This entry's for all the talented folks I met at Chicago's CONNECT Graphic Design Conference, over there at the Merchandise Mart. (holla!) It was a humbling and inspiring moment, when I got to feast my eyes on all that amazing design goodness. Your books were great and you guys shined in your own personal styles and positive energy, and it was really exciting to see. I had a great time chatting with you during the portfolio review and after the event, and I hope whatever I said was helpful.
Here's a few more tips to help you guys on your way:
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. THEN GO GET IT. Before you know it, you're gonna get your first shot out there, and it could go 1 of 2 ways:
1. You landed your dream job right out of the gate and the world is perfect, the end. God bless you.
2. Other times, you're that other creative that landed the "stepping-stone" gig. Ok that's cool, you're gonna do this until you can get your dream thing going. It's money/stability/health benefits/portfolio building/hiring, all that good stuff. Oh, you want to eventually get into fashion? Do you know what that industry's really about? Or anything about textiles? Are you even working at the right type of job to get anywhere in fashion? I know it's gonna be tough to navigate the industry mazes before you've left the gate, but be alert and be as creative and tenacious as possible, and you're gravy. Think about what you REALLY want. Base your decisions on that, and find a way to get there. Trust me, it'll happen. Why? Because the world needs your creativity, and you wanna give it, and everybody wins.
NETWORK YOUR ASS OFF. I know, I hate hearing it too, but unfortunately, it's the truth. The good news is, there's lots of pretty interesting people doing lots of cool stuff out there. But don't be lame about it. Don't go and meet people with the mentality of "What can YOU do for ME?" Just be genuine, and if you happen to have professional interests that jive, find out how you can get a piece of that action, creatively speaking. This can happen over the internet, with design and typography blogs, or at Pumpkin Escobar's fight club party on the east side. Whatever you do, the goal is to put yourself out there.
STAND OUT. It's a competitive market so you got 2 priority missions:
A. Find out what makes you unique and own it. You have the tough jobs of standing out in a hi unemployment crowd, so capitalize on what makes you unique to help you. You like painting water color sea horses? There's a market for that.
B. Set a course. Find the avenues that best suit your mad skillz and make your presence known. It's all on how you market yourself. You're the service provider. What services are you offering?
STAFFING AGENCIES ARE YOUR FRIEND. I've got a list of creative rep agencies in Chicago that've helped me find work. Actually, most of my long-term jobs were gotten by using staffing firms. Here's a few links to the big ones:
• Aquent
• BuzzCo
Registering with these agencies is a bit labor intensive, but it doesn't cost you anything but your time and is a great way to get on the radar, as well as monitor employment activity and who's looking for what. They're great if you're trying to get into ADVERTISING, MARKETING, and CORPORATE fields of interest. And after you're done registering to all these rep agencies, get to know your rep because they can be great resources for anything from gainful employment to getting your big break.
MARKETING TACTICS. Be clear and concise with the information you share with prospective employers. I used to design for a credit card company. You know the junk mail you get, but throw out almost immediately? I did those. And some of you will too. Those types of collateral pieces are designed to grab your attention in the first second you see it. Apply the same idea to your resume. Employers have a stack of applicants to look at, so make it so they can access your info quickly and efficiently.
1. Resumes: Best to keep it ONE page. List just important facts: skills, education, relevant professional experience. (If you're going to list an achievements section, limit it to one or two instances. You can speak more to your personal accomplishements at interviews or on web site bios.) Keep the design clean and functional. Nothing fancy.
2. Cover letters: This is your opportunity to to stand out. Your personality is part of your package, so this is where your uniqueness shows. Also a good place to interject personal facts, like personal interests and history. Keep it brief, but interesting. Some employers might enjoy reading a 3 page novel about why you rock, but most of your stuff gets routed to an HR department, and they usually don't like to read anything past 3 paragraphs.
3. Web sites: If you're trying to promote yourself, get or make a portfolio site.
Portfolio Site Tips
a. Easy and memorable. Little or no flash.
b. Make sure it's simple to navigate and easy to find your WORK and CONTACT. (Optional sections are BIO, BLOG, SKETCHES, SHOP, etc.)
c. Organize your portfolio site accordingly to the market you're pursuing. ie- If you're trying to get into publishing, best to show the magazine samples as your first link.
d. Site should have at least 12 images. Show consistency of style and quality. Only show your best.
4. Business cards, mailers, postcards, anything you can leave behind to help employers remember you is highly recommended. I know that printing involves costs, but there are lots of print vendors out there that aren't too pricey. Whenever I need my self promotional materials printed I use these guys:
https://www.colorimages.com They're so affordable, they do great work, and they print off great stock for criminally low prices.
FOR ILLUSTRATORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, & OTHER FINE ARTISTS: This road is less straight forward, but there's still plenty of opportunities that can lead to long-term projects and full-time work. My favorite part about being an illustrator is that I get pulled into so many creative fields. One day, I'm drawing for NFL Flash games, the next I'm doing character designs for an ad agency that caters to pharmaceutical clients, tomorrow I might be creating more sketch cards for TOPPS, you just never know what you'll get. Networking is especially key for the independent creative, not only to help find work but also to help direct you on your path to finding your specialty. To help guide you along your way, check out some of these sites below. When I worked as an art director, I used to hire artists off 'em, (and have also been hired off of 'em,) so I know they work for realz:
These are just a few in the roladex. Art reps like Kate Larkworthy and Anna Goodson are tough to land, as they are very selective about who they choose to represent, but the art houses like Theispot and Altpick are relatively affordable, and will host anyone who's willing to pay.
Upside: Art directors from all around the globe are seeing your stuff • Downside: It's not free.
As you probably know, there are also free sites to make your presence known to employers like Coroflot, Illustrationmundo, and even Monster and Craigslist, that are great for exposure. (I've actually gotten commission offers from Coroflot so it's important not to underestimate sites like this.) My point is, there are a lot of roads to take, choose the ones that work best for you.
RESOURCES FOR CREATIVES: If you're gonna go the freelance route, arm yourself with a level head, tight studio practices, and business knowledge. Whenever I have questions regarding contracts, or copyright laws I need to research, or how to price out a job, I like to turn to things like The Pricing and Ethical Guidelines Handbook. It's the most helpful book evar.
And if y'all find you need legal assistance, check out the Lawyers for Creative Arts and see if those cats can help you out. You might not have need of their services now, but one day you, or someone you know might, so it's good to have this info in your back pocket.
Apologies if this got too preachy but hopefully, this info is helpful in pointing some of you guys in the right direction. Feel free to pass this blog entry on to your fellow peers if you think it would help them out too. You all have a lot of work ahead of you, but remember, it's not just about finding a job and getting a paycheck. Yes, pretty soon you're gonna be marketing machines for some lucky company out there, but as creatives you've got a bigger purpose. Not to get all cheesy, but you're gonna be responsible for communicating the world's cultural shifts, and contribute to the ingenuity of the future. Us artists, we change the world.
It's nutty out there so help each other out, create something great, and be the most Badass Creative Mofo you can be. Good luck and if anyone has any other questions, you know where to find me.
~
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