out an amazing design with barely any thought or planning, while other designers need to utilize a dozen different drafts and outlines to get their design finished.

Employers usually want you to be somewhere in between these two extremes. You should have a process that allows for revisions and critiques, but is also speedy enough that you'll hit your deadlines without any problem. For some designers, this might mean actually sitting down and figuring out what your process is-but that's okay. The more thought you give to the kind of designer you are, the more you'll have to work with during your interview, and the easier it is to showcase yourself as the best candidate for the job.

6. Would you like to tell us what are your weaknesses?

You know that lame thing where you try to make your "weaknesses" sound like a positive thing?

"Oh, I work too hard. I'm too much of a perfectionist. I'm too nice!"

Interviewers can see right through that act. When they ask about your weaknesses, they're not trying to find out what's bad about you, they're trying to find out how you deal with your own shortcomings, and what steps you've taken to improve yourself as a designer. When you try to cover up your weaknesses, it demonstrates to the interviewer that, well, you try to hide your weaknesses instead of fixing them.

When you try to cover up your weaknesses, it demonstrates to the interviewer that, well, you try to hide your weaknesses instead of fixing them.

Give a few relevant examples of your greatest weaknesses, but also provide examples of ways in which you've tried to work on them. Once again, you should back up your claims. Suppose your biggest weakness is that you have difficulty managing your time. Instead of just saying it's something you need to work on, mention how you got a new app for your phone that's helping you better manage your time, or that you've started writing out a schedule before working each day.

7. Tell me will you be doing the design work yourself? If not you, who?

Whether working with a freelancer web designer or a small design company, you need to be clear about who will actually be designing your site. If it's not the person you are speaking with, learn how your ideas and feedback will be communicated to the design team. Even if you are working with a freelancer, don't automatically assume they will be doing all the work themselves. It's worth asking if they will be contracting out your project to a more junior designer, outsourcing it overseas, or even handing it off to a virtual assistant.

You don't want all your feedback and requests to go thru middlemen as this offers too many chances for miscommunication. Know who will be doing the work and make sure you'll have direct contact with that person.

8. Tell us what have you done to improve your knowledge of graphic design?

Employers want to work with designers who are already good at what they do, but they also want designers who will continue to improve with time instead of stagnating. You didn't get to where you are by doing nothing, so talk about your experiences getting here.

You didn't get to where you are by doing nothing, so talk about your experiences getting here.

You'll want to provide your educational background, but also talk about some of the classes you took and why that made you a better graphic designer. Have you learned new software over the past few years? Have you tried your hand at designing a different type of media than you're used to? Do you spend time reading design books, blogs and forums? These are all great things to mention.

You might even want to pepper in some future ideas in your responses. If you have plans to take a class in the future or if there's a design book you've had your eye on, use this to demonstrate to the employer that you're still taking steps to improve yourself.

Like always, if you can tailor your responses to fit the particular job at hand, it will better your chances of becoming employed. For example, if you're interviewing for a print design career, you'll want to talk about the ways you've improved yourself as a print designer instead of focusing on all the ways you've improved your digital work.

9. Can you please tell me a bit about yourself?

Give a brief summary of your professional persona. Include who you are, any education or experience you might have, and maybe a few snippets of information on your career thus far. You don't want to go into too much detail, just think of this as an introduction to who you are. You want to be friendly and open, with a focus on your accomplishments as a designer.

You don't want to go into too much detail, just think of this as an introduction to who you are.

It's a good idea to hand over a business card at this point. Many people wait until the end of the job interview for this (if they have a business card at all), but it makes a better first impression if you offer your card during introductions. It not only shows you have a professional attitude, it actually gives your interviewer a first look at how you design (assuming, of course, that you design your own business cards.)

10. Tell me what do you know about our company/brand?

Employers love it when employees take an interest in their company or brand, especially in the case of designers. After all, how can you design something that matches their brand's style if you don't know anything about them?

After all, how can you design something that matches their brand's style if you don't know anything about them?

Do your homework before the interview and try to come prepared with some idea of what the company is all about. You don't need to know all of the facts, but you should try to have an understanding of their overall message and philosophy, and why you are a good fit for them.

Employers are looking to work with designers who want to work with them, so if there's something about the company that you particularly like, now is the time to say so. Demonstrating that you share the same values as the brand helps you to look like the best candidate for the job.

If you can't find anything about the company, then this is your opportunity to learn more. Let the interviewer know that you tried to find information about the company, but were unable to. Then, ask them if they could fill you in on what you don't know. When the interviewer is done telling you about their company, reiterate your interest in the position based on your new knowledge of the company, and give some examples of why you fit in with their overall identity.