So, I’m on the hunt for a graphic design position. I’d prefer a full time position, but would consider maybe taking a part time one until I can get a full time one.
In the midst of this job hunt, I come across some strange job wanted ads for graphic designers. Some employers are, apparently, completely (or partially) clueless as to what a graphic designer is and is trained to do.
One of the more recent strange and insulting ads I came across was for a well-known branch of food stores.
I suppose the “sign making” part of the job description – whether computer-generated or hand-made graphics on chalk boards – makes sense, but the rest of the job description ad? Not so much. Not to me. Your mileage may vary.
Here is how the food store graphic design job ad reads (my review and critique of this job wanted ad appears farther below):
— begin excerpt —
SUMMARY:
Design and create graphics for promotions, store literature, and signage, including computer generated and hand drawn flyers, shelf signs, chalkboards, and the store calendar.
Work together with other Team Members to assure that all objectives and goals of the department and store, as communicated by Store Leadership and the Marketing Supervisor are met or exceeded.
DUTIES:
– Provide excellent customer service and address needs of customers in a timely and effective manner. Follow all “Food Store X” guidelines for meeting customer needs.
– Maintain and produce signage for all departments, adhering to Whole Foods Market brand standards.
– Maintain visual quality and consistency for all departments.
– Follow all regional signage graphic standards guidelines and procedures.
– Perform daily store walks in all departments to check quality and appearance of signs. Replace as needed.
– Create flyers and other marketing materials as needed, within regional graphic guidelines.
– Illustrate chalkboards for display in departments.
– Work closely with all Team Leaders, Specialists, Store Systems Integrator/ Data Technology Specialist, and Store Marketing Team.
– Maintain inventory of necessary supplies and equipment.
– Use courteous and proper etiquette when answering the phones and pages.
– Maintain working knowledge and application of all merchandising expectations within the department.
– Attend all team and store meetings as assigned by Team or Store Leadership.
– Follow and comply with established procedures, including Weights and Measures, health and sanitation, and adhere to safe work practices.
– Operate and sanitize all equipment in a safe and proper manner.
– This job posting is intended to describe the general requirements for the performance of this job. It is not a complete statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Other duties not listed here may be assigned by leadership.
Essential Job Functions:
- Stand and walk for extended periods of time.
- Bend and stoop to grasp objects and climb ladders. Bend and twist neck and waist, reach above and below shoulders and squat.
- Bend and lift loads, not to exceed 50 pounds. Push and pull carts weighing up to 100 pounds.
- Repetitive use of hands for grasping, pushing, pulling, and fine manipulation.
- Environmental exposure to extreme temperatures (coolers, ovens, freezer, outdoors, etc.)
— end excerpt —
Based on some of those requirements – and perhaps I am misunderstanding – but – things such as these,
-Follow and comply with established procedures, including Weights and Measures, health and sanitation, and adhere to safe work practices.
-Operate and sanitize all equipment in a safe and proper manner.
-Environmental exposure to extreme temperatures (coolers, ovens, freezer, outdoors, etc.)
-Stand and walk for extended periods of time.
-Make it sound as though whomever is hired as a graphic designer for this store is expected not only to carry out standard graphic artist tasks, but also to serve as a store sales cashier or deli worker to boot.
I happen to have a bachelor’s degree in the visual arts, sub-specializing in graphic design.
Do you really think I went to college for four years to get what sounds like a combination of professional graphic design position and sales clerk and sandwich-making position?
Graphic designers make graphics (and usually on a computer, using Photoshop, but I will give the “having to make signs by hand on a chalk board” a pass since it does fall under the realm of graphic design).
Graphic designers, on a real, honest to goodness graphics job, don’t spend part of their work day mopping a store floor, answering telephone calls from customers wanting to know if the current store flier stating peanut butter is half off is correct, nor do they make sandwiches and sanitize bologna and ham cutting machines.
Graphic designers with real, honest to goodness graphics jobs spend most of their day on a chair at a desk with a computer, not “standing and walking for extended periods of time.”
I spent my college graphics and art courses learning about perspective, shading, composition, and how to use Illustrator and Photoshop. That kind of thing.
As a graphic design student in college, I never took a single “How to make a sandwich” class, “Proper ways to sanitize ham cutting equipment,” or “Efficient ways to gather up shopping carts” course.
I am stunned that any employer thinks it is appropriate to advertise a graphic design position (even if it is for a food store) and expect said applicant to not only be a professional and knowledgeable at you know, graphic design, but also to carry out minimum wage type duties such as stacking loaves of bread on a store shelf. Are they joking?
If I had wanted to spend all day answering grocery store customer questions or learn how to sanitize deli meat cutting machines, I would have majored in “Hotel and Food Management” or Culinary courses.
But no, I majored in the fine arts/ graphic design.
I don’t think this food store understands that
Graphic Design = creating visual imagery
-and it does not extend to waiting on store customers or stacking milk in a refrigeration unit.
A college degree (which I have) is not even necessary for such a position: a teenager who is not yet out of high school can answer phones, scrub floors, hang signs, and learn about food handling.
As a teen, and in my early 20s, I used to hold minimum wage sales clerk jobs.
Holding those awful jobs, where I had to sweep floors, stand on my feet all day, put up with ignorant and rude customers all day, is a huge motivator of my decision to go to college in the first place – so I could sit on a nice, cushy chair in an office and work on graphics software all day. (I also had a genuine love for the arts and graphic design and wanted to put those talents to use on a paid job.)
It’s possible I am totally misunderstanding the food store’s job wanted ad, but if I have even a smidge of it correct, it’s not truly a suitable position for a college degree holding graphic artist. It’s baffling to me that this food store finds this acceptable.
It’s quite condescending for an employer to tell a college-educated graphic design professional that part of their work day will consist of standard minimum wage type duties, such as mopping floors.
And understand I am not snooty. I used to work at manual labor, low paying type jobs, where I scrubbed toilets, unpacked stock. But that was prior to earning a college degree and getting into a professional field. I don’t look down my nose at manual labor or sales jobs or people who hold them, but I’m amazed that employers would expect these tasks to be done by a degreed professional.
Musings of a Graphic Designer 