Hire a product designer

Do you remember the iconic Pringles can? We bet you do. Its creator, Fredric John Baur, liked its design so much that he asked to be buried in one of those famous tubes. So, try to guess where his children saved his ashes when he passed away in 2008. That’s right — in an original Pringles can.

That’s the spirit you’re looking for in a product designer. But to find such a specialist, you’d have to go through more than Indiana Jones did in search of the Lost Ark.

Don’t fret; every adventurer has a sidekick. And today, Awesomic will be your helpful assistant.

We’ve prepared this article, where you’ll find the answers about what a product designer is and how they can help your business. You’ll get some pro tips on how to find and hire someone who’s a perfect fit for your company.

Do I need a product designer vs a UX designer?

The digital product designer position has existed for about two decades. However, employers and designers still confuse this profession with others since it’s hard to encapsulate all possible product design services one may need. For instance, a designer may apply for a product designer position, but the company needs a UX designer.  

To avoid this confusion, let’s first clarify the difference between these two since both may create visuals that improve users’ interactions with your product.

Firstly, let’s understand that “product designer” is a broader term than “UX designer.” A product designer uses a more holistic approach to design. They analyze complex data, define your goals while aligning them with your user’s objectives, and integrate your ambitions into the product design. Meanwhile, the primary responsibility of a UX designer is to ensure that such a product is usable and enjoyable.

Henry Wu, a product design manager at Hubspot, summarizes these senses in the following statement: “A Product Designer, at its core, is a problem solver.”

Simply put, if both specialists are on your team, the product design services will most often be in the decision-making while the UX designer prepares design pitches and does the technical work.

Similarities

• Both specialists focus on creating a better overall product and experience for the end-user.
• UX and product designers use critical thinking to analyze complex data and do market research.
• They often use similar wireframing tools, such as Balsamiq and Sketch, as well as user mapping software, like LucidChart and Overflow.
• UX designers, as well as product designers, base their processes on users’ needs and requests.

Differences

• Product designers focus on the bigger picture. For instance, their goal is to create an experience that aligns with mid-term to long-term business goals while a UX designer solves usability problems.
• UX designers strongly advocate for the user, whereas product designers advocate for the company and the organization.
• Product designers control how the different parts of the product interact.
• A UX designer identifies the problems, and a product designer proposes solutions.

Still trying to decide whether you need UX designers instead? Read our Hire UX/UI designer page to learn more about what UX designers can do for you.

What does a product designer do?

A product designer isn’t a “universal soldier,” as many business owners mistakenly believe. Neither are they simply UX designers with additional responsibilities. They’re specialists who create customer-oriented designs and problem-solve to ensure they suit your business goals.

With that in mind, the responsibilities of a product designer usually vary depending on the company and its digital product. In general, a product designer is responsible for helping you with the following tasks:

How to hire a product designer?

A new question arises now that you clearly know who a product designer is and why you need them. How do I find such a professional? The chances of coming across a product designer with the exact expertise you need are as good as finding a four-leafed clover. It’s possible, but it takes a lot of searching.

Awesomic has done some research for you. We’ve browsed product designer job applications on LinkedIn and found the following results in November 2021:

• U.S. ― 68,000
• Germany ― 5,700
• UK ― 7,100
• Canada ― 4,000
• India ― 9,300

That’s a lot of screening to do, right? And these are the results of only one social network. To avoid spending days simply browsing, take our advice: narrow your request down to a specific set of criteria. We’ll talk about the crucial aspects you need to define.

Freelancer VS. Full-time designer

Firstly, define the role the designer you hire will have. Are you taking on a full-time employee or freelance product design services? Here’s a list to consider when choosing either.

Cost

• Freelancer: Between these two, a freelancer seems like a cheaper option. However, cheap doesn’t mean cost-effective. You might hire a junior designer who charges relatively lower than their colleagues. But their lack of experience and skills might make you spend more time on revisions, clarifying, and remaking. In most cases, this means it results in nothing of good value.

• Full-time: At the same time, full-time product designers charge more as they agree to spend more time at work. Besides, if they decide to resign, you’ll have to spend additional money on recruiting. Such expenses can reach up to 33% of an employee's annual salary.

Dedication

• Full-time: A lot of employers prefer hiring full-time designers to freelancers. They believe they can obtain the necessary information only by being near the resources. And later, this knowledge will help them create the exact product corresponding to your company’s mission.

• Freelancer: A freelance product designer can know your product perfectly. If they possess enough skills and experience, they can obtain the information necessary for their work and implement it in a top-notch product. And distance isn’t an essential requirement for productive work, considering the remote work tools we have at our disposal.

Time resources

• Freelancer: Hiring a freelancer would benefit employers who are ready to delegate most of the processes to a worker. You need to develop a feedback system, mostly at the end of each creative process stage. It seems like an easy solution, but it requires much organization.

• Full-time: Those employers that prefer monitoring all the processes from end-to-end of their workers can choose full-time designers. However, the more stages you’re involved in, the more time you spend solely on monitoring. Additionally, the possibility of seeing the designing process doesn’t guarantee good results.

Where to look for a designer?

There are numerous platforms where you can search for a product designer. Depending on your needs, you might choose a freelance or portfolio website, social networks, or design subscription platforms. Let’s see what the pros and cons of each are.

Freelance websites

✅ There are many offers at prices lower than on other platforms for designer hiring.
✅ You can choose the designer from a large talent pool.
❌ The designers aren’t preselected by their level of expertise.
❌ Requires lots of monitoring from your side.

Portfolio sites

✅ You can see the skills and professionalism of a designer right away based on real cases in their portfolios.
✅ Instead of searching for a designer, you can request a position and have professionals pitch their work to you.
❌ Shortlisting candidates is time-consuming.

Social networks

✅ A large number of candidates to choose from.
✅ You can post a job offer, and candidates will contact you.
❌ You find out the prices only after contacting the candidate.
❌ It takes a lot of time to interview the candidate and negotiatethe details.

Design subscription platforms

✅ Relieve your searching and interviewing stress.
✅ Offer designers that already possess expertise.
✅ You pay a fixed price each month and receive a packagewith multiple services.
❌ Aren’t suitable for those who are looking for on-site designers as they offer only remote workers.

How much should you pay for a good product designer?

If you’ve decided to hire a product designer full-time, you’re ready for a big commitment. For product designers, a significant commitment usually means big money.

Awesomic’s research on Glassdoor has shown that full-time product designers earn from $62,000 to $140,000 annually worldwide.

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