Job Description: Are Graphic Artists / Designers required to be multi-talented?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If you're a newly graduated Graphic Artist or Designer, you've probably encountered job openings that require you to be multi-talented, in short a one-man team for anything and everything related to multimedia which includes but is not limited to photo and video production and editing, animation, and even managing social media entries, etc. 

You basically are expected to do everything that requires both knowledge on art and technology, aside from having the eye for creativity and beauty.

Back then, when a company is looking for a "graphic artist", the work mostly revolves around design and layout in desktop publishing or print media. 

Nowadays, when I look at the requirements of "graphic artist" needed by some establishments,  they must have some knowledge in photography, video editing and web design. That's like hiring four professionals (artist, photographer, video editor and multimedia designer) already. 

Clearly, these companies are either misinformed on the title(s) and scope of work it entails. Or maybe they are just exploiting graphic designers by doing this?

The new trend seems going to the point of multitasking for a title of designer which truly frustrating. 

A lot are requiring the same "capabilities" especially those who are starting up their businesses. But to survive and become competitive, the graphic design community should really invest on knowing more since a lot of companies are offering creative services as a package. That's the reality now, and most are accepting and just going into the industry because of financial needs... that is why it is not surprising to see half-baked outputs and businesses. The graphics designer is overworked or not a specialist for being a jack of all trades. Let's admit it that you can't be an expert in everything. You can't focus on a task since you are overwhelmed with too many responsibilities.

Maybe we should look back at the curriculum. Who came up with the idea of a multimedia course? It's doable only if you study them all first before actually working. Then just update yourself when new technology comes through out the years like new software and hardware. In a few years, just as how robots have replaced workers in the manufacturing industry, Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be capable of doing what only we could do now. Adapt or die will be the new rule of the game because technology is becoming smarter than us.

At the moment, while we still have the skills, maybe we could do an information campaign for each skill set can help lessen the misinformation.

But with the current situation now, unless there's a slow on-going collective consciousness, realization and effort...it's a long road ahead for everyone.

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