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Posts Tagged ‘job advice’
Top Four Resume Myths to Remember in 2012
4/6/2012 1:04 PM By Artisan
Ask any professional job interviewer and they’ll tell you: what the world really needs is a new breed of job hunter who ditches traditionally accepted methods of resume writing in favor of approaches that actually match today’s hiring practices. This isn’t to say that the resume is dead. It just serves to point out that many freelance job seekers are pursuing outdated methods through their resumes that could actually be hurting their chances at finding work. To help underline some important freelance resume writing tips, we give you the top four most persistent myths about resume presentation.
Myth #1: A Strong Resume Requires an Objective
Correction: A strong resume requires a strong objective. The objective is actually an outdated concept. The vast majority of them are seen as bland, generic and a waste of precious resume space. If this comes as a blow to you because you just spent a day working out a poetic objective statement, our apologies. Your best bet is to write a short, punchy sentence about what you bring to the professional table or scrap it all together.
Myth #2: References Should be Included
Contemporary freelance resume writing tips suggest that you should leave your references off your resume and replace them with a statement that says something like, “References available upon request.” This tells the person reviewing your resume that you can back up your assertions and that you’re able to provide references if they’re interested in them. Enough said.
Myth #3: It’s Okay to Use the Same Resume for Different Jobs
If you’re a freelancer working in a niche field, you can get away with using a single resume for most job prospects because they’re probably similar. But taking a one-size-fits-all approach will only help to get you looked over. You don’t have to create a new resume for every freelance job you apply for, but it’s always smart to cater that resume to fit the wants and expectations of individual employers. This will maximize your chances of landing that golden freelance gig.
Myth #4: Limit Your Resume to a Single Page
This is one of the oldest resume tips around, and for good reason. If a hiring company is sifting through 2,000 resumes, they’re going to want to breeze through to save time. Who wants to suffer through a five-page resume? The thing is, some people’s work experience is so extensive that by trying to cram it all onto a single page, they have to leave valuable information out. If you can get it to fit without sacrificing important details, the one-pager is a good idea. If not, don’t be shy about presenting a two-page resume but you should at least be at an associate-level at this point.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
How to Keep Your Head Above Water as a Marketing Account Manager
4/4/2012 3:02 PM By ArtisanNot all marketing professionals are responsible for coming up with killer campaigns. There are many different types of marketing careers, each one as important as the next to ensure ultimate client satisfaction. One of these jobs is the marketing account manager, the liaison between creative advertising professionals and clients. These individuals are often the face of the agency and as such, they bear the brunt of the workload and the stress that accompanies it. If you’re seeking work as an account manager, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to earn a living in the freelance world. Here are a few tips on keeping your head above water and exceeding the expectations of your employers and clients.
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Become a wealth of information. As a part of your job, you’ll be required to stay up to date on developing marketing trends, all the better to communicate evolving marketing concepts to your clients. This often involves doing extensive research in your off-time.
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Educate yourself on your clients. Not only is it prudent to stay abreast of developing trends in the marketing world, but it’s also critical that you become an expert on the client you’re representing. It’s not enough to know what they want in their current ad campaign – you have to be able to know what they’ve attempted in the past, how it worked, and what mistakes were made that could be improved on.
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Know how to ask questions. A big part of being an account manager or account executive is to be the conduit through which all communication passes from your client to the creative marketing professionals and vice versa. If you know how to ask pertinent, probing questions, you’ll be better equipped to understand precisely what it is the client is looking for when they’re unable to express those ideas in words, thus creating a better delivery in the end.
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Manage your time well. The key to being able to juggle more than one client account at a time is being able to make ensure time doesn’t get away from you and that tasks are accomplished on time and in strict accordance with deadline needs. If you’re not a good manager of your time, it’s “time” you became one.
Freelance marketing professionals frequently move from one job assignment to another, working for a variety of different companies. The benefit to this approach is in being able to amass experience working for different businesses that service a vast array of clientele.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
New York: Facing the New Challenges of the Work From Home Freelance Environment
3/2/2012 4:33 PM By Artisan
New York City employment agencies are rife with freelance opportunities to work from home. And if you’re a graphic designer, technical writer, copy editor, web designer or app developer there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to take advantage of the flexibility and freedom that having a home office can bring. But is working from home, away from a professional office environment, all it’s cracked up to be? Here are some of the challenges you’ll face, and how can you prevent from becoming a full blown shut-in.
1: Spoil Yourself by Creating a Grand Office Space
If you’re going to be doing the majority of your work from home, such as you would snatching up freelance opportunities from a New York creative staffing agency, you can’t just set yourself up in a small, dark corner of your home and get to it. If your work space is uncomfortable, you’ll soon grow tired and distracted. For this reason, it’s critical that you beg, borrow or steal the best possible office furniture that you can. You’re going to be in your office for the majority of the day, so you’d best make sure you’re comfy.
2: Keep Office Hours
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to not keep strict working hours and work around the clock. Failing to create a definitive work structure can not only mess with your bearings, it can also lead to premature burnout if you’re not careful. Schedule everything. If you have to work additional time to finish a big project, specifically pencil it in to complete that work and be sure to give yourself plenty of time for rest, relaxation and sleep.
3: Get Out of the House
Getting a slew of freelance work from NYC employment agencies can work wonders for your bank account, but working from home full time can take its toll on you mental state. Too much isolation isn’t a good thing, even if you love to work alone. Get out of the house on a frequent basis and interact with others – friends, family, even the friendly checkout clerk at the grocery store can provide the all-important human interaction that we all require.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
How Keeping a Blog Could Help You Find Freelance Marketing Jobs
2/27/2012 12:26 PM By Artisan
Not everyone fancies themselves a writer, and many people are just downright terrified to try to put their thoughts into words. But if you’re looking for truly effective freelance marketing tips that could help you round the corner to arriving at a new stage in your career, writing might just be the ticket. If you’re seeking to find some high profile freelance marketing jobs, then you should seriously think about starting your own blog.
If you’re not a writer by trade you’re probably thinking, But writing isn’t my specialty! If that’s the case, then it’s even more important that you put pen to paper (well, more like fingers to keyboard) to create your own blog. If you’re not convinced that having a blog will help you find more freelance marketing jobs, consider the following:
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As a freelance marketer, you can dramatically grow public awareness about you through the publication of a regular blog.
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Blogs drive website traffic through the placement of relevant keywords and by others sharing links to your blog on social media networks. Publishing a regularly updated blog could lead to a significant bump in visits to your website, which could in turn lead to your being contacted for freelance work assignments.
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The quality of your content, which should never be too “salesy” or overt, can help to build your reputation as a thought leader in your industry. This kind of benefit can be invaluable to helping you find future freelance marketing jobs.
Not sure what to write about? Then you’re over-thinking the obvious. You’re an expert in your field, and as such you’ve got a lot of information to offer others who might be interested in learning from you. If you need ideas to help you get your blog started, try some of the following approaches:
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Don’t advertise your services on your blog. That’s boring and unhelpful.
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Talk about current events or newsworthy items happening within the marketing industry.
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Publish how-to guides for simple marketing projects.
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Share anecdotes and experiences of your life as a freelance marketer. Remember, not all of your readers have to be potential customers – getting other freelance marketers to follow your blog will also help improve your online popularity.
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Write reviews on software programs that you’ve used in your work.
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Share tips and best practices for implementing effective marketing plans.
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Come up with top 10 lists that are relevant to marketing, like the top 10 most impressive marketing campaigns of the year.
Publishing a frequently updated blog is one of the most effective freelance marketing tips for finding new clients and establishing your reputation. When you combine that effort with registering with a talent agency like Artisan, the sky’s the limit for employment opportunities.
Vince F is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
Cover Letter Tips for Freelancers: Explaining Employment Gaps
12/21/2011 3:20 PM By Vince FontSearching for employment is a lot like hunting for food. If you don’t arm yourself with the right equipment before heading out, you’re going to come home hungry, empty handed and maybe feeling a bit defeated.
One of the most critical pieces of equipment for a freelancer on the job hunt is a cover letter. Writing a cover letter for freelancers is no different than if you’re searching for a permanent position— all the same rules apply. One of the most critical parts to focus on a cover letter is explaining employment gaps if you’ve been between jobs for a long time.
Why is this such a big deal? Simply put, because most employers who see gaps in employment on your resume will automatically assume the worst—that you’ve been out of work for a long time because you can’t hold a steady position or you’re not passionate about working. Of course, this isn’t necessarily accurate. But it is a sign to potential employers that you may not be the most reliable individual for the job. Not unless there’s a good reason for your spell of inactivity.
How should you best address it? By being honest and forthright. If you stopped working to take care of a sick family member or to go back to school or because you wanted to spend more time with your kids, say so. Keep in mind that a cover letter for freelancers may include inactivity spells due to a slowdown in work, and that you don’t necessarily have to address every single gap in employment.
Focus only on periods that extend for a few months or longer. And if you have the chance to meet with a hiring manager or creative recruiter in person, elaborate on the contents of your cover letter to paint a more holistic picture of yourself.
Promising Outlook for Freelance Programmers
12/7/2011 9:59 AM By Vince Font
One of the biggest myths about being a professional freelance Programmer is that work is hard to find. Statements like that, apart from being downright negative, suggest that programming jobs are in great abundance on the in-house market. But the unemployment rate will tell you otherwise. Yes, web design careers are secure and job opportunities are going to continue to grow—but the majority of that growth will be experienced in the freelance arena.
As if you needed any more reason to strike out in search of work as a freelance programmer, it’s not just the dire unemployment scene that should prompt you to do so. People with freelance web design careers can make more money than those who work in-house as salaried employees. Even when you consider the fact that freelancers aren’t guaranteed certain perks like medical benefits, paid time off, and emergency family leave, they’re still able to command far higher pay for their work for their dependability and flexibility.
What’s even more encouraging is the fact that at Artisan, freelance Developers are actually eligible to take part in group medical insurance and can even get paid time off. If this sounds like a marriage of the best of both worlds—better pay with benefits—that’s because it is. Get registered as a freelancer with Artisan today to take advantage of this truly unique opportunity and jump start your career.
Are You Qualified to be a Marketing Communications Manager?
9/15/2011 1:13 PM By Vince Font
The job descriptions that accompany listings for marketing communications managers are often intentionally vague. This may be to appeal to the greatest number of interested parties in an attempt by the hiring management to look “outside the box” for the best possible candidate. But vague job listings can also backfire, as they lead people to erroneously think they’re qualified when they aren’t – or that they’re not qualified when they are.
Aside from specific work experience and education requirements, some of the basic qualities that you’ll need to possess in order to do well as a marketing professional or marketing communications manager are the same ones you’ll need to do well in most jobs. If you can say that you possess the qualities listed below and have the necessary experience to apply for the position, don’t let anything stop you.
• Good written and verbal skills. Being able to talk a mile a minute doesn’t qualify you as having excellent command of your verbal skills, just as being able to type 120 words per minute doesn’t mean you have xcellent written skills. To succeed at both, you should be able to express yourself eloquently and clearly, without ambiguity or insecurity. Essentially you need to be able to let people know exactly what you’re talking about at all times. Ironically, that’s far easier said than done.
• People skills. As you might imagine, having the affability to yuk it up with your coworkers over a few happy-hours drinks doesn’t necessarily qualify you as having people skills. The ability to get along well with both internal team members and outside stakeholders at all levels, while maintaining high work productivity is key, as is the ability to help mediate personal conflicts between others.
• A strong work ethic. Remember that having work ethic is very different from simply showing up and doing what’s expected of you. To have truly strong work ethic, you’ve got to be willing to exceed expectations by going the extra mile for your supervisors as well as those who report directly to you. This might mean staying late at work, triple checking details and basically doing whatever it takes for the best possible results.
• Be a problem solver. This means that you’re able to come up with creative solutions to address issues that impact productivity. If this is something you can do on a regular basis, you’re a problem solver. The great news about this is that hiring managers love problem solvers.
Getting a job as a marketing communications manager is all about having the right combination of experience, education and personality traits that make you stand out as an obvious candidate for the job. If you’ve got the near perfect balance, you’ll do well. On the other hand, if you feel that you need work in any of these areas, there’s no time like the present to reinvent yourself from the ground up. It can be done; it’s just a matter of knowing what needs improvement and taking action.
Reel in New Opportunities As Others Stay Put
8/29/2011 1:41 PM By Vince Font
In hard times, people have a tendency to hunker down. They don’t spend as much and consequently don’t dream as much. You don’t see that many people chasing their passion during economic uncertainty – which is all the more reason why you should. Dream of becoming a graphic designer for a major firm? Have you wanted to land a job as an interactive marketing manager? When you sense that a field is a bit emptier, that’s the best time to take advantage.
But don’t get the wrong impression. It’s not as if there’s a deficit of people seeking jobs as social media community managers or marketing managers. Remember, we’re in the midst of a social media revolution that’s increased the demand for talented people to fill these positions. You’ll have your work cut out for you, that’s for sure. Working with a creative staffing agency, however, can help you grow your sphere of influence to hit upon opportunities you might not otherwise have been able to tap into.
The fact is, staffing agencies are a bit more plugged in to the heart of the job market. If there’s an opening for an interactive marketing manager or a social media marketing guru, they’ll often know about it before the word even hits the job boards. In many cases, the word won’t get out at all – a large percentage of available jobs are never publicly advertised. That’s not to say that you should abandon your networking contacts as a means of learning about job opportunities or that more traditional methods of finding work aren’t effective. It just means that maybe expanding your horizons isn’t a terrible idea.
If you want work, consider including the use of a creative staffing agency to help you find opportunities. You don’t have to sign away your rights to carrying out a good old fashioned job hunt, and there’s no stigma involved. In fact, there are plenty of companies out there that prefer to work with staffing agencies because there’s less work for them to do in the way of pre-screening job applicants.
In the end, the more lines you throw into the water, the greater your chances of landing a big fish. Now all that’s left to do is bait your hook.
Benefits of Hiring a Freelance Designer Over a Mega Design Firm
8/17/2011 1:28 PM By William PirragliaWhile there are numerous outstanding large design companies, hiring a freelance designer often delivers better benefits. Employers choosing a user experience designer in lieu of a prestigious large design firm often enjoy better results at a more reasonable cost.
Some of the benefits of filling designer jobs with freelancers include the following:
- Newer freelance designers are committed to outstanding performance to establish their personal brand. A commitment to excellence, when accompanied with skill, is a consistent winning combination. Even the newest freelancer may deliver more excellence than superstar large firm designers.
- Freelance designers typically take employer deadlines more seriously and dedicate themselves to delivering work early. Deadlines are important to freelancers and clients alike. However, employers can face deadlines that can mean the difference between profit and loss in many situations. Freelancers often target delivery of project work early to help their clients enjoy less stressful operations. They also want to move on to their next project quickly for a consistent source of income.
- Freelance designers are more accessible during odd hours. Freelancers, committed to enhancing their brand, typically offer accessibility and consultation. They typically understand that other entrepreneurs and business owners seldom work only 9-to-5 on scheduled workdays. Success is often dependent on going the extra mile to deliver added value to those in need.
- Design changes are not obstacles, but expected activities from employers. Companies who want design changes may face roadblocks with large, prestigious design firms. Freelancers are often open to making desired changes for their clients.
- Freelancers are often more innovative and receptive to cutting edge ideas, technology and suggestions. While large firms can offer innovation and wonderful ideas, freelancers, unburdened with pre-conceived attitudes, can install cutting edge solutions to design issues that challenge even the best professionals at large firms.
- Employers can usually depend on freelance designers to be a resource for future upgrades and improvements. Entrepreneurial freelance designers seldom fire themselves. Most successful talented freelancers love their work and their professional lives, never feeling the need to leave their specialty. Clients usually find their favorite freelancers hungry for additional assignments in the future.
The Best Features of a Video Editing Job
8/3/2011 3:24 PM By William PirragliaA video editing job can be even more exciting than creative videographer opportunities. It typically depends on your focus and temperament. As businesses demand more and more web video production, the jobs for videographers and video editors continue to expand.
While most people would rather serve as videographer, believing this is the more lucrative and creative function, video editors often maintain that their job requires the most creative talent. Some of the comments of experienced video editors describe the features of this career best.
- “…. you start out with a mess and end up with a wonderful finished product ….”
- “…. I can create raw video into something that engages the audience….”
- “Every day I get to form a lump of clay into something that the audience can relate to and identify with.”
Along with videographer talent, video editors must develop expertise with advanced editing software. Infusing a sense of art into their work, they must also understand the objective of the client, just as the original videographer does.
If your goal is higher than editing modest corporate videos, you should consider a move to or association with top creative talent agencies, like Artisan, with offices in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. While it’s more challenging to break into these markets, superior creative talent agencies can often help with this objective.
If you’re new to the market, developing your skills with modest clients is a typical necessity. Building an impressive portfolio during your internship will lead to better compensated, more meaningful corporate video assignments. Freelancers can create rewarding careers specializing in web video production in major and minor markets.
The rewards of converting raw video into the finished product a commercial client wants may feed your creative, professional and monetary appetite perfectly. The demand for your talents is increasing as more motion and emotion is desired by e-commerce. The many new video editing opportunities spurred by the web should allow you to find the jobs you want with the challenges you desire.
