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If the designer is local, set up a time for them to come by your office, or meet them in a coffee shop. If they’re remote, email them and work out a time for a phone or video call.  Come prepared with a list of questions to ask. Take notes throughout the interview on their answers and your general impressions of them. When the time comes for you to speak, stay calm and relaxed. Remember, they’re the ones who have to impress you! Look at the notes you took while reviewing their portfolio. Talk about the things you liked in their portfolio and ask them about the process of completing those projects. If you saw some work you didn’t like, address that as well. Ask them to explain why they wanted to be a graphic designer and get a bit of their background.  You could say, for example, “Tell me about the logo you designed for this gym. What interested you in that project? How much say did you have in the overall design?” Talk about the different mediums they’ve worked in as well. Say, “I see you’ve done mostly digital work. How confident are you in working in print, which is what my project will be done in?” You want to know that your project will be completed quickly and done well. Ask them how long it usually takes to finish a project of your scope usually. Ask how many rough concepts they typically design through before a client sees one they like. The fewer “rough drafts” it takes them to complete a project, the better. If they usually go through only 2-3 concepts per project, that means they understand what the client wants and is able to deliver. This interview is also a chance to explain your project in depth and make sure that you’re on the same page, and that they can deliver exactly what you want. Briefly describe your business, target audience, what that audience should take away after seeing the piece, and general thoughts about the look and feel that you envision for the piece. Encourage them to be creative with their ideas and honest in their point of view -- you want a designer that will challenge your views in a respectful way. See if they understand the big picture of your business and are excited about, or at least interested in, the message you’re trying to convey and their role in this larger project.  Their views don’t need to be totally in line with yours--in fact, it’s a good thing if they’re not! However, you do want them to understand and connect with your larger vision. Note down anything promising about their ideas as well as any red flags, such as a lack of interest or unoriginal ideas. It’s okay if they don’t, but intelligent and thoughtful questions are a plus. Answer honestly. Be prepared to answer questions like:  “If you’ve hired graphic designers in the past, what made the best ones stand out from the less impressive ones?” “What is the best or worst thing about working at this business?” “What will the pay rate be?” You can say something like, “I’ll be sticking to the pay range listed on the job posting. We’ll talk about the specific rate if you get the offer.” Tell them they can expect to hear back from you within a week. Try not to make them wait any longer than that, unless you’re interviewing another candidate after that time. Specify whether you’ll be calling or emailing them and give them a business card if you’d like. It’s up to you whether to mention you’re interviewing other people or not. You can be subtle and say something like, “I’ll let you know about the offer after I’ve interviewed the other candidates,” or be more upfront and say, “I have several candidates for this position. Why should I hire you over them?”
Set up a time to speak on the phone or in-person. Ask them more about their experience and previous projects. Ask about their work style and efficiency. Describe the message you want to get across. Ask them for their opinions and ideas on your project. Ask if they have any questions. Tell them when you’ll contact them with a decision.