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Posts Tagged ‘advice’
Web Content Writing
12/10/2009 10:19 AM By ArtisanWeb content is a growing sector of the copywriting field. Businesses are finding that it's not enough to simply have a Web site — their site needs to be clear and engaging, while also attracting search-engine traffic.
Businesses are also putting more products and services online, each needing appealing descriptions and information that encourages customers to buy.
All of these require skilled web content writers who can persuade and inform while also bearing in mind the special requirements of web usability and the techniques of search engine optimization (SEO).
How Much Should I Stay In Touch During a Project?
12/5/2009 1:00 PM By Catherine TWhen working on a project, particularly off-site, you're often faced with the question of how much communication to have with your supervisor. It's best to clarify expectations at the beginning by asking something like "Whom should I call if I have questions?" Some supervisors will volunteer to check in regularly, and will want updates on your progress. Others may say something like, "Yes, but I think we've given you all the information you'll need," indicating that they'd prefer that you not bother them until you're done. Even this sort of supervisor would prefer that you ask questions or bring up concerns rather than deliver a product that doesn't meet the organization's needs. Be smart and respectful when asking questions — use e-mail if it isn't urgent, save up questions so you can get more than one answered at once, and use your knowledge of the project and the field to see if you can figure out the answer on your own.
What Should I Think About for a Home Office?
11/22/2009 1:18 PM By Catherine TThere are significant tax rules that affect home offices, but before you get into that, it's important to create a home office where you can work effectively. That means minimizing distractions (including finding child care for at least some of your working hours) and giving yourself the freedom to separate work from home, so that you can renew yourself in your "down time" without worrying about work and concentrate on your work without worrying about unwashed dishes. Other considerations: Be sure the space can be comfortably heated and cooled, and invest in the proper furniture that allows you to work in a healthy position. A good pair of noise-canceling headphones may be a wise investment as well. Finally, a quick summary of the tax rules: A home office should be your regular and exclusive place of work. That means you can't claim the deduction if you mostly work at client sites. If your home office meets this criterion, you can deduct a portion of your rent or mortgage payments as a business expense.
Winning Jobs Without an Interview
11/22/2009 10:40 AM By Catherine TYou've got a sharp suit, a fabulous business card, and a lovely gold pen — all of which are doing you no good at all when applying for freelance jobs at online job-brokering sites. These kinds of job boards require a different strategy for selling yourself.
Your key selling tool is the online profile you create at the job-brokering site. This may include a link to your website with your portfolio, but should also include well-written text emphasizing your freelance experience, software you use, any special areas of expertise, and details of the benefits you can offer a client.
If words aren't your strong point, you may want to hire or barter with a writer friend to craft this profile, employing keywords to help make you more "findable" and emphasizing your top selling points.
While the bidding nature of many freelance sites creates an impression of work going to the person who quotes the lowest rate, this may not necessarily be the case. If your profile and bid can sell the client on the value of your work, you may get the job without having to underbid anyone else.
Watch out for scam "clients," and seek out those who are willing to put all or part of the fee in escrow with the site proprietors to be sure you actually get paid. Also pay attention to whether or not other freelancers have left feedback for this client.
Finally, read up on the bidding site's fee structure before you put in a bid. Some charge per bid; others ask for a monthly fee or a percentage of your revenue.
The Easy-to-Use, Modular Portfolio
10/19/2009 10:37 AM By Catherine TYour portfolio should, above all, be easy to read. Prospective employers are unlikely to put a CD-ROM into their computer to peruse your work, or sit through a Flash presentation on your fabulous branding work so they can get to the advertising stuff they want to know.
Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) provides a way to easily compile a portfolio for publication to the Web or for printing or e-mailing. You may wish to have a standard portfolio ready to go and substitute a few pages here and there to tailor the portfolio to the job.
The best portfolio format for an in-person interview is good old-fashioned paper. Print your PDF on a nice stock in a standard size. Edit your "book" for each interview, bringing no more than 10 or 12 examples and targeting them directly to the job at hand.
Describe Your Usability Job in Detail to Have More Meaningful Interviews
10/8/2009 10:50 AM By Catherine THiring usability specialists is much easier when you explicitly define the usability job you want completed. For example, if you want an expert interface design to improve your revenue and usability at your computer software website, you may not want a usability professional with high level experience with retail clothing site expertise.
By specifically and explicitly defining the result you desire, you should attract the professionals that employ user Interface Design principles that directly relate to your company and project purpose. Interviewing professionals who know exactly what you want to achieve eliminates explanation time and general questions and answers at interviews.
This approach maximizes interview time concentrated on specific goal achievement and the candidates’ ability to do the job you want. Small talk and generalizations should be unnecessary. Your valuable time at interviews will be allocated to targeted questions and answers relating to the job at hand to determine the best usability consultant that can help you reach your objectives. Is that not the most important consideration for you?
The time you spend fully describing the job you want done delivers another benefit to you. Forced to define the exact result you want, you improve your focus and understanding of the usability job you need completed. You’ll save time, money, and aggravation by hiring usability specialists that are harmonious with your wishes.
Research the Client
9/22/2009 10:39 AM By Catherine TYou will do better in any interview when you know more about the client and the job being offered. Before the interview, do the following research:
- Check out the client's Web site and learn all you can about their structure, goals, current projects, and product line.
- Ask people in your network if they know anything about this client. If you run across someone who's worked there in the past, you can ask about personalities and office culture.
- Get as many specifics as you can about the job being offered, and tailor your resume and portfolio to match their needs as closely as possible. If you're a little rusty on some of the necessary skills, now is the time for a quick refresher!
- Do a dry run of the trip to the client's office so you know how much time it will take and you won't have to add to your interview nerves by getting tense about being lost.
Some Interface Designer Job Search Tips
9/10/2009 11:12 AM By Catherine TMost of the useful Interface Designer job search tips are those that apply to other effective and successful IT careers. There are some tips that specifically apply to user-centered design jobs, however.
• Create a winning, professional resume. Remember, a resume cannot get you design jobs. However, a superior resume will get you noticed by those hiring Interface Designers.
• Market yourself effectively. Even if you are the world’s top expert in User Interface Design, should clients and employers not know of your existence and availability, you’ll seldom be a candidate for better jobs for User Interface Designers.
• Construct a superior portfolio. Excellent interface design involves successfully integrating striking aesthetics with thoughtful information organization and easy retrieval. Display your portfolio of successful work in a way that exhibits your expertise with interaction design.
• Use the best staffing agencies for User Interface Designers, like Artisan, to build your portfolio and your income. They offer the best graphic design jobs and also valuable Interface Designer job search tips.
Until clients are bothering you on a daily basis to accept excellent jobs for User Interface Designers, market yourself relentlessly and use all credible sources to see the best online jobs.
Secrets of Great Copywriting
9/10/2009 10:18 AM By Catherine TSo you're ready to delve into the exciting world of copywriting, but you aren't quite sure where to begin. Here are some hints to get you started on your first copywriting assignment:
- Start by determining the key selling points for your product or service, and the target market you wish to reach.
- Use design devices such as headlines, subheads, photo captions and drop caps to highlight your main points.
- Focus on benefits to the reader — not "this product has a handle" but "easy to carry."
- Identify with your target audience in your copy, mentioning "fathers" or "concerned citizens" or whatever group you seek to attract.
- Read your junk mail, pick up free brochures, and browse the ads in your newspaper. Notice what works and what doesn't.
- Use testimonials — they're a powerful marketing tool.
- Make it easy for a prospect to order once the sale is made. Include contact information or an order form at the end of a letter.
