The melancholy and choleric personalities
In parts one and two of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You, we presented the sanguine and phlegmatic personality temperaments.

While Samantha Sanguine is characterized as a bubbly and extremely sociable animal that loves attention and excels in telling stories and enjoying life, Phil Phlegmatic, by contrast, is subdued, even tempered, and non-excitable.

In part three we conclude this series with the choleric and melancholy and we’ll see how these personality types behave in their roles of a graphic designer.
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Curt Choleric: A study in motion and work ethics
If you have a choleric personality you are driven by being productive, meeting deadlines and possess a “take no prisoners” attitude towards project goals and work.

People who are choleric are typically described by others as natural leaders, highly organized, workaholics, driven, stubborn, bossy, and domineering.

If you are a graphic designer who has a choleric personality, you are known as someone who can always meet closing dates and will work around the clock in order to complete a project.

But at the same time, you are known for being argumentative and impatient with those who cannot keep up with you.

Choleric graphic designers can be great leads in projects because they are motivated to meet their goals at almost any expense. But this is sometimes to the detriment of other coworkers who get in their way.

Some of the personality attributes of cholerics are:

* Strong leadership abilities
* Self righteous
* Highly organized
* Self sufficient
* High work ethics
* Goal oriented
* Direct and blunt
* Bossy
* Impatient
* Strongly opinionated
* Insensitive to others feelings

Meet Matt Melancholy
If there is one trait that describes the melancholy personality best, it would be “thinker.” They have a high degree of intellect and will usually be the first to point out the flaws in a design proposal.

Melancholy graphic designers are seen as either realists or pessimists–very talented, serious, logical perfectionists. Mr. Spock of Star Trek could have been the poster child for melancholy personalities.

The melancholy tends to be withdrawn but can fully appreciate the aesthetic qualities in design. They have a deep sense of what it takes to create visually inspired graphics.

Because they are perfectionists, melancholy personality types can get mired in details that they cannot let go of.

Everything they create must be flawless and as a result, work-flow can sometimes suffer.

Melancholy individuals exhibit these personality traits:

* Analytical
* Self -sacrificing
* Gifted with talent
* High aesthetic values
* Idealistic
* Perfectionist
* Intellectual
* Low self-esteem
* Pessimistic
* Unrealistically high standards
* Withdrawn
* Inflexible
* Cynical

Now What?
After investigating the four personality types (sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholy) it should be pointed out that no one is typically 100 percent of any type but actually a combination of all four.

Usually one or two traits are prominent with the others acting in a lesser role. Understanding which personality type you are, as well as those of others, may help you to work better as a graphic designer and with your colleagues.

Graphic design schools and the real world
Standard college courses usually deal with theory and facts. But at a graphic design school you’ll have hands-on creative sessions that can help you prepare for future career positions.

Graphic design colleges provide you with many opportunities to interact with your clients (teachers) and your coworkers (other students) which can be translated into the real world of graphic design.

You will experience the pressures of meeting deadlines and producing professional quality graphics.

To find out more about a career in graphic design, visit your local graphic design college or visit one online.

It’s more than just work
If all there was to work was work, this would make many of our lives easier. But in the real world we need to communicate and work with others.

And that means dealing with everyone’s various foibles and quirks. Understanding what makes you and others tick can help you to be a better graphic designer and team member.
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Meet Sam Sanguine
In part one of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You? we explored the first personality type of four: the phlegmatic. She’s dependable, low-key, amicable, and a bit shy; a person who cares but resists change.

In part two of this series we meet Sam or Samantha Sanguine. You’ll recognize these types of people immediately because they are always telling stories and talking. They are the optimist’s optimist and are always positive.

In the workplace, they are usually more concerned about how they are liked rather than what is at hand; work and deadlines. Sanguines are extroverts and love to be the center of attention.

Sanguines are extremely talented in getting along with everyone and revel in meeting new people. They love attention, are fun loving, and feel lonely when people are not around them. They are ultimate social animals.

Since sanguines are generally well liked by everyone, they have the ability to motivate and encourage people to do tasks or projects. But because they are so socially motivated they often get lost in project details or forget them altogether.

The sanguine graphic designer
Graphic designers who fall into this personality type will excel at customer relations. Their bubbly personality puts clients at ease.

They are natural born salespeople and can usually persuade clients to accept their design ideas.

But on the downside, since this personality type abhors details and deadlines they often find that they are behind in projects or fail to meet project specifications.
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Sanguine traits: The good and the bad
Typical traits for the sanguine personality are:
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* Extroverted, charismatic personality
* Expresses emotions easily
* Warm and friendly; loves people
* Loves to talk and tell stories
* Confident
* Persuasive
* Doesn’t Worry. Carefree
* Apologizes easily and quickly
* Always needs to be the center of attention
* Can be undisciplined and unproductive
* Tends to exaggerate
* Not detail oriented
* Overly concerned about being liked
* Restless; cannot sit still
* Can be easily angered
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Graphic design school and coworkers
A good graphic design school will not only provide you with the necessary education in graphic design and computer graphic techniques, it will also help you develop skills in working in a team setting.

In graphic design college you will meet many personality types. By understanding what personality categories they fall into, you’ll have a heads up on how to work and get along with others.

Next time…
For more information on how the theory of the Four Personality Types developed, see part one of Graphic Designer Personalities: What Type Are You?

When we meet again we’ll take a look at the personality type of the choleric graphic designer. These individuals live and die by keeping schedules. You’ll recognize them by their fierce yelling. Calm is not in their vocabularies!

So until then, keep on designing!

The workplace zoo
Anyone who has worked as a graphic designer or in a job that requires creativity knows how difficult it can sometimes be when working under tight deadlines.

During these times you’ll notice how certain individuals, and even yourself, react under pressure. It is during these occasions that personality traits, some negative and some positive, rise to the surface for all to see.

In What Type of Graphic Designer Are You? Part I we’ll explore four personality categories. These will act as an informal knowledge base to help you understand yourself and others in the workplace better.
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It’s Greek to me
The Four Temperaments or Four Personality Groups (Phlegmatic, Choleric, Melancholy, and Sanguine) was developed by Hippocrates and Plato in their efforts to understand human nature and personalities.

According to the Four Temperaments scenario people’s personalities are made up of a combination of the four basic traits-with one or two being the most prominent.

Variations of these original concepts have been updated by various psychologists and authors but at the heart of them all lay many of the ideas proposed by the two Greek luminaries of medicine and philosophy.

The Phlegmatic: slow and steady
Is there someone at your workplace that seems to remain cool and calm in spite of the world crashing down all around everyone? Does this individual seem to get along with just about anyone?

Do these people procrastinate on their projects while making witty and humorous remarks about the situation? Are these people sometimes stubborn and obstinate?

Does it seem as if these people are almost like Mr. Spock of Star Trek; they show very little variance of emotion or excitability?

If you answered yes to most of these questions you have just met the phlegmatic personality.

Here is a short list of the strengths and weaknesses of Mr. or Ms. Phlegmatic:

* Low key personality
* Easy going
* Relaxed
* Patient
* Competent and steady
* Quiet and witty
* Sympathetic and kind
* Gets along with everyone
* Finds the easiest way to get the job done
* Likes routine; avoids change
* Indecisive
* Avoids leadership
* Self-doubt
* Avoids conflict
* Resents being pushed
* Procrastinates

Understanding what motivates Mr. or Ms. phlegmatic can help you to get along better with these reliable and sometimes obstinate people. They are the people that will work the best under pressure so be glad that they are there!

Graphic design school and design principles
No matter what personality type you fall under, the need for a good education in graphic design is important in qualifying for various career opportunities.

Graphic design schools provide instruction in good design principles.

If you are thinking about branching out into other graphic design fields such as web design, animation, multimedia or other avenues, a qualified graphic design college can help.

Next time…
Our next personality will be Mr. or Ms. Sanguine. You’ll recognize these individuals by their affinity for telling stories and jokes, being the first one to say “Hi!” to everyone and their generally happy mood.

But they are also known for speaking before they think and being unproductive and emotional. Find out more next week about this coworker.

So until next time, keep on designing!

Wisdom from a Scientist
Glenn T. Seaborg was giving a lecture to an auditorium full of high schoolers one day and remarked how lucky of a man he was.

The Periodic Table, the large map of all the physical known elements, is familiar to anyone who has taken a chemistry or physics class.

The Nobel Prize winner was involved in the discovery of 10 of these elements.

He said he not only loved his work and had fun at it, but “I can’t believe I get paid to do it too!”

How many of us are fortunate enough to enjoy our work and “get paid for it too!”
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How Much Does A Graphic Designer Make?
As a graphic designer or someone who is contemplating graphic design as a career, a love of the process of creating is definitely needed to be successful. But there is the practical side of this as well; can you make a living from it?

The U.S Bureau of Statistics and Labor (May 2010) says the median annual wage for a graphic designer is $43,180.

Those in the top 10 percent of wage earners in graphic design make approximately $76,450 per year. Those in the lowest 10 percent of wage earners made $26,440 per year.

The amount of money you can earn depends on various factors related to skill level, the type of graphic design job you have, the type of company you work for, and your educational background.

Graphic Design School and You
In today’s career market there is heavy competition for available jobs. Getting the necessary training in graphic design is a must to remain competitive.

Generally speaking a minimum of a bachelor’s of arts degree in graphic design is needed to qualify for entry level positions. Community colleges offer 2-year degrees that may open opportunities for technical jobs in graphic design.

In graphic design college you’ll learn the principles of design, art history, and the important skill sets needed to use and operate computer hardware and design software.

If you have graduated from graphic design school, continued education may be necessary to keep up with the fast changing tools and procedures in the field of graphic design.

For Love or Money?
Hopefully you’ll be able to say “both.” Enjoying your job gives you great satisfaction even during the times when the wages aren’t as good as you’d want them to be.

But hating your job and making lots of money is rarely a good trade off when it comes to personal well-being and satisfaction.

In the long run, graphic design or any job involving creativity or design can be quite fulfilling. Just make sure you have the proper career training to be competitive.

Graphic Design Career Information Links
The following links may provide you with additional information regarding graphic design jobs, qualifying skills and attributes, and other points of interest:

Graphic Designer Job Outlook
Graphic Designer Qualifications and Skill Sets
Current Wage Statistics for Graphic Designers

Micromanaging and Efficiency
Joy, a graphic designer, relates this story about her experience with different studio managers:

“We had a boss that was extremely manipulative and controlling. Every aspect of our daily work schedule was managed for efficiency. We could hardly breathe because of the constrained work atmosphere.

Let’s face it, we did it for the money and not for the love of design.

“Our productivity was good, but we were miserable. Then one day, he announced his retirement. Most of us were ecstatic at his decision. A new manager was hired and we held our breaths.

“Our new boss was not a micro-manager and this took some time getting used to. His style was to give us our marching orders—he got out of the way and left the creative aspects, as much as was feasible, to us.

“But then, the productivity reports came down from upper management and we were all shocked about our performance.”

Find out what happened at the end of this article.

How to Get the Best From Your Coworkers
You may be a supervisor, a manager or a lead graphic designer, but the fact remains that you will need to have your co-workers do tasks for you, at some point, in order to complete projects.

But how do you get the best out of your staff? Consider this advice:

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

–George Patton, Decorated WWII General, US Army

His advice seems contradictory and foolhardy. But upon closer inspection what he is saying is to trust people’s abilities and judgment to complete a task; just point them in the right direction.

Graphic Design School and Creativity
Of course, you need a competent staff to fulfill your wishes. But knowing who your go-to people are can save you loads of headaches and anxiety by just letting them create and do what they do best.

The basics and foundation of graphic design often start with an education at a qualified graphic design college.

Those who have had formal training in graphic design can attest to how a graphic design school education can be useful in qualifying for design jobs.

The Rest of the Story
In Joy’s account of her new boss, this is what happened in the performance report. (Names and titles have been changed to protect the innocent and guilty.)

“We felt we were all pulling together to finish the projects instead of being forced to meet deadlines. Our new boss gave us the freedom to be creative. He gave us back our love for design.

“Our boss called us to a meeting to announce the metrics of how we were doing the past several months.

“The report from upper management showed that we had broken every record, in productivity and revenue, set by our previous boss. We did this during the two months our new boss was in charge.

Next Time…
So far we’ve seen how graphic designers do their jobs for the love of the art and creativity of design. But the practical side needs to be presented as well; how much do graphic designers make and what opportunities are there?

Stay tuned next week for the answers.

Until then, keep on designing!

Why Are You a Graphic Designer?
Or the question could also be “Why do you want to be a graphic designer?” Although these questions seem to be somewhat simplistic it is an important step in determining if you have what it takes to become one.

But let’s take this a few steps beyond; you may have what it takes to become a successful graphic designer but will you be a fulfilled and happy graphic designer?

Learning from the Best
In this series we’ll draw from the insights of designers not only in graphic design but other fields outside the scope of the liberal arts.

Hopefully we’ll be able to glean some sage wisdom from their experiences in the real world of design.

Some of their statements will ring unusually true with us because they are based upon situations that we have either experienced or seen.

But in the long run this series will try to provide solace and wisdom to designers who “put it out there” every day for the love of designing and not necessarily the money.

Failure: The Consequences

“The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.”

–Edwin H. Land

Edwin Land was the inventor and designer of the Polaroid Instant Camera. His invention enabled people to take photographs and have a developed print in hand in less than 60 seconds.

Land’s work ethic was legendary as he would often forget to eat, change his clothes or take needed rest breaks because he was so intent on his research and development.

He would literally wear out his assistants with his incredible focus and energy. To keep up with his marathon work schedule he assigned different teams to assist him. When one team was exhausted, the next team would come in and so on.

Dr. Land understood that failure can either stop you dead in your tracts or afford valuable information and experience on how to improve and find a solution to a problem.

He opted for the later and the result of his efforts was the Instant Camera.

Creativity and Rejection
If you are in the creative arts you can probably identify with how failure or rejection can sometimes sting.

But as Edwin Land discovered, failure is sometimes the prerequisite for continued creativity and growth.

Coping with rejection and failure is easier said than done but if we can catch a glimpse of what Edward Land saw in being unafraid of failure; we can keep our creativity alive and well.

First Things First: Graphic Design School
The saying goes that you can’t run before you learn to walk. Design is similar; you can’t design before you have the tools. Graphic design colleges can help you to understand design principles and techniques.

Graphic design schools can polish up your raw talent and point you in the right direction for a design career so check with your local graphic design college for its course curriculum and classes.

Next Time…
If you are a graphic designer or manager and need your staff or coworkers to help you accomplish a task, have you ever wondered what the best way to motivate them is?

Find out next week in part two of Graphic Design for Love or Money. You may be surprised.

Until then, keep on designing!