Art Director VS Senior Designer 

Thanks for your detailed answer my friend, will probably make a video about this. Situation is indeed different in each studio, only thing I don't agree much is what you mention about what a senior is. The tags senior, medior, junior are used as a metric of time in the industry, not level. If that would be the case then someone junior who is good is automatically transferred to medior or senior? I met juniors and mediors designers who were really good, but that alone didn't make them seniors. To me the tag senior refers to the amount of time spent in the industry, the amount of unapproved work, rejections, dealing with tight deadlines and understanding the business...not the quality of the work. Not all seniors are good, they are just older. I also made another video about the true art director, just to make clear that real ADs (not self proclaimed ones) don't design much, they only setup vision and guide others to do their jobs.

Interesting topic and discussion. I’m also a senior designer work in the education industry - it took me 8 and half years to become a senior within the same company. Now I’m in a different department but collaborate with art directors to help plan and overlook team schedule while executing design works. I really appreciate the opportunity that because I want to practice and prepare for the next role if it comes. You reminds I still have lots of room to grow and improve. I’m both hard skills and soft skills. Thank you.

Thank you friend!

thank you friend!

Good for you to know this. In some companies thought they will "title promote" people to art director, but the role is still being a designer. This is just to keep people in the company without raising their salary.

Thanks to you for watching Oceane!

Yay, thank you!

All designers and art directors should have a stellar eye for typography and details. But most of them don't unfortunately. Typography is that genius skill to have and nobody seem to care because it takes effort. Thank you for words and welcome!

If you art direct photoshoots, If you are directing others to create work, and if you conceptualise and present work, then you are an art director. But since you design as well, you are a hands-on, art director. If you would have many more people to direct and you can't possibly do any work, and you also have to hire people and manage the team, approve work, offer guidance etc.. then you would be a creative director. If you design everything and you have someone above you giving you direction and approving your work, then you are a senior designer. More or less, that ; )

Because they fake it, a senior starts at 8/10 years of experience. I hire very often and I spot the fake ones in an instant. The path hasn't changed, 1-2 years they are still VERY junior, once they get to 5 is midweight. But they fake it in their linkedin profiles. They surely won't fake it in a big company with a real creative director.

Thank you! yeah we all go through that. I hate the term but if I don't use it to look for work then recruiters think I have no experience. In the UK they use it better: Design director.

the best way to become a great art director is to start from graphic design. This will make you a great art director that understands ideas as well as the craft. Just make sure the route you choose is conceptual and creative, not just design as in executing things, they need to make you think.

yes, but it does mean a lot if you are honest with your title because you will get hired, while others faking their titles won't get anything. I have hired dozens of people and when I see someone pretending to be someone else I just discard their application.