This past Tuesday night was jam-packed with invaluable career guidance thanks to Maria Scileppi, former Director of Chicago Portfolio School and professional networking extraordinaire. Through a Dabble class called How to Get Your Dream Job, Maria provided an array of tips and insight on how to stand out from the candidate crowd and make positive impressions from the moment they count.

While we don’t want to give away too much from her presentation, here are just a few key ideas we left with and will stick with us.

You Make Your Own Opportunities.
While it’s easy to call yourself unlucky, it could be because you’re not recognizing – and therefore not taking advantage – of the opportunities right under your nose. At a networking or social event, instead of whipping out your smart phone the moment you’re alone or feel uncomfortable, open yourself up to meeting new people. Smile, make eye contact with others and show you’re approachable through your body language. You never know who you could meet next and what that could bring.

The same thing goes for your job search: don’t wait for permission to apply. If you know a company you would love to work for, let them know even if they haven’t posted a specific job that fits your background. Companies often don’t publish all their openings and even if they don’t have the right position for you now, that doesn’t mean they won’t in two months. Plus, if they really like you, they might even create a job to keep you onboard.

The Job Search is a Bit like Dating.
Knowing where you want to work is a lot like knowing who you want to date. You want to date someone who only wants to date you back because he or she realizes how special you are. And no matter how badly you would like a new job (or significant other, for that matter), don’t settle on whatever comes your way first or else it won’t be the right match for either party in the long run.

So imagine your cover letter or email a bit like your online dating profile – after you read it, ask yourself would I want to meet me? Do I seem interesting? And if it sounds like a generic one-size-fits-all message, then you need to go back and edit it to so the employer knows you’re specifically seeking them out.

Put as Much of Your Personality in Your Application as You Can.
You might have excellent experience and all the right software knowledge, but at the end of the day employers who have two very competitive candidates before them are going to choose the person they like more. It’s your personality that really makes you unique, and blending into the pack won’t get you the job.

As she points out, there is a plethora of different avenues to showcase who are you, one of the greatest ones being your own website. It goes without saying that if you are a creative professional like a graphic designer, interactive art director or copywriter in 2012, you should have an online portfolio because it’s become an industry expectation. But if you’re in a field where having your own personal website is not common, even better for standing out! This is the space to personally brand yourself and make a strong impression even before meeting a potential employer.

This is just a preview of the great information Maria has to share, so if you are interested in learning more from her be sure to sign up for her next Dabble course on Wednesday, April 4^th here.

Last night, we visited AIGA Chicago’s Small Talk to hear a fascinating presentation by Michael Renaud, the Art Director of Pitchfork, one of the world’s most respected online music publications.  In addition to his in-person charm and modesty, a quick look at his body of work reveals Renaud’s abundant talent and creative vision. Over the course of the evening, he went through the design evolution of Pitchfork’s website and revealed how his visual leadership has distinctly shaped the company’s image and brand over the past year.

Renaud is currently responsible for all original design and artwork for Pitchfork – a true one-man show – which is pretty incredible considering this includes logos, editorial design, website modules, merchandise and more. He attributes his ability to remain prolific to the philosophy that “fewer cooks in the kitchen” is better. When asked if it’s difficult not having other designers to bounce ideas off of or get feedback from, he says he still trusts the aesthetic judgment of the intimate Pitchfork staff and is inspired by them everyday.

Despite coming from a print background and admitting to resisting the web for a while, Renaud clearly understands the importance of positive user experience. This is one reason why instead of having distracting banner ads or pop-ups on their website, Pitchfork often relies on things like contests and sponsored microsites from big names like American Express and Norelco. This allows visitors to focus on what they came to the site for in the first place: music news, reviews and culture.

His favorite part of the job? The annual Chicago music festival itself. It was absorbing to hear what goes into planning the actual event from a visual branding perspective, and how Renaud translated it to a French market for Pitchfork’s first festival in Paris last summer.  It’s safe to say we are incredibly jealous of Renaud’s career; however, the combination of skill and passion required to succeed at a job like that is not easy to replicate. We look forward to seeing what direction Pitchfork goes in next, a digital space that beautifully marries the worlds of design and music for readers to hear, see and most of all feel.

Artisan is a proud sponsor of AIGA’s Chicago chapter.

 We have a lot of exciting opportunities in store with AIGA this year, and here are a few upcoming events we want to get on your radar:

New Member Mixer
Thursday, January 26, 6pm – 8:30pm
Old Town Social
FREE

Winter Portfolio Review
Wednesday, February 1, 6pm – 9:30pm
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Student: $10

Small Talk I – Pitchfork
Tuesday, February 7, 6:30pm
Rational Park, Chicago
Member: $20
Non-Members: $40
Student: $10

We’re sure to be there so please don’t hesitate to come up and introduce yourselves! We look forward to meeting you and partnering with such a great organization.

]]> http://www.artisantalent.com/blog/post/artisan-proud-sponsor-of-aiga-chicago.aspx/feed 0 http://www.artisantalent.com/blog/post/join-us-for-upcoming-events-in-indianapolis.aspx http://www.artisantalent.com/blog/post/join-us-for-upcoming-events-in-indianapolis.aspx#comments Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:01:09 +0000 Julia Shiplett http://www.artisantalent.com/blog/?p=105044 Hey Indy Talent and Creatives, we’re proudly sponsoring some very cool events coming up that we want you to be apart of! Check out the information below and make sure you say hi to Artisan once you’re there – we’d love to meet you. And remember to register for these asap before tickets sell out.

Using Digital to Build the Brand
Thursday, Nov. 17
11 am - 1 pm

Learn how digital advertising fits in today’s marketing landscape presented by Shawn Riegsecker, President of digital media firm Centro. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone looking to incorporate online media or social marketing into their business strategy or just learn more about what the digital space can mean for companies.

AIGA Studio Tour – Publicis
Tuesday, Nov. 29
6 - 8 pm

Continuing their Studio Tour series, AIGA Indy invites you to a rare peek inside Publicis Indianapolis, a premier global agency. Take away some new insight and connect with other creative professionals at an event that is sure to be both fun and inspiring.

Here are highlights and key points we took away from the eye-opening experience:

• Women have incredible consumer power. Not only are there countless industries targeting females, but they often buy for every other market. One way for brands to successfully reach them while increasing visibility is pairing up with a cause or a different brand for twice the community. Two interesting case studies mentioned include Sear’s Kenmore Baking for the Troops program and Bluefly’s team-up with popular television show “Project Runway.”
• Campaigns work in mysterious ways. As the Museum of Science and Industry will testify, brands cannot always predict how a campaign will take off. After announcing their Month at the Museum competition in a local press release, they quickly received thousands of applications from every corner of the world. The response was overwhelming but also incredibly exciting – not only did they see a major increase in museum visits and web traffic, but they also found long-lasting qualitative effects, like kids becoming more interested in science. Using something like an event, competition or experiment can be an entry point of interest that brings focus back to your business.
• Tell a story. When companies allow for two-way communication with customers, it increases their brand’s authenticity by empowering consumers. Jockey proved this when they invited user-generated content interaction by asking people to submit videos of themselves dancing in their underwear. Obviously, something like this doesn’t work for everyone, but it demonstrates how a campaign can transcend a product or service and shift the focus to what really matters: human connections.
• Be quiet and listen: Social media managers feel pressure to pump out interesting, well-timed content everyday, but another key part of their job is listening to what others online are saying. This kind of quiet monitoring helps businesses gain insight about who their followers are and what they’re talking about and measure up against competitors. It’s also important to identify your advocates along with your detractors. A few valuable monitoring tools mentioned were Radian6, Brandwatch and Sysomos.
• Nothing beats face-to-face time. It’s a little surreal to attend a live event based on online experiences and realize everyone around you is simultaneously tweeting, blogging, checking in or updating their status. To demonstrate how strong the connection between people and their mobile devices is, Panelist Heidi Skinner of Critical Mass made us hand over our cell phones to a stranger – and half the audience looked about ready to cry. Yet at the end of the day there’s nothing like old-fashioned direct contact, which is why Katy Lynch of SocialKaty carves out a few hours of her workday to visit her clients in person.

Social media has proven itself a wonderful and transformative tool for businesses and individuals alike, but the truth is it could never exist without people’s fundamental need to communicate, connect and express themselves. Luckily for all of us, neither of these things is going anywhere anytime soon.

“I’m sorry, but we’re looking for someone with a little more experience” is a common phrase for recent college graduates and 20-somethings to hear these days. And while job opportunities for young adults look like they are on the rise – according to survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, nearly 20 percent more graduates will be hired this year than last – the lingering effects of the recession are still clearly evident.

As this generation becomes more educated with greater numbers of people entering college, reverse ageism is an unfortunate reality in today’s workplace. The conundrum of how am I supposed to build my experience and portfolio if no one will hire me? is both familiar and frustrating. However, there are things to keep in mind as a young adult looking for creative freelance work or a fulltime job that can help you in your search while keeping you sane.

Translate Your Experience

On both your resume and during actual interviews, remember to translate your past experience into your future capabilities related to the position at hand. Tailor your applications to specific companies and industries – it shows when you send out one generic resume to every job. For example, try to relate how your experience as a graphic designer at the college newspaper taught you to work with teams on deadline and align with the voice of an organization.

Some employees will only consider candidates with a certain number of years of professional experience – that’s a fact you must accept. But if you are persistent enough to get them to give you a moment of their time, here is your opportunity to prove your enthusiasm and dedication to the role. Don’t sell yourself short; if you want others to see you as a professional, make sure you do the same.

Utilize Your Resources and Contacts

Even if most of your experience comes from volunteer work or internships, this is a wealth of professional value to take advantage of. Make sure to stay in touch with colleagues and team members because it’s likely they are pursuing related career paths or industries and may want to connect with you in the future. Also, job fairs and networking events hosted by your university can be a great way to meet future employers or recruiters looking for young talent. And don’t hesitate to turn to family and friends for job leads – the people closest in your life are the ones who want you to succeed the most.

Practice Makes Perfect

If you’re getting feedback on your portfolio that suggests your skills or level of expertise is not at the level for the kinds of employment opportunities you want, dedicate time and effort to hone your craft. Take advantage of courses on specific software and attend local meetups to hear from industry insiders, whether it be about mobile design or best practices in SEO. Find a niche and style that suits you and create a name for yourself within it. Some employees are more interested in your level of expertise in a certain area than simply the number of years on your resume.

Be Patient

This is perhaps the most difficult suggestion to follow as young people are understandably restless to begin a prolific career. But stay calm – your hard work will eventually pay off, and in the meantime try to explore what you really want out of a profession. Assess your strengths and weakness; market yourself effectively and consistently; and keep a positive outlook on your future. Remember the timeless sayings “Good things come to those who wait” and “Carpe diem,” then find your balance in between.

Keynote speaker Liz Danzico, a top design consultant, educator and co-founder of the MFA in Interaction Design Program at the School of Visual Arts, explains the fascinating way communication has evolved over the past centuries. Whether it’s writing in the margins of books or commenting on a friend’s Facebook status, people have always felt the need to express themselves and share it with others. Learn more about Liz’s work at bobulate.com.

Our talent Ezekiel Binion was the lucky recipient of Creative Suite 5.5.

Former AIGA President Marcia Lausen is celebrated for her long-time achievements within the design community, including leading the election design initiative of AIGA Design for Democracy. Learn more about Marcia’s work at Studio/lab.

Our very own Kristin Rupert introduces Artisan to the crowd.

We at Artisan feel very fortunate to do what we love with passionate people every day. That’s why we value opportunities to give back to organizations that improve the world we live in and proudly represent talent that share this sentiment.

As the brainchild of Designer Atom Groom, Our Digital Gift has evolved into an annual collaborative donation that grants a worthy not-for-profit organization in Chicago or Northwest Indiana with professional design and development services. Although often the most deserving of marketing efforts to raise awareness and leverage opportunities, non-profit organizations usually do not have the means for investment. However, we are pleased to announce this year’s grant recipient is Working Bikes, a cooperative that restores used and discarded bicycles to be sold and donated locally in order to raise money for international distribution.

Our very own Talent Representative Suzanne Shannon has actively volunteered with Working Bikes for a number of years now to help provide transportation to people from Guatemala all the way to Ghana. Atom and his team were inspired by the organization’s humble resources and big commitment – out of a small storefront on Western Avenue, Working Bikes makes a global impact by shipping bikes to second and third-world countries so others can become independently mobile. This can make the difference between having a job and providing food and clean water for your family.

As a tribute to their hard work, Our Digital Gift will be providing professional identity package such as a new logo, business cards and letterhead in addition to a new website with valuable content management tools installed. Written content and a social media presence will also empower Working Bikes by leveraging a stronger platform for communication and participation.

As Atom put it, if his team can offer Working Bikes more recognition to continue their work, then the organization can provide even more bicycles in more countries. “If that doesn’t make your neck tingle and your heart glow, I don’t know what would.… Just knowing in our hearts and minds that we are making a difference through our talents in this world is amazing.”

If you would like to learn more about opportunities with Working Bikes, please check here for volunteer and donation opportunities.

If you would like to contribute your design and/or development skills to Our Digital Gift, please check here for ways to get involved.

As a country famous for its rich appreciation of art and design, it only makes sense that the global creative community has reached out to Japan during this time of tragedy. Countless artists and creative outlets around the world have put their talent to positive use over the past week and a half to raise money, resources and awareness. The beautiful simplicity of the Japanese flag has proved to be a wonderful source of inspiration.

Below is a sample of the relief efforts you too can contribute to while supporting fellow creatives showcase their work. While some have recently sold out, check their websites at a later time to see if more have become available. If you know of others you would like to raise awareness about, please leave a comment.

Zac Neulieb

Linda Nakanishi

Max Erdenberger, W+K Studio

One of many T-shirt designs submitted to Threadless

Rob Dobi

James White, Signalnoise

Graphic designers should enjoy a stronger market in 2011 with new job opportunities. Hiring managers and outsourcing professionals plan to increase job opportunities and project volume in the coming year. Experts project growth of 13 percent, as advertisers and computer design firms see fairly strong demand. Freelancers and graphic design for hire professionals should find quality work.

Freelance graphic artists with web designer qualifications and/or animation experience should enjoy even wider job opportunities. Experienced employment professionals, like Artisan, will be plugged into a wide variety of clients seeking creative freelance graphic designers in 2011.

Interactive media needs for smartphones, websites and touch screen hardware indicate increases in Internet advertising and other emerging technologies will create more new artisan jobs. There will, however, be strong competition for these freelance opportunities.

Graphic design for hire pros should accept this reality and prepare to polish up their resumes and portfolios. As always, nothing of real value is easily acquired or achieved. Some of this enhanced competition may come from reduced demand for full-time or freelance graphic artists in the print publishing industry.

The strong growth in Internet and other electronic needs, however, should still project growth in the graphic design job market. But without superior growth projections, talented professionals should enhance their professional network, consider experienced search firm experts in the artisan online jobs market and increase their own personal marketing efforts.

For example, you may have high level graphic design, desktop and electronic publishing skills, and an otherwise impressive portfolio in certain industries. Consider examining new industries or acquiring other complementary skills, like photography, animation, and business operations techniques. These value-added skills make you more attractive to those seeking to hire graphic designer candidates.

This should be a perfect time for graphic designers to grow professionally and personally. Compared to the last few years, the job opportunities should be stronger and more challenging. This expansion will offer more options for more graphic designers to select the jobs and projects they want. Remember, Artisan will be there as an important resource for you.