Food For Thought

Preparing For Your Next Web Design Job

Preparing for your next big step in your career can be exciting, but for some it can be a headache and an overwhelming experience. In this day and age especially in our industry, a resume and most importantly your portfolio really does get you in the door in landing a job. A resume and portfolio may seem like a simple task, but many fail at this step, and I would like to go over a few points that may help some of you getting over this hurdle.

The Cover Letter

Always include a cover letter and personalize it to the company. You have to first show that you were interested enough to tailor the message for the company. Nothing is worse than looking like you mass emailed a bunch of companies with the same cover letter.

The Resume
The Fundamentals and Guideline

Your resume is the first step in establishing your identity as an educated, skilled, and experienced designer, and this is ideally your first marketing strategy to get your self noticed in the big pool of candidates. Your resume establishes what you have accomplished, and most importantly what you are capable of doing and why you are the best candidate for the position.

Resume General Guideline

1. Overall Appearance
   • Clean and straight to the point
   • Easy to read and inviting?
   • Check typos and correct information?
   • Is it all in one page? (No one wants to read a 3-5 page resume! Keep it direct and simple.)
2. Contact Information
   • At the top and easy to find?
   • Include: Name, Address, Phone #, E-mail, and Portfolio Link (sounds silly but I have seen some resume’s without an email address)
3. Objective
   • Type and level of position sought
4. Education and Work Experience
   • Remember to only add what’s relevant to your potential position. (If you want the design position, we don’t need to know you worked at the grocery store 4 years ago.)
   • Again, straight to the point and be direct on your task, your accomplishments, and skills. List all major accomplishments!
   • Include the time frame for each job/school, and what your position and tasks were.
   • Don’t forget to add links to websites you have worked on and your tasks on each.
5. Skill Set
   • Make a direct list of what you know (anything from software, programs, languages, etc).

The Portfolio
If you are a designer, you MUST have one!

When going through the dozens of resumes each day to seek out that perfect candidate, after I sense that the candidate can appropriately prepare his resume, I look for his/her portfolio. I’m not sure how many designer resume’s I have come by that did not include any of their work and did not have a portfolio of their own. As a designer in this fast paced web industry, how can you possibly prove your skill and experience without a portfolio? If you don’t have one yet, please take the time to make one! I believe this is ultimately what will let you shine and stand out from the others. Show and prove!

Online Portfolio General Guideline

1. Overall Appearance
   • Clean and usable
   • Typos and correct information?
2. Contact Information
   • Is it available and easy to find?
3. Priority in Presenting Your Work
   • Be sure your best work is presented first, try to think from the user’s perspective and present your work in the order you want them to see it in.
4. Content
   • Be sure all links are checked and working properly. There is nothing worse than going to a candidate’s website that is faulty.
   • Be specific on what you have done for each work piece, and be sure to link to the working site.
   • Take time on getting decent screen shots and making your work presentable. Present the work as aesthetically pleasing and inviting as you can.

Here is a good article by SmashingMagazine.com on Portfolio do’s and don’ts. Be sure to read up on it.

Some Examples of Good Portfolio’s

The Interview

Before the Interview

1. Follow directions given from your potential company. If they have asked for something specific, make sure you follow it through exactly. Some people fail just simply because they don’t read!
2. Have at least 2 copies of the resume (I would bring 3 just in case).
3. Bring necessary materials (Pens, something to write on, business cards if you have one, etc)
4. Have your portfolio in hand.  In some cases, the office you will be interviewed at will not have internet connection or may have computer issues. Just in case, it’s wise to bring a hard copy and print outs of your work.
5. Have a general idea of your plan of attack. Don’t walk in and let them overwhelm you with questions, try to plan your interview so you will be the one guiding them through your work and proving your worth. A quick sketch and guideline of what you plan on talking about will always be helpful. Do some research on your position, kinds of questions that may be asked, and also study up on your potential job’s market and industry.
6. Dress to Impress! Don’t look like you just rolled out of bed. Make sure you are presentable for the occasion and the industry.
7. Be on time, and map out the location of the place of interview. Always plan on being there 15-20 minutes earlier, and always expect some sort of delays just in case. Don’t leave in a hurry, give yourself enough time.
8. Turn off your phone. Please…
9. Before leaving home, double check this list!

After the Interview

1. Follow up with a Thank You Email
2. Wait about a week for a response; it may take longer depending on the company and how many applicants they are going through. Don’t be pushy, but be prompt on a follow up of your position either by phone or email. You want to politely remind them that you are still very interested!
3. If all fails, you’re not a failure, maybe just not fit for the right company at the right time. Don’t give up, keep on trying and learn from your interview experiences. The good thing is, now you are prepared and have the right materials in hand. It’s just a matter of time until you find the perfect place for you. Good luck!

Conclusion

As you can see, preparing your resume and portfolio is very time consuming and it takes a lot of effort. This is your chance to make your self shine from the others! The more prepared you are at your interview, the better chance you will have in getting that job and possibly a higher pay then asked for. Don’t rush through your resume and portfolio, take your time and let your hard work speak for itself. If you have any comments or feedback, or something to add to these lists, please don’t hesitate to let me know.