Illustrator

Illustrators create original pieces of artwork with design tech and hand-drawing. Use these sample interview questions to find the best person for the job.

Illustrators work on ads, books, magazines, brochures and websites. Your dream candidate will have incredible illustration and technical skills, plus they’ll be team-players with great time management skills. They’ll be great communicators and be super comfortable presenting their work. 

Top tips: 

  • Assess their portfolio: Ask candidates to present their portfolio so you can check in on their aesthetic criteria, sketching and editing techniques. Look for pros whose work ties in with how you want to portray your brand. 
  • Grow together: Hire candidates you can grow with by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Illustrator interview questions

  • Describe [this project]. What was your role, what guidelines did you have and what results did you achieve?
  • Where do you find inspiration?
  • How would you cope with a looming deadline if you were falling behind: ask for an extension or submit a lower-quality piece of work on time?
  • What would you do if the printed colors vs. computer colors were noticeably different?
  • How do you balance different coworker opinions on how to illustrate a concept?
  • What would you do if a client was never happy with your drafts?
  • How do you prepare your work for production?
  • How do you start and finish a project? 
  • What’s your favorite design tech?
  • How do you best add perspective to an image?
  • What’s your portfolio highlight?
  • How long did it take to design [this piece]?
  • How did you create [this piece]?
  • How do you keep up-to-date with new design tech and trends?
  • What’s your favorite type of design work: print or digital? Why?
  • How has your work contributed to brand development?
  • Describe a time you received negative feedback from a client. What happened?
  • How do you overcome a creative block?

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