Help on getting hired and portfolio...

[reuber1]

Well, it's my 22nd birthday today, so instead of b!tching about my current corporate employer with a bullseye for a logo, although it's fun and most times very necessary, I'll be a little bit more proactive. I'm interested to know how some of you on here got your first GD job. I hear a lot of "get a year in prepress" and all of that, but I can't even get that far. So I'm assuming I'm doing something wrong. I would love some objective info because in about a month I'll be paying back loans, and that is going to blow like hell. Before anyone berates me for being unknowledgeable, please be aware that I have a Bachelors of Science in Computer Graphics, not graphic design, although we touched on desktop publishing and such quite a bit. They just never taught us the physical printing stuff, like paper and such (I know the difference between matte and glossy...that's it). If I don't get anything soon, I will be going back to school for my Masters.

Yes, all I have been able to do so far is look up the jobs via Internet or Newspaper, fire out a graphic resume, text resume, and cover letter (they are customized, not one-size-fits-all), and cross my fingers that I get a call for an interview; I've had two interviews since graduation. Half the time I don't know who to specifically address the information to...I hear people say "research the company"; how the hell am I supposed to do that? Go on the internet and look them up? Doesn't work for me. Call them? Ask for who, is the secretary going to know what the hell I'm talking about? These aren't meant to be sarcastic questions, but one's that I honestly ask myself because I don't want to blow any chance at an interview by trying to get information but instead pissing off the people who work there. And then there's networking. I am not as social as I used to be (quality, not quantity); I have high school/college to thank for that. I've lost out on ajob at John Deere because somebody that was in my class that didn't get along with me knew someone who worked there and blasted me...I was about to get an interview but lost it. Any good and specific tips on networking would be handy; I hear people say "network, network, network", but they seem to be catering to those who were fraternity/sorority members or those who have a whole list of contacts, not to those of us who know a couple of people and were usuallytoo busy during collegeto go out drinking every weekend.

Also, I really need to know some specific info on physical portfolios. What I have now was considered acceptable by the computer graphics department head, but I know it isn't acceptable at all; it's a three ring binder I bought for $2.00and inside areprintouts on 8.5" by 11" HP Glossy Premium paper that are basically scaled down sizes of the original works (since I don't have the capacity to print to the edges of the paper)and below them is a text box of what the project is called, the programs I used, and the actual size. I don't have the actual, physical used printouts of the projects (like a full CD insert booklet that's assembled, but instead just one sheet with all of the different images printed on it in a grid fashion). Nope, just the original source file printed straight onto the PSD (I don't use Quark for this, I HATE QuarkXPress). I hear alot of people saying that this is wrong, but no one tells me what TO DO. It's always what NOT to do. But I don't really have the printing resources to actually construct some of these, like a printer that can print to the edges or the type of paper needed for some of my more conservative/non-glossy projects.

Any useful information would be appreciated.

"Oh wow man! Right beside the snack bar man!" -Tommy Chong

[Drorain]

For a portfolio I have heard many different ideas, all equally valid for what you want to do I think.

1. You could cut your own persentation boards...make em all the exact same size, and make sure you have enough border around your largest pieces to show, problem is, they are a bitch to carry around.

2. On a computer, not very professional for print material, but multimedia this is great.

3. on a CD, something to leave behind after the interview

4. Portfolio Books... like this

http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_product.cfm?classID=2210&subclassID=22101 1&brandname=Itoya&Item=98016

those ones are cheap, I'd get one better quality, but I wanted to show an example. I go with the books, make sure its minimum of this size, unless your an showing an illustrator portfolio.

Also do you have any specialties, like Ad design, illustration, multimedia, or packaging?


http://www.grivakisgraphics.com/images/img_logomark.jpg

~Everyday, All the Time, Without Fail!

[morea]

To research a company, check their website, look for articles about them online, and *definitely* check out your local library. I've been told that the librarian can direct you to important info about a company (annual report, etc).

When you contact a company, try setting up 'informational interviews' to get more info about the company. Call and ask the receptionist for the name of the Art Director / Prepress Supervisor and send them a brief letter along these lines:

'I am currently conducting a job search to find a position in either design or prepress work, and would like to gather as much information and advice as possible before applying for positions. Would you be able to take a few moments to meet with me and discuss my career plans? I would especially appreciate your opinions and advice concerning my portfolio. I am certain that your insights would be very helpful to me. I will call you this week to see if a meeting can be arranged.'

Most people are willing to help you out when you seek advice. Just remember, though, that when you get in the door with a letter like this, that is *not* the time to ask for a job. Just ask your questions (Could you describe your ideal candidate for this position? Does this job usually lead to other positions at the company? What kind of positions? What do you like best about this type of work? Can you recommend anyone else in the area I should speak to? etc...) get their business card and the next day, mail the 'interviewer' a thank you note for taking the time to help you out.

Now you've turned a 'cold call' into a 'warm call' - you know someone within the company, and because you were so courteous, you made a good impression. They've seen your work, and can recommend you if a position opens up in their company, or if they know someone else in the industry who needs to hire someone. I've been told that this scenario will work 1 out of every 12 times, as opposed to sending the old resume/cover letter package, which works 1 out of 1000 times. (Statistics aren't mine.)

Hope this helps!

You've gotta do what you've gotta do.

[Kool]

Great advice Morea.

I love children but I don't think I could eat a whole one.

[PrintDriver]

Morea's got the right idea.

Also look around for an AIGA chapter. If there is an active one around where you are that can be a good thing.

Go to some seminars and actually talk to the people taking it with you during the breaks. It's nice to talk to the instructor but they usually aren't local so may not be as helpful as the people in the class.

Go to some industry shows like Print or GraphExpo. Big crowds scare me too but the seminars again are the place to speak to people.

As for the portfolio, it depends on your field like Dro says. Be very careful of the cheap, bigass binders that don't easily fit on a person's cluttered desk. I've had to bring prospects into the shop to find a space big enough to lay one of those puppies out. And the cheap nagaplastic ones don't lay flat.

Touchy, feely stuff is good too. Some make little pockets to put brochures into so the interviewer can take them out and handle them. If you have printed stock, even better.

There are a million books on Amazon. Might be better to go to a bookstore, visit the art section and absorb some of those how to books.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

Post Edited (PrintDriver) : 9/22/2004 12:12:09 AM GMT

[reuber1]

Thanks for the link Dro...I've been trying to find sites that sell portfolios for a little less than a hundred bucks, because right now I'm damn near broke, which kinda makes it hard to join an AIGA chapter, and I think the nearest one is in Des Moines (I live about 3 1/2 hours away). Anyway, that looks handy.


I honestly couldn't tell you what my area of expertise is...in school we were given a smorgasbord of different media to work with, from web design/development, 3D modeling, 2D animation, 3D animation, video production, print, etc. because the major was called "Computer Graphics and Interactive Multimedia"; anything that any stoner/geek/other-stereotype can create with a computer is taught here. From that list I can say print is my "specialty", but I know we're lookin' for something a little more specific, but I honestly couldn't tell you. We did six projects in my desktop publishing course, which were a newspaper ad, a brandXPictures contest, a newsletter, our self portrait using text (ugh...), a business stationery and logo design project (which I feature in my portfolio), and a final project which was an entire CD package (which I also feature in my portfolio). I then "made up" other projects from other courses like my Intro to Computer Graphics where I took a collage-ish image and turned it into an magazine ad that backed up my CD project. If I had to pick one specialty, it would probably be ad design, followed by packaging. I have a degree in Internet Administration, but I'll be honest...I'm sick of web development. I hate it with a passion becauseHTML pages never look likehow I want them to,and prefer to design my sites in Flash with a minimum of Actionscript fuss.


That above paragraph in short; I am a "jack of all trades" with many different mediums but "master of none", so I don't really have a specialty from school alone, but I'm trying to make print my core area, which is why I may go back to school.


BTW, where do/did you guys print your work that was done before you got a "real" job or freelance? Right now my files are all printed on 8.5 by 11 on a consumer level HP printer that prints beautifully, albeit on standard size glossy paper. "REUBER1 WANT BIGGER!" but can't afford a bigger printer.


"Oh wow man! Right beside the snack bar man!" -Tommy Chong

[reuber1]

...did I piss somebody off?


"Oh wow man! Right beside the snack bar man!" -Tommy Chong

[Epectasis]

...did I piss somebody off?


"Oh wow man! Right beside the snack bar man!" -Tommy Chong

LOL!

i dunno my friend...

we all have our quirks about what we hate, but sometimes, you just gotta deal with it. If you wanna use flash, you GOTTA learn AS 2.0, and besides, AS is beautiful stuff!

Sounds to me though that you should focus on multimedia. Animation and such.

[balou]

Zombie thread - resurrected from the dead! Reuber was kind of newbie in this one. Just like looking at baby pictures! :D

[DesignerScott]

Hey Scotty, ( I hate being called scotty )
I was in the same boat as you for a long time, (long time) I finally struck it up working prepress and hate (loathe) it ! But it pays and will look good on the resume so for at least another month I'm gonna stick with it. Here are some more things I picked up along the interview hunt that haven't been mentioned in this thread already.
If you already have the interview, and haven't managed to learn much about the company/position -> ask for a tour, and on the tour inquire about business matters, and how long the interviewer has been at the company, make sure to inquire about who you would be answering to, and insist on meeting them.
Never nag about details like when you'd start, or how much they pay, raises etc.
All bosses like to think that their employees care about the company and not just their paycheck and to them start dates and raises happen all the time (why should your's be so special)
Interviews are like first impressions, get them to like you right away, and then when they offer you a job talk about money/benefits etc. because the more they like you the more they will offer you. If you ask right out of the gate, that's the most you will get, if anything.
Keep positive, it will all work out in the end.
(I Hope) & (Sorry for the jumbled rant / mess ; I'm drinking after a hard day)

[reuber1]

Holy shit. "Rise from your grave..."

Man, I cringe when reading old posts, I was on the verge in those Target days. Every day was a Monday. And I still get to see my old Tommy Chong signature getting bled into the post itself, so it makes me look more insane. Oh, and by the way, I still have zero printing experience. :rolleyes: Whatever though, I've got a plan to revamp my portfolio now, and hopefully it gets me rollin'.

Thanks for the advice, from one Scott to another. I will say this; when I interview in person, I am AWESOME. Most of the difficulties I have though have been getting an employer to at least have me come in for an interview to begin with. There's a local design studio that I've applied for countless times, and have received a rejection letter everytime, but lately I've noticed that they're going through designers like crazy...can you say high turnover rate? I'm not terribly confident about my portfolio though.

[reuber1]

Why do my old posts have like an inch of space before the text? I don't remember doing anything like that. :confused:

[Epectasis]

Why do my old posts have like an inch of space before the text? I don't remember doing anything like that. :confused:

well you were a n00b ;)

[Logo-Mechanix]

Way back when Roober was a noober.

[reuber1]

No, I would have remembered pressing enter before my posts. And I really wasn't that much of a newbie, that was like my fourth month.

[Drorain]

http://www.classicgaming.com/rotw/altbwizard.gif

[reuber1]

Thanks drorain. I was hoping someone would post that.