Leading
Leading (or 'kerning') is a design technique that adjusts the space between letters or characters in text to make it more visually appealing and readable. When you see this term in a resume, it means the designer knows how to fine-tune text spacing for professional-looking designs. It's similar to adjusting the gaps between furniture in a room to make everything look balanced. This skill is especially important for creating logos, headlines, and other text-heavy designs where spacing matters. You might also see it referred to as 'letter-spacing' or 'character spacing' in job applications.
Examples in Resumes
Created brand identity using Leading techniques to enhance logo readability
Improved magazine layouts through proper Leading and Letter-spacing adjustments
Applied Leading expertise to optimize headline designs for marketing materials
Typical job title: "Graphic Designers"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Graphic Designers
Online Communities
Job Boards
Professional Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you approach leading and spacing in responsive design projects?
Expected Answer: A senior designer should explain how text spacing needs to adjust across different screen sizes and devices, mentioning experience with both print and digital applications, and how they maintain readability across all formats.
Q: Can you describe a challenging typography project and how you solved spacing issues?
Expected Answer: Look for answers that demonstrate leadership in solving complex design problems, like balancing multiple font families in a brand system or fixing spacing issues in multilingual designs.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What factors do you consider when adjusting leading in a design?
Expected Answer: Should mention considerations like font size, line length, audience readability needs, and the overall visual hierarchy of the design.
Q: How do you determine appropriate leading for different types of content?
Expected Answer: Should discuss how different content types (headlines, body text, captions) need different spacing approaches, and how they make these decisions.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What is the difference between leading and kerning?
Expected Answer: Should be able to explain that leading is the space between lines of text, while kerning is the space between individual letters.
Q: What tools do you use to adjust leading in your designs?
Expected Answer: Should be familiar with basic design software tools for adjusting text spacing in programs like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, or similar design applications.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic understanding of typography terms
- Can adjust basic text spacing
- Familiar with design software
- Knowledge of basic readability principles
Mid (2-5 years)
- Advanced typography skills
- Experience with various font combinations
- Understanding of responsive typography
- Strong layout design abilities
Senior (5+ years)
- Expert typography knowledge
- Complex layout mastery
- Brand system development
- Team leadership and mentoring
Red Flags to Watch For
- No knowledge of basic typography terms
- Cannot explain difference between leading and kerning
- No experience with professional design software
- Poor attention to detail in their own portfolio
- No understanding of readability principles
Related Terms
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