What Not to Do When Hiring a Graphic Designer (and How to Get It Right)

Mistake #1: Not Clearly Defining What You Need

One of the biggest mistakes employers make is jumping into the hiring process without clearly defining what they actually need. If you’re vague about goals, deliverables, or the role design plays in your brand, you may bring on someone who simply isn’t the right fit.

A job posting that says “looking for a graphic designer” doesn’t say much. Are you building a brand from scratch? Updating packaging designs? Creating a mobile app interface? Different design projects require very different skill sets. Without those details, even experienced designers won’t know if they’re a good match. You may end up with graphic designers with the wrong skills applying anyway.

The fix is simple. Start by outlining what success looks like for your project. List the deliverables, set a timeline, and explain how the work connects to your business goals. When you take time to clearly define the specific role you need filled, it’s much easier to hire a graphic designer who’s aligned with your vision.

Mistake #2: Choosing the Cheapest Option (and Paying the Price Later)

It’s tempting to hire the lowest bidder, especially if your budget is tight. However, choosing a graphic designer based on price alone often ends in frustration. Not only do cheap rates mean you could end up hiring someone who’s inexperienced, but they can also mean rushed work, poor communication, or missed deadlines. In the end, you might pay even more to fix what went wrong.

Design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s also about how your brand is perceived. If that first impression feels off, you risk losing potential customers before they even engage with your product or service. Hiring the wrong designer can lead to inconsistent visuals, unclear messaging, or rework that eats into your timeline.

Low pay can also lead to issues beyond quality. Even if the designer sets their own bid, lower rates often translate to poor job satisfaction, leading to disengagement or quiet quitting. When a designer doesn’t feel valued, the enthusiasm and creativity needed for top-tier work can drop, impacting your project’s success.

Instead of focusing only on cost, look for value. Review portfolios, ask about their design process, and check references. 

If you’re working with a smaller budget, hiring an offshore graphic designer can be a smart move. Many offer high-quality work at rates well below US averages, without cutting corners.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Portfolio Relevance

A polished resume might look impressive, but it won’t tell you if a designer can actually do the kind of work your project needs. One of the most common hiring mistakes is prioritizing years of experience (or the names of past clients) over a relevant portfolio.

Some hiring managers also overlook strong candidates simply because they’ve spent most of their careers freelancing. However, many freelance designers work across industries, wear multiple hats, and have a wide range of skills that extend beyond what in-house roles might demand. Dismissing them outright means missing out on potentially great fits.

Instead of focusing on the titles or brand-name clients in the candidates’ portfolios, spend time reviewing their portfolios through the lens of your business’s needs. Do they have relevant experience? Do the styles and solutions reflect what you're looking for? Ask for context behind key pieces. Ask what problem they were solving, who the target audience was, and how the design performed.

When you hire graphic designers based on real work that matches your goals, you get talent that’s aligned from the start.

Mistake #4: Hiring Based on Reputation Alone

It’s easy to get starstruck by a designer with a flashy resume or big-name clients. But just because someone has worked with major brands, that doesn’t mean they’re the right choice for your business. 

A common mistake is assuming that reputation equals relevance. In reality, many experienced designers who thrive in large teams and corporate environments may struggle in a fast-moving startup or solo-client setting.

Big-name experience doesn’t always translate to practical problem-solving for smaller brands. Some designers are used to having dedicated strategists, project managers, and developers around them. When those layers of support aren’t there, the results can fall short. Communication can also break down entirely.

Whether you’re building a brand from scratch or looking to improve your brand online, dig deeper. Review portfolio pieces in context. Or, better yet, offer a paid test project to see how they work with your team and your challenges.

Mistake #5: Not Testing Communication and Collaboration Skills

Great design doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s a collaborative process that depends on clear, timely communication. One of the easiest mistakes to make (especially when hiring remotely) is skipping an early check to see how well a candidate communicates. When communication is poor, it leads to confusion, shifting expectations, and scope creep that drags projects off course.

An intro call is a simple way to catch potential issues before they become full-blown problems. Pay attention to vague answers, delayed replies, or a lack of curiosity about your business. These are all signs that communication could break down once the project starts.

Strong communicators usually do the following:

• Ask thoughtful questions about your goals
• Recap feedback to confirm they’ve understood
• Set clear timelines and follow up proactively
• Share work-in-progress updates, not just final files

When you hire a remote graphic designer, effective communication matters just as much as technical and creative skills. This is especially true for startups, where team structure is still evolving. In fact, according to a PMI study, poor communication is a factor in 18% of business failures. This is particularly evident in startups that may not yet have systems in place to handle misalignment.

Mistake #6: Trusting Without Verifying

A polished and strong portfolio might show what a designer can do, but it doesn’t always reveal how they work. One common hiring mistake is assuming that good design work means the designer is reliable, responsive, and easy to collaborate with. 

Before making a final hiring decision, ask for references or check recent reviews. Make sure you do this, especially if you're hiring through a platform. Don’t rely on star ratings alone, though. Look for detailed feedback that speaks to communication skills, professionalism as well as how the designer handles pressure or changes in scope.

When speaking to a reference, try asking the following questions:

• Did they meet deadlines consistently?
• How did they respond to feedback or revision requests?
• Were there any issues with communication or expectations?
• Would you hire them again?

Taking the time to check references can help you avoid problems down the line and protect your investment. After all, the cost to hire a graphic designer includes more than just the rate you’re paying. It's also about the value— the return on investment (ROI)—you get from someone who can truly deliver.

Mistake #7: Starting Without Clear Timelines or Deliverables

When you skip setting expectations upfront, things can quickly spiral out of control. Without clear timelines, deliverables, and payment terms, you’re opening the door to scope creep, late deliveries, and even disputes over payment. These issues can damage relationships and delay your project, sometimes indefinitely.

To avoid this, create a simple checklist to set expectations from the start:

• Deadlines: Make sure the designer knows when each stage of the project is due.
• File formats: Specify the file types you’ll need at the end (e.g., AI, PSD, PNG).
• Revision rounds: Outline how many revisions you want included, and clarify what counts as a revision.
• Payment terms: Be clear about how and when payments will be made.

You might also consider using project management tools and having a formal contract to lock these down. A tool like Adobe’s Statement of Work (SoW) template can help keep things organized and make sure that both sides are on the same page.

Mistake #8: Hiring a Generalist for a Specialist Role

A graphic designer isn’t a jack of all trades. Graphic design is an umbrella term that covers everything from branding and marketing materials to UI design, motion graphics, packaging, and even apparel design. 

While some designers are versatile and can wear multiple hats, most excel in specific areas. Expecting one person to handle every type of design is a common mistake that leads to subpar results. A designer who’s great at creating logos might not have the skill set needed for UX design or product packaging. 

Make sure to match the designer’s expertise to your actual needs. When writing your job listing, be clear about what you’re looking for. Use category-specific job titles like "motion graphic designer" or "logo designer" to attract the right talent. You’ll find that this specificity helps attract qualified candidates who are skilled and passionate about that particular area of design.

If you need to hire a specialized graphic designer, it might be more efficient to get the help of a dedicated recruitment agency. They can help you narrow down what you need and take care of all the vetting and other recruitment tasks for you.

Final Thoughts

Hiring the wrong graphic designer can cost you more than just money—it can delay your project, create confusion, and hurt your brand’s reputation. But by avoiding common mistakes, you’re setting yourself up for success.

By planning ahead, checking communication early on, and reviewing portfolios to ensure the candidate’s skills and experience match your needs, you’ll find a designer who fits right in. It’s all about getting the details right from the start to avoid unnecessary setbacks.

At Near, we can help businesses like yours find remote designers who not only match your vision but also fit your budget. With our access to top graphic design talent from Latin America, you can get high-quality work at a fraction of local hiring costs.

Ready to find the perfect graphic designer for your project? Check out our guide on the best places to find them and start your search today.