Reading 6
Eric Malone Reading 6
Making Yourself Known in the Marketplace.
The design community is often tight knit and difficult to break into. Networking is essential to finding your way into this circle. It is important to not become frustrated and make the most out of every contact you meet.
Leave behinds or promotional material can go along way to getting you recognized but are all but meaningless without a well crafted portfolio and resume.
It is important to present your self in a put together and confident way. This doesn't mean you must were a fancy suit and tie but a well designed exterior is necessary.
Be prepared for the worst. Bring additional flash drives, resumes, chargers and backed up files. Your visual identity can get you the interview but your personality will get you the job.
Reading 5
Eric Malone Reading 5
Research and Cold Calling.
Employers expect you to know a bit about them and what they do well before the interview process. Researching early on allows you to target the employers that best suit your skills. This also allows you to customize your cover letter, resume and portfolio to be more appropriate for their business.
It is important to not really only on jobs posted through online classifieds. It is a tendency of most to just send they’re resume and portfolio to those who are soliciting help.
Try getting an internship in a field you are interested even if one is not being offered. Many organization would welcome some payed/unpaid help in exchange for offering experience.
Cold calling can be intimidating but becomes less difficult with experience. Cold calling shows that you are the type of person who is willing to take initiative and is confident in who they are and what they do.
Student exhibitions and competitions are a great way to get your name out there. They also give you a unique way of networking that allows you to meet a diverse group of people. These events are generally inexpensive and may put you on the radar of employers you wouldn't otherwise come into contact with.
Reading 4
Eric Malone Reading 4
Choosing the Right Portfolio.
The format of your portfolio is dependent and several factors including budget, type of work being sought and the type of work you specialize in.
Digital Portfolio:
A digital portfolio is an increasingly valuable tool in the digital age. Although effective there are some advantages of print portfolio. Some types of work simply must be displayed digitally. Some include web, interactive design, and motion graphics.
Print Portfolio:
Many of the technical issues involved with a digital portfolio are non-issues with a print portfolio. A print portfolio is typically easier to view than a digital. Bound portfolios are often considered the most professional way to display your work.
Portfolios should be a reasonable size to allow easier portability.
Reading 3
Eric Malone Reading 3
Creating a Good Portfolio.
A good portfolio will present the best of your work while communicating a specific message about what and who you are.
It is important to keep your portfolio somewhat basic. It is possible to go overkill even if it is all very good work. Don't let your portfolio overshadow the work inside.
It is sometimes difficult to remain objective when evaluating your work but it is essential. Seek out the objective thoughts of others but don't be steered away from your instincts.
It is never a bad idea to have multiple portfolios. Possibly a potential employer would like to give it a closer look after an interview. Another option is to have multiple portfolios each catering to a different industry within design. I plan to have an online presence as well as a few spare thumb drives to eliminate this need.
Reading 2
Eric Malone Reading 2
Making sense of the marketplace.
Having knowledge of the entire creative marketplace is essential for a designer. Having knowledge outside of your specific niche will allow you to think outside the box and better serve your client.
Design Groups:
Design groups come in all shapes and sizes. Some have a very strict code of business while others are more laid back and casual.
Studio websites are a great way to get an idea of the type of designer they may be interested in.
Ad Agencies:
In order to work in the ad world networking is essential. It is also and industry that typically requires a great deal of experience.
This industry has a high burn out rate.
Book Publishing:
The book publishing industry is typically much more friendly to the beginning designer. Typography and layout are the most important skills in book publishing.
Computer Games Development:
An extremely fast growing portion of the industry. Illustration skills are vital for work with video game development.
Reading 1
Eric Malone Reading 1
What is a portfolio?
Portfolios are a physical or virtual showcase of work. Designers, artists and photographers use them to display their creative work in place.
Student portfolios are expected to showcase a high level of skill and conceptualization while also displaying the learning process. The development of ideas are often shown through the use of the students sketchbook.
A good portfolio will focus on the students best and most diverse work. Not the students favorite or fun pieces. Strong portfolios demonstrate an understanding of design principles such as color theory, layout, typography and form.
It is important to create a portfolio that reflects the type of career the designer is seeking.
Your portfolio should be designed to resemble its own publication. Showing strong continuity.
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