Thursday, October 13, 2011
Center for the Arts
I recently joined Arts Alive and offered to do their newsletter. They want me to do a mockup of a newsletter so they can see what I can do.
At the Mandolin Cafe
Finally traveled to the Mandolin Cafe and rubbed elbows with follow job seekers. Yes, there is a job club in Tacoma at the Mandolin Cafe on Wednesday mornings. The atmosphere is more relaxed at the cafe which has a nice roomy conference room. The decor is beautiful with the walls adorned by artwork from local artists. Hmmmm, gets my thought processes going. Shall I get back to doing traditional art? Why not? It's all how I manage my time as to what I accomplish and focus on.
Great group of people shared their ideas about job search activities and gave each other tips. Discussion focused on employer's requirements. There was a person there who works with recruiters. She said that there's a gap between what employers are looking for and what applicants offer. Employers are complaining about not finding qualified candidates. A WorkSource person said that what we can do as job seekers is target our resumes. Make sure we use the words in the job postings that describe our skills.
Job searching today is very different and job seekers can take advantage of the technology available which allows us to be more innovative in advertising ourselves with little or no cost.
But there is another side to the equation which job seekers have no control over and that's employer's expectations. I do see job postings that have everything but the kitchen sink and, in the graphic design field, I see employers combining graphic design with IT. There are very few people who can be an excellent programmer and excellent graphic designer. But employers, in an attempt to cut costs, try to merge the two which is really right brain vs left brain skills. Ideally, a graphic designer would work closely with a programmer for creating websites. Unfortunately, "designer" is used interchangeably with "developer".
Many employers are looking for experienced people and aren't willing to give entry level candidates a chance.
Great group of people shared their ideas about job search activities and gave each other tips. Discussion focused on employer's requirements. There was a person there who works with recruiters. She said that there's a gap between what employers are looking for and what applicants offer. Employers are complaining about not finding qualified candidates. A WorkSource person said that what we can do as job seekers is target our resumes. Make sure we use the words in the job postings that describe our skills.
Job searching today is very different and job seekers can take advantage of the technology available which allows us to be more innovative in advertising ourselves with little or no cost.
But there is another side to the equation which job seekers have no control over and that's employer's expectations. I do see job postings that have everything but the kitchen sink and, in the graphic design field, I see employers combining graphic design with IT. There are very few people who can be an excellent programmer and excellent graphic designer. But employers, in an attempt to cut costs, try to merge the two which is really right brain vs left brain skills. Ideally, a graphic designer would work closely with a programmer for creating websites. Unfortunately, "designer" is used interchangeably with "developer".
Many employers are looking for experienced people and aren't willing to give entry level candidates a chance.
Friday, October 7, 2011
To BA or Not to BA?
To BA or not to BA, that is the question. I've been checking out schools to see what they offer in their design programs. So far AI of Seattle has the most robust program I've seen. They said I would be eligible for a BA or a diploma and reminded me that I could apply to more than one school. Evergreen is another one I want to check out. U of W seems to have suspended their design program.
Expenses will be a challenge but it doesn't hurt to apply.
I've been working on web pages and I want to learn so much more about them. There are so many menu options in Dreamweaver and I want to know how to use them. So taking advantage of another design program might be the best option.
Expenses will be a challenge but it doesn't hurt to apply.
I've been working on web pages and I want to learn so much more about them. There are so many menu options in Dreamweaver and I want to know how to use them. So taking advantage of another design program might be the best option.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Job Club Logo
The name for the job club changed. I designed three different versions to go with the new name. The first one I felt didn't have enough punch to it. The WorkSource person wanted movement and a color scheme that is similar to the color scheme as the WorkSource logo.
For the second version I thought of art deco cityscapes or skylines and superheroes.
Colors for the third version were tweaked to make them more in line with the desired color scheme.
For the second version I thought of art deco cityscapes or skylines and superheroes.
Colors for the third version were tweaked to make them more in line with the desired color scheme.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Biz Fair
A friend of mine called me and asked me to accompany her to a Biz Fair which turned out to be a free event at Renton Technical College for small business owners or startups. There are a lot of free or low cost resources for those starting their own business. SCORE, which is a group of CEO's who volunteer their time helping startups, is a wonderful resource. They will mentor you and walk you through the steps to starting your business and be successful.
One thing I have noticed is that the graphic design side of a business is overlooked. It's probably because the business owner is trying to keep expenses low by doing it themselves and using templates. But that can result in their business looking unprofessional to the public. One person declared that social media will take the place of needing a website and said that people shouldn't bother hiring a graphic designer.
I pointed out to him that graphic design is the business's public face and, like an interview, you want to put your best foot forward. I said that if a business owner is really strapped for cash they could contact colleges or universities that have design programs for student interns.
I said the same thing to my friend who wants me to design her business card and was thinking of using the stationery for business cards to save money on printing costs. That stationery is perforated and that makes the business cards look bad. A better option, I pointed out to her, is to have Office Depot or Fed Ex print the cards and cut them.
Sometimes in cutting corners you can end up with half measures and it shows. You really have to decide what is worth the investment and work out the expenses you need in starting your business. Decide what you need in equipment, software etc. to look professional and look for sales and discounts. Sometimes you can barter services.
One thing I have noticed is that the graphic design side of a business is overlooked. It's probably because the business owner is trying to keep expenses low by doing it themselves and using templates. But that can result in their business looking unprofessional to the public. One person declared that social media will take the place of needing a website and said that people shouldn't bother hiring a graphic designer.
I pointed out to him that graphic design is the business's public face and, like an interview, you want to put your best foot forward. I said that if a business owner is really strapped for cash they could contact colleges or universities that have design programs for student interns.
I said the same thing to my friend who wants me to design her business card and was thinking of using the stationery for business cards to save money on printing costs. That stationery is perforated and that makes the business cards look bad. A better option, I pointed out to her, is to have Office Depot or Fed Ex print the cards and cut them.
Sometimes in cutting corners you can end up with half measures and it shows. You really have to decide what is worth the investment and work out the expenses you need in starting your business. Decide what you need in equipment, software etc. to look professional and look for sales and discounts. Sometimes you can barter services.
Hiring Event
Last Thursday I used my Hiring Academy pass to attend a hiring event sponsored by WorkSource Pierce. I got in early because of the pass which was great but none of the employers were looking for graphic designers. I did get information from a few and gave my resume to one employer who utilizes graphic designers.
Hiring Academy and 60 Second Commercial
WorkSource Pierce sponsored a Hiring Academy event. They covered creating a 60 second commercial, cover letters, resumes, how to dress for an interview and interview questions. Completing the Academy resulted in gaining more information for the job market and a pass for hiring events sponsored by Worksource. The pass allows people to attend hiring events before the general public is let in.
Even though I have attended some workshops about resumes and cover letters I continue to attend more because the criteria changes and everyone has a little different take on the subjects.
The Hiring Academy did a good job talking about the 60 second commercial. It's best to think of it as a conversation you are having with someone else over a cup of coffee. The commercial can be used anywhere and anytime you are introducing yourself to others. If you are passionate about what you do that will come across. As with preparing for an interview where you practice answering possible questions, you practice the 60 second commercial over and over until you are comfortable. Several people said it helps to practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions. Don't use words or phrases that qualify your knowledge and experience like "just", "only", or "sort of" because you will come across as uncertain. Be confident and declarative and you come across as knowing your industry, career, and sure you can do the job.
The 60 second commercial can be used whether you are looking for a job or looking for clients for your business.
Even though I have attended some workshops about resumes and cover letters I continue to attend more because the criteria changes and everyone has a little different take on the subjects.
The Hiring Academy did a good job talking about the 60 second commercial. It's best to think of it as a conversation you are having with someone else over a cup of coffee. The commercial can be used anywhere and anytime you are introducing yourself to others. If you are passionate about what you do that will come across. As with preparing for an interview where you practice answering possible questions, you practice the 60 second commercial over and over until you are comfortable. Several people said it helps to practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions. Don't use words or phrases that qualify your knowledge and experience like "just", "only", or "sort of" because you will come across as uncertain. Be confident and declarative and you come across as knowing your industry, career, and sure you can do the job.
The 60 second commercial can be used whether you are looking for a job or looking for clients for your business.
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