I find it hard trying to sell myself.  It’s not that I don’t believe in myself, but rather, I like to think of myself as more modest than that.

Realistically the world doesn’t work that way and so I’m trying to buck up, build a bridge and get over it (you get the idea).

New Design Blog has some great tips on self promoting that, wait for it - aren’t sleazy.

The checklist goes:

1. Create something worthy of promoting
2. Stick to your guns
3. The conversation should be about results and outcomes
4. Start in listening mode, not promotion mode
5. Don’t try to be someone you’re not

And I like to think of my own #6 as being - try to charm people over with your humour and pure brilliance via blogs, tweets and other social media.

Now, to try and put that into practice.

This is as good a list as any I’ve seen to live by.  Particularly #10: Smile :)

nevver:

How to Work Better

(via laurelbennett)

megrobichaud:

I am starting to get into freelancing, and still unsure how to proceed in a few areas. I asked forrst (a community of designers and developers, many of whom I have a lot of respect for their opinion) the following question, and got some great answers. So great that I thought that they were…

Note to self… helvetica = trendy = cool …. now I get it.

heyoscarwilde:

The Trendy Guide to Graphic Design by Ross Moody :: via 55his.com

Resume Writing for the graphic designer

When it comes to writing my resume I suddenly find even the most boring of subjects a thrilling distraction.

There is nothing more cringeworthy than putting your past down on paper and telling people why you are perfect for the job.

With graphic design however, I have found a small incentive to do my resume - the opportunity to play with the layout and design in a way which, in any other field, would be considered superfluous.

In my search for inspiration from the best of the best I stumbled across a resume writing 101 article on the Smashing Magazine website.  The feature has some great advice for graphic/web designers and has a variety of examples to get your creativity flowing.

And I can promise it works, because presto, in the space of a morning I have already done a draft, one page resume and am planning on spending the afternoon exploring a more extensive review of my working career.

Something to keep in mind in this day and age.

There once was a design studio… or in this case, several hundred… producing beautiful, inspired designs.  For one aspirational graphic designer, these designs were like a beacon guiding her towards a future that once upon a time she never would have dreamed of.

Having spent the last couple of days browsing through Google’s list of local graphic design studios, I have to admit that while I am excited about the prospects of my future, I am also feeling slightly overwhelmed.

While I trust my ability to come up with good ideas and inspired design, I am also concerned about whether a year and a half experience will be enough.

For this very reason, when filtering through the lists of design studios I kept in mind, what can I learn by working alongside these designers to make the most of my experience.

With that in mind, the following list is of Brisbane based design studios I would be interested in approaching to do work experience with (in no particular order).

• HarrisonNess
• 2plik8 Studios
• Tinker Creative
• QMG
• Spot On Graphic Design
• Creative Gem Design Studio
• Metagraphics
• Bright Yellow
• Sibley Design
• Graystone Studio
• Vibe Creative
• Loud and Clear Design
• Zoe Design Studio

I have been spending a lot of time on Google recently searching for possible publishing & entertainment, advertising and design agencies where I could apply for work experience.

The more I consider it, the less I am inclined to pursue work experience in publishing & entertainment or advertising as I believe I will probably learn more about design itself at a design studio.

However, it has been very interesting looking at the different advertising agencies that operate out of Brisbane.  While I don’t feel doing my major project within an advertising agency would be the right decision at this point in time, I could definitely see myself doing something within the sector in the future.

As much as I loathe to admit it, networking is an important aspect of any career, particularly within the creative industries.

When I first left uni with a Bachelor of Journalism I spent every opportunity I had doing work experience in order to build up my contacts and establish a name for myself.  It was tough but in the end it worked.  I gained paid employment through my work experience and a year later was contacted by my future boss asking if I would be interested in a position he had coming up.

Despite having experienced how effective networking can be, I still struggle with the idea of putting myself out there. 

While I’m already on the path to organising work experience as part of my final project, I’m hoping that by taking some tips from Valeria Maltoni on the 12 Habits of Highly Connective People and Anya Kamenetz in 8 Ways to Build Your Personal Learning Network the process might turn out to be slightly less daunting this time round.

One of the questions I have been struggling to answer recently is what type of graphic designer I envision myself becoming. 

Media design, advertising design, corporate design?  Would I prefer to design for print, web or other interactive media?  Would I rather create layouts, design logos or produce advertisements?

Having contemplated these question to no avail, I decided to look further abroad with a little help from Google.

Trade-schools.net has an interesting article dividing the employment options available to graphic designers into five sections:

• Publishing & Entertainment
• Advertising Agencies
• Design Studios
• Corporate Marketing Departments; and
• Self Employment

In terms of my major project, I have decided to look into three areas as possible places I would be interested in applying for internships at - Publishing & Entertainment, Advertising Agencies and Design Studios.

Salvador Dali

Master Intern invades the internweb!