Find A Job Online

I have been MIA on the blog front recently; starting a new job and having a sizeable commute means that thinking and writing up blog posts have been put on the bottom of the to do list. I'm hoping to write a few posts tonight so I can keep updated. Anyway, on to the main focus of this post...

Finding a job can be tough, especially being a graduate. I spoke repeatedly banged on about my struggle to find employment post uni many times. I posted about the importance of a creative CV's here and along the theme of employment I have compiled a list of great job finding sites I used that can hopefully help you too.

Creative Pool

I find that Creative Pool is a really useful site because everything is so simply organised and the search criteria can easily be adjusted. You can also search for a particular company that you're interested in and make your own profile with examples of your work.

I find the site layout to similar Facebook, which makes it easy to navigate and filled with vibrant user generated imagery. This can be such a bonus if promoting yourself on Creative Pool as people are first influenced by your work before viewing your profile.

Form Fifty Five

This is a really good website for general resources such as articles and inspirations. What it also has are job listings, albeit a small selection they are all really fantastic companies and also have offers for internships. I used to check the site regularly and most days there will be a new job posting.

It's Nice That Job Board

I regularly enjoy the "It's Nice That" articles and the job board is just as exciting with job posts from the likes of Burberry and Asos. It hosts a collection of fantastic creative roles, most of which are based in London. 

Reed

Reed is one of the biggest recruitment sites in the UK and is packed full with job opportunites. The big bonuses I found was that it saves your cover letter when you apply for a job so you can quickly adjust the note for different jobs. Another good point is that it attracts huge companies such as Amazon and Vodafone which aren't found on smaller sites.

Milkround

Milkround is actually the site that I found my job on so I had to mention it in this post. Milkround is targeted primarily at undergraduates and newly graduated individuals with many graduate scheme opportunities. I found this site to be really beneficial and has a lot of information about further study and options for post grads.

This is only a brief summary of the websites that I found useful but hopefully they will help someone else land their perfect job.

Interview Creative Brief

As this post title would suggest this is about the creative brief I worked on as part of my application for the job at The Air Ambulance Service. Luckily I got the job so decided to share my efforts at this design task :)

The interviewers positively encouraged a creative outlook on this brief which which was so refreshing as it allowed a lot of freedom which is always exciting.

The brief itself was to design a postcard for the TAAS promoting the benefits of longer hours of sunlight in the summer months in regards to the air ambulance operating longer. I decided to go for an illustrative style as it was such a departure from the existing style of TAAS and I could really put my stamp on it. The concept is quite humorous and adds an element of fun, which moves away from the more shocking tactics of some charities.

This are my versions, one for TAAS and one for The Children's Air Ambulance.

I Got The Job!

If you follow me on twitter you will already know that today I received a phone call informing me I got the job!

The job itself will be working with The Air Ambulance Service as their designer, this might sound a bit random but it really is the perfect creative job. The main role will be helping to design across a whole range of items; web, brochures, campaigns, mailers and newsletters to name a few.

TAAS are looking for a whole new creative direction with lots of new ideas and fun - which is fantastic! I really couldn't be happier and looking forward to starting soon.

I don't have a photo to illustrate this so here is Marilyn Monroe jumping for joy. Because obviously I would look this good if I were to do the same... :)

                                                                           

 

Image Source

Creative CVs

CVs: most people have them, and most people will have some boring microsoft word construction that gives meaning to the word dull.

Which is fine; it does the job and tells the story. That is unless you work in the creative industries, where your CV should be an extension of your portfolio and showcase your creativity and flair.

Recently I redesigned my CV in a clean, typographic, swiss style and since then have received positive comments on the more exciting layout I designed, even non-designer friends could appreciate it. It also makes me feel confident when applying for jobs that my CV will stand out in the sea of others.

To inspire you to do the same I have collected a few to show with a whole host more to be found on my dedicated Pinterest board for creative CVs - you can check that out here.


This first design is simple but the subtle design elements such as use of colour and type make it visually interesting. The layout also allows for a lot of information on the page without it feeling crammed.

This CV has a mood board, casual feel to it with the added illustrations but gives a sense of personality to the design. The designer has stuck to black and white to counterbalance the "busy" layout.

I was really interested by this CV as at first I thought it was real code. This would be a perfect example of a creative CV for a web developer as I think this shows a lot of knowledge in this area to create such a realistic pastiche.

I love this design because of the timeline style and punctuation of lime green throughout to make this visually interesting. The level of thought and effort gone into this piece is evident and really conveys a sense of pride and care in this designers work.

When researching creative CVs I found that info graphics were a prominent feature in many designs; this is not something I would consider myself but has lots of interesting potential for a designer who favours that area, such as this designer. I find this design quite confusing to read on screen but undoubtedly clever. 

For more of my selected CVs or to find the original source for any of the above please visit my pinboard here. If you have any great examples yourself please send them my way.

General Updates

I have been getting up to lots of things lately, so to save four short blog posts I have condensed it all down into one little post with bite sized pieces. Like with any catch up you always have to have a hot drink, which explains the image, obviously.

Image sourced from here

1. You may have noticed that my blog has had a slight make over recently and now has more of a personal feel. Changing the layout is something I have been wanting to do for a long time yet not really got round to, I am keen to have both my website and blog use quite a consistent theme and I think this is a good match. Over time I hope to tweak and improve both to create a better synergy between all my digital presences.

2. Post placement I have been applying for lots more jobs and Internships (as usual). My placement at Big in December opened my eyes to lots of possibilities and this week I've really had an "I've got nothing to loose" mentality and applied and emailed people about a whole range of opportunities. My aim is to try lots of different things, not necessarily design, and just gain as much experience as possible by trying new things. So far i'm enjoying it.

3. My good pal Alex is owner of Albatross Clothing; an ethical clothing company with morals at the heart of everything they do. This week I have been working up designs for a new apparel range after receiving an invite to submit work.

Apparel design is not something I know a lot about but I definitely wanted to have an emphasis of fun in the designs I created as the Albatross audience is young people. Once focus group research has been completed I will hopefully know if these designs will be going forward to be sold under the Albatross brand. Fingers crossed the designs make the cut!

4. Finally I have been working on some freelance projects. The first is for an accounting firm which really came about by lucky coincidence, hopefully I can provide something that will really work for them a their brief was quite vague and I have a few ideas I want to pursue.

So that really concludes general updates. Hopefully some exciting things will start happening next week :)

New Years Resolutions

The festivities of Christmas are gone and now people are beginning to look towards New Years Eve and with that comes new years resolutions. Resolutions are the promises we make to ourselves at the start of the new year to ensure success, happiness, health and wealth in the following twelve months. With new years nearly here I have been thinking about my own resolutions, specifically career related ones. So here they are...

From Here

1. Get a job.

I talk about getting a job a lot, but more specifically I want to get an awesome job. Gaining experience on placements shows I am willing to learn, better myself and allows me to be more aware of career choices. 2013 will be the year I land a fantastic job because I will work hard, research, learn and get there.

2. Use LinkedIn effectively.

Today I have been busily updating my profile on LinkedIn, connecting with relevant individuals and joining groups. I believe it is important to be up to date with LinkedIn because it allows you to broadcast yourself to the "right people" and meet like minded designers you admire and see how they achieved what they have. In 2013 I will be regularly updating my LinkedIn profile, to be witness to this you can connect with me here.

3. Use my SLR more

I've had my SLR for about two and a half years and in that time it has been primarily used to photograph work for my portfolio. My new years resolution is to learn more about photography, and produce great quality shots. I love the fantastic vibrancy of the photos from the camera so in 2013 I will be more snap happy.

4. Visit more exhibitions, museums and galleries

I have the V&A and The Tate on twitter and regularly hear about the fantastic exhibitions they have on yet rarely go. In 2013 I will make more effort to visit exhibitions, design related or not, in order to inspire myself and experience new things. In January I am hoping to go down to London and definitely want to visit The Natural History Museum and the V&A Ballgowns exhibition.

5. Be successful and have fun

If you have these two factors in your career you can't be doing too badly, so in 2013 I will be aiming for both.

Placement Reflection

Image via French Knot

I've just completed my four week placement at Big Communications in Leicester interning as a junior designer. I had a great time, got some fantastic real life experience and met a whole host of lovely people. During my time on placement I learnt a great deal and it helped me clarify some of my thoughts and ideas about employment.

I'm a real worrier; anyone that knows me on a personal level will know that I worry about everything and will endlessly contemplate the smallest details. My advice to myself for the future and other graduates is just don't. Don't waste your energy and brain power on worry - it's unnecessary. At times I found myself worrying about timings and tried to work on projects as fast as I could when, in some instances, time and reflection were required to achieve the desired result. If you are concerned, ask! I did and was reassured to know I was working at a good pace, which leads me on to my next point...

I enjoy getting feedback, it helps me to understand where I may be going wrong or right in order to improve and it's also nice to hear positive words about work you have done. During the placement I tried to get feedback wherever possible but still wish I had got more. In future I would take every opportunity possible to get some constructive criticism from those around you in order to better yourself as a creative.

Be interested in everything. Generally I ask a lot of questions, about everything, to anyone, on any topic. Because of this I learnt a lot of several things I previously had little knowledge of; internships, advertising, copywriting and digital, for example. Because of this I have a clearer idea of what I want from future internships and jobs and am excited by the prospect of diversifying into new areas.

I'm really thankful for the knowledge I gained in Leicester because it has helped me clarify what I want. Internships are part and parcel of this industry and it can be frustrating not to walk in to a job straight away but it is so worthwhile when you better understand and come away with invaluable knowledge.

Next up is finding my new creative endeavour, watch this space.

Placement Update

This past week I have been enjoying my first week of placement as Big Communications in Leicester as a graphic designer. My previous blog posts had charted my application and interview so it seems only right that I post a quick update on how my placement has been going so far...

This week I have been working on emailers, livery, print work and branding so it has been a really varied few days but great for experiencing a whole range of tasks in a short space of time. I think I have been keeping up with the fast paced work place well and loved that I was working on real life campaigns that might actually be used!

I hadn't had a great deal of real studio experience beforehand so it was a steep learning curve the first few days as to how the studio functioned. Many of the people in the creative team work in pairs of copywriter and art director; something I was aware of but had never experienced first hand before so took the opportunity to quiz an interning copywriter and art director on their experiences. I was interested to find that both had studied graphic design (as I had) but diversified into their new roles. It made me feel positive about the various opportunities I could expand into in the future if I wanted.

In general I have had a productive, educational, creative and fun week. Being on placement has really taught me so much in such a short space of time and it's really satisfying to do a job that I have been trained for and working towards for 3 years, especially with such a respected and successful agency.

One of the benefits aside from the actual creative work is meeting like minded creatives and being able to have a fun work environment as well as a creative and interesting job.

N.B I didn't wan't to shove an SLR in peoples' faces on my first few days so decided to include this quote from one of my favourite designers, Saul Bass (from here) that I think is quite apt.

The poster is taken from my Pinterest board "Inspiration" which you can follow for typographic and design based pins.

Five Interview Tips

If you follow me on twitter you will know that I have been job hunting since I finished uni this summer, and you may also know that I had an interview on monday. With the meeting still fresh in my find I decided to compile a list of "tips" and advice for graduate designers also going to interviews.

1. Research

An obvious piece of advice but you will be glad you know all of the companies' clients when they ask you which examples of their work you like the most and how much you know about the company (they will almost certainly ask). It is a great opportunity to show how serious you are about this role and the company.

2. Be prepared

For my previous interviews and meetings I not only took along my portfolio but some physical examples of my work and my iPad with lots of extra photos of projects I had not included in my printed portfolio. I found that it can be useful to take actual pieces of work with you to better explain your work but also create a talking point plus show extra images from my iPad.

3. Location

What seems another simple yet obvious tip is to research into where you going. Sat navs are not always reliable and don't allow for any potential traffic you may come cross so always google map your route so you are aware of the estimated time and location. Add on an extra half an hour to allow for error and always arrive 10 minutes early. 

4. Ask Questions & Get Feedback

Always ask questions about the company, your interview technique and how you can improve. Although it can be hard to take constructive criticisms it will strengthen your confidence for any future meetings and shows that you are willing to improve.

5.  Leave Something To Be Remembered

I think it is a good idea to always leave something with your interviewers so they can contact you back and you will be remembered, I believe this also shows fore thought and preparation. Be it an example of your work, a business card or a self promotional pack; leave something that will remind people of your great interview.

These are just a few of the pieces of advice I take note of when going to any interviews or meetings and I hope they are useful.

Good Luck!

"Scripts" & Hand Rendered Type

Last week I got a copy of "Scripts" by Stephen Heller and Louise Fili, it was a book I had wanted for a while and eventually decided to buy from Amazon as it was pay day. The book is a fantastic example of vintage typefaces and elegant lettering from what the book describes as "design's golden era". The book itself is a whole selection of ads, notes, book covers and hand writing complied with useful notes and information to put the designs in context.

Another reason I decided to get a copy of "Scripts" was for my own personal project of developing my hand rendered type skills. I will be the first to admit that I am not naturally talented at drawing typefaces, but after looking at little more into the work of Jessica Hische I was convinced it was something I wanted to be good at.

A few months ago I created a campaign about lemons to send to design companies I really liked and admired. Although I received some positive responses I still don't have a job within the design industry, however, I have been playing around with ideas for a new self promotional campaign and I am hoping hand rendered type will give the project enough of a "wow factor" to land me that perfect job.

These are some photos of "Scripts" by Steven Heller and Louise Fili, a much recommended book. You can get a copy here.

Fashion Brief

I have been having a bit of a blog break recently as applying for jobs doesn't make for very interesting reading and I'm starting to bore myself talking and obsessing over applications, emails and CVs. Although I haven't been actively seeking employment for a really long time (about two months) it certainly can be demoralising when people don't call back and you need to come up with renewed enthusiasm.

With this in mind I was very pleasantly surprised to find an email in my inbox last week asking me to participate in a brief as part of the interview process for a well known clothing company that were known for their boots (which I now want a pair of) and their links to New England. The brief was to creative five t-shirt designs, two heritage themed and two illustrative "earth keeper" designs that related to the importance of the environment.

The brief sounded perfect as the heritage part of the brief was typography based and influenced by vintage signage, two things I really like and use in my own work. So I set to work researching, sketching and coming up with some designs that would reflect the nature of the company; something I could visualise on their t-shirts.

With this brief I tried to give the "client" what they wanted and reflected their company and then some designs that were a little more outside their comfort zone in the "earth keeper" illustrations as I was encouraged to be a bit more inventive. The deadline was this morning so I sent a PDF of the designs and explanations to the company last night, I think the designs I created were suitable and creative but wether I'll be invited to go further in the interview process? I'm not sure.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of the designs and works in progress.

Liverpool & Interviews

This blog has shifted focus slightly over the past month as it has gone from my design work to my search for a design job. I find this change interesting as it allows me to chart my progress from this time last year when I was entering my final year of my degree to now when I am seeking employment and going to interviews. Anyway, onto the focus of this blog post...

Yesterday I was lucky enough to invited to an amazing studio in Liverpool for an interview, I had been aware of the work of this company for some time before as they had been the focus of a lecture in my third year and I had subsequently researched into the exciting and innovative work they do. This was to be my third experience of a "real" interview so I felt confident that I could talk about my work but still nervous that I wouldn't come across well or my mind would just go blank when asked any questions. Thankfully this did not happen.

The interview itself lasted about 30 minutes which allowed me to talk about my work, show my portfolio and answer some questions before getting some constructive feedback. I am a big advocate of constructive feedback as I think it allows you to improve and this surely can only be a benefit, as I was also applying for a junior role I was quite prepared for comments that may be made.

In general I think (hope) the interview went well but was flattered to even be invited for the first round of interviews as the company is quite prestigious. I was informed that a second round of interviews with a set brief would occur and I am desperate to be part of the next step!

In the mean time these are some photos of Liverpool docks which we visited post interview. Despite living only a 45min train ride away for three years at uni I had never been to Liverpool and actually really enjoyed it.

A beautiful sunny day

My windswept parents who insist on coming to interviews with me to get the day off work and

 eat lunch in cool places.

The famous "Liver Bird" in the distance which I had never heard of. See here

Updates & The Tate

My blog has suffered a little lately for a range of reasons, one of said reasons is that I had been preparing for a busy week of interviews and meetings and have been working hard to make my portfolio look the best it possibly could.

This week I visited a company that wanted to discuss ways they could promote their 20th anniversary through branding, packaging and promotion and invited me to pitch for the job. This was really exciting as it was something I had little experience of at uni but would definitely be useful for a future in the design industry.

On Tuesday I made my way down to London for an interview about an internship in South Kensington with a small agency that worked with a number of large clients. The interview was more informal than I had been expecting but the interviewer gave me some great feedback which has helped me improve my interview technique.

On Wednesday I got the chance to meet one of the fantastic companies that I had sent my "Lemon Post" to when I was kindly invited to their studio to discuss my portfolio and learn more about the company. Having been to an interview the previous day in London I felt much more prepared and took several work examples, my iPad full with photos and my portfolio. This might seem quite excessive but I was happy to feel that I could answer any question and talk with confidence about my work and my ideas. I felt that the meeting went well and I left a few promotional items with them in the hope they would email me back with some feedback.

It really helped me to research the company in detail beforehand as I could compare my own work to theirs and find similarities and common interests. I think this also shows how much you want to work for the company that you take such an interest.

In general the past few days have been quite successful and I feel that I am getting somewhere with my job hunt and that perseverance and dedication will pay off in the end.

In the mean time these are some photos from The Tate Modern. I particularly enjoyed the new exhibitions in "The Tanks" which you can see here. I do enjoy art but some of the pieces I saw did throw me a bit, but see what you think for yourself and please excuse the iPhone snaps. 

St. Pauls

"The Tanks" new Tate exhibition

Jeff Keen's vibrant pop art instillation  

 

Picasso 

My mum enjoying the work on show

One of the pieces I found hard to understand...

Cheeky Krispy Kreme at the end of the day