Senior graphic designer

I'm a senior graphic designer whose job includes all major graphic design for projects my company does including CD ROM interfaces, photo touchups, Web pages, packaging and print work.

Dear What Am I Worth

I'm a 20-year-old senior graphic designer and I work for a company which does interactive stuff like CD ROMs, Web pages, intranets and print work.

My job includes all major graphic design for projects we do which include CD ROM interfaces, photo touchups, Web pages, packaging and print work - pretty much everything to do with graphics. I also do all the corporate ID work like business cards, newspaper ads, brochures and posters.

I have been working here for nearly three years. I don't have any real qualifications. I have done about three to four years worth of learning about how to use computers, including all office-type stuff.

I know how to use both PC and Mac based platforms, MS Office and most major graphics package. These include Adobe, Photoshop 5.5, Illustrator 8, Macromedia Freehand 8, Adobe Imageready, Macromedia Flash 3 and 4, and I have a basic knowledge of Macromedia Director, plus sound and video programs like Adobe Premiere, Sound Forge and Sound Edit 16.

One day I would like to go and do a recognised polytechnic or university course and get a formal qualification, but for now I'll keep working because most graphic places just want to know if you've got the experience and if you do what you say you can do.

Senior graphic designer

Mercury Consulting replies: $35,000 to $40,000, with qualifications then $45,000+. Qualifications will include elements of graphic design, which will fill any gaps around any self-taught areas, plus give clients confidence about giving you more design responsibility.