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I really want to be an illustrator, or at least a graphic designer that draws a lot. I finally got my BA squared away, so now it comes down to finding a job. My question is whether I should take the first available related job from monster.com for the sake of experience, or should I hold out for something I'd be really happy with? The job I have right now is enough to pay my bills, but only just. I can't rely on my school for jobs, since I moved way far away right after I finished, so how would I even find the kind of job I'm looking for? I'd like to think there's better resources than the job websites.
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Jul 16, 2008 21:46
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Looking through my portfolio, I noticed that most of my work is dedicated to the illustrative side of design. Aside from being employed strictly as an illustrator, which seems to be a mostly freelance thing, are there design positions that specialize in image creation? Do these positions have specific job titles aside from the generic Graphic Design label?
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Aug 22, 2008 15:52
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After much fiddling around, I've poured my somewhat slim resume into Same's template. I did this in Illustrator, following a similar grid system with modifications to better accommodate my info. How does it look? Do you more typographically-inclined people have any recommendations?
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Sep 4, 2008 11:43
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I Are Internet posted:Basically, I have been told my my superiors (usually the CEO) that I can't put any of my work on my portfolio due to it being officially owned by the company I am working for.
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Sep 5, 2008 08:42
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Steve's Guest posted:I'm going to school for design right now and am just getting into the real meat of the program. All of the lab computers are Macs, and I'll design something at school and be disappointed when I look at it at home because my colors don't look the same and the contrast is off. It's starting to bug me really bad. I figure that, since the professional world is gonna be the land of a million Macs anyways, I may as well trade piles of dollar bills for a Mac. It is a lot of money though, so can any professionals tell me whether or not they think it'd be worth having one at home? It takes forever, but you can adjust the levels on a monitor to more or less exactly match another, or to match the output of a specific printer. Otherwise, there will likely be at least a small difference between machines. Lots of people use Macs, lots don't. As long as you can open a file on either OS, you'll be fine with a PC.
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Sep 21, 2008 09:45
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Is it worth it to interview for a job that has requirements that go way over my head? I applied and have an interview for a web design position that requires knowledge of XHTML, CSS, Javascript, and search engine optimization. I know HTML and how to implement and tweak Javascript, but other than that I'll just be smiling and nodding. It's not that I can't learn (and I'm already teaching myself CSS), but I currently don't know about half the things they seem to want me to know. I think they're looking more for a web developer than a designer, really. I'm going to interview with them either way, but is there anything I'm likely to get from this interview?
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Oct 12, 2008 23:21
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Zurich posted:I just realised I have jongold.co.uk registered Really quick, can someone give me an opinion of the current setup I have for my portfolio site? Still plenty of dead links to go around, but I'm still working on those. KittenofDoom fucked around with this message at 21:37 on Oct 22, 2008 |
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Oct 22, 2008 21:11
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I've been in negotiations with a recruiter representing a company looking for a Jr. Designer. His English is a bit bad, but he keeps asking for a "rate confirmation" after I explained the median wages for my experience. I explicitly worded my intent to be paid $25 an hour, and included documentation that showed the median salary for the position he was pushing. Is there anything else he might be talking about?
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Nov 19, 2008 02:00
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Stick_Fig posted:Didn't get any response, so I'm gonna bump. While it may not be directly related to web design, it's a start at least, right? Most jobs I'd genuinely be qualified for won't give me a call because I don't have the experience they're looking for. With this job you'd have at least that much.
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Nov 19, 2008 23:16
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I have a question for people a bit higher up in the food chain. I'm currently looking for work in the Bay Area as a graphic designer, but I've hardly gotten any response for any of the dozens of online job applications (Craigslist, Monster etc.) I've filled out. I'm pretty well-rounded for a designer. I can do print, illustration, some web design, even a little animation. Unfortunately, without experience I need to be overwhelmingly good, and I don't know how to get there on my own. Assuming I have no experience outside of freelance work and a temp job in web design, what programs and skills would you expect a generic print designer to have? How about a web designer, animator, illustrator, or any other branch of the design tree? Can someone take a quick look at my portfolio and tell me what I'd need to include to be seriously considered for a decent job? If I don't have any projects in a certain area, print/animation etc., should I make one up on my own? KittenofDoom fucked around with this message at 23:50 on Nov 20, 2008 |
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Nov 20, 2008 23:43
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qirex posted:KittenofDoom: Your portfolio is an illustration/photo portfolio, not a design one.  A lot of the more designery stuff I've done still has heavy illustrative content, should I include that in the place of some of the other stuff?
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Nov 22, 2008 20:20
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cheese eats mouse posted:You really need to show you can do layouts like brochures and books. You know what a widow is right? Make sure you have none of those in your pieces before you put them up. Yea put the designer stuff up and let us know. Have you asked for a critique of your portfolio from your professors?
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Nov 23, 2008 01:35
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General Ripper posted:I've been asking my family, teachers, classmates but the more I think and talk about things the less sure I am about anything. I've heard of debt relating to school going well over 80k, and that was in US dollars, too. It's easy to tell that this is what you want to do, even in spite of all the stuff that's in your way. It's possible to build a career off of freelance stuff with no education, but there is a lot you gain from a degree, beyond just the piece of paper. I'm self-taught in most of the design programs being used today, but my classes taught me to do things with them I wouldn't have even considered otherwise. There are things like typography, color theory and layout that are better taught than self-learned, too. The ability to receive and give criticism is an incredibly valuable tool, possibly one of the most important ones I was given. If I was left one my own, I would have kept going down the same stunted path I had started on my own. Having an education helped lift me out of that rut and set me in a better direction. It's awesome that you have a sense of urgency. I lacked that when I started school and it cost me 4 years of my life. So yes, it'd be great for you to do freelance stuff, but there's a lot that you can gain from a formal education you don't even know about yet. If this is what you love, and it's what you want to do, the other stuff should be trivial in comparison. (It might take some convincing, but make sure your wife is cool with it, too.)
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Nov 26, 2008 02:39
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Zurich posted:I don't know if I'm being harsh because you're the one with the degree on your CV (which is too long, by the way, keep it to a page or two), but you're trying to sell yourself as a print designer and I just don't see it. I'd say that I'm not lacking in skills, just lacking in work that proves it. I sort-of updated my portfolio with a couple of print pieces I did a few years back, and got rid of the horrible frames (seriously I don't remember why I used them). There's plenty more to add and improve on, but are the first two designs not embarassingly bad, at least?
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Dec 19, 2008 19:34
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Hwangin Tough posted:https://www.m3ta.co.uk
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Jan 8, 2009 01:26
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Out of curiosity, would it help my job-seeking if I lived within the city I want to work? I currently live within commuting distance of San Francisco, but still about an hour and a half away. I've had prospective employers express concerns over even that much. I could probably make enough money above what I currently make if I waited tables in SF as opposed to my lovely ghetto city to afford to rent a room. Probably. Aside from being able to list my address in the Bay Area on my applications, would I gain any kind of additional knowledge or benefits from living there?
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Jan 20, 2009 13:26
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Ah thanks. I didn't think there'd be any major benefits to moving AFTER finding a job, I just wanted to make sure. Besides, the BART is fun!
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Jan 20, 2009 22:12
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I still feel like I'm flailing in the dark. For those with agency experience, can you take a look at my portfolio and give me an idea what path I ought to pursue? That is, don't criticize what's on the page (I've got enough of that to work with), but show me something that's a better version of what I'm already doing? Knowing what direction to head in will make it considerably easier to get there, rather than trying to improve on things I won't be using anyways.
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Jan 28, 2009 13:46
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marshmallard posted:Or whatever. As a prospective employer I'd want each piece to justify its place and explain how it demonstrates your skills. Is there a particular designer, or branch of graphic design, that's heavily involved with illustration as well?
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Jan 29, 2009 01:07
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Would working for a place like a sign shop or Kinko's, which does some large-format printing and binding, be of any use while I go after the kind of job I'm really looking for? I see plenty of places in my city that do printing, but they're only tangentially related to design, at best. Being a waiter is a decent source of income, but it adds nothing to my resume, and there aren't many opportunities for freelance stuff in my area, either.
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Feb 20, 2009 13:17
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Peggle Fever posted:It's amazing how many print designers know next to nothing about the production side of things, and I'd say the skills you gain and the experience are well worth it and better for your resume then working outside the field.
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Feb 24, 2009 10:25
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I just got back from a successful design internship interview in San Francisco. It's unpaid and only two days a week, but they'll be taking care of my commute and food for the three+ months I'm there. It's an amazing office with relaxed gaming nerds like me. It's been frequently and accurately pointed out that my portfolio doesn't excel in any particular field, but this position was a perfect fit for what I can do, including non-design skills. I really appreciate all the advice I've gained from this thread. It's helped me maintain a sense of hopefulness even in my darkest times. Thanks everyone! Dr. Lenin posted:...should I fill in the Photography Experience column with stuff that isn't related to work, such as gallery showings, awards in photo competitions, etc?
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Mar 11, 2009 00:56
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meta² posted:I just wanted to plug my school...
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Mar 11, 2009 23:29
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I'm starting to wonder about my internship. Since I've been hired on as a web design intern, what should I reasonably be expected to do? I'm starting to wonder about the legitimacy of it all. The workload doesn't bother me, nor does the long commute each way. It worries me a bit that my boss is thinking of working for a company just down the street instead of focusing on the entrepreneurial stuff he originally started with. He's assured the interns that we'd be coming with him, but I dislike unknowns. There's also no guarantee of when I'd receive the commuter assistance he promised me, just that it'll get to me eventually. The commute, even though it's only twice a week, costs me nearly $50. His home-based company is steeped in debt and in the middle of a lawsuit for unpaid wages. Also, if I'm being pushed to outright copy the site design of another company that does basically the exact same thing as this pro-bono thing the guy in charge has picked up, would I also be liable, even though I'm unpaid?
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Mar 26, 2009 22:10
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I asked once before, but I'm starting to need to know. What should rightfully be expected of a web design intern? The startup is entirely staffed by unpaid interns. No one I know has been compensated for their travel costs, they just have the promise that they will be eventually. The guy in charge of us isn't even running his own company any more. He wasn't making any money from any of his startups so he took a job in another city during the week. We still come in during our assigned hours, but we now work from to-do lists and don't receive any instruction during the day. I'm also concerned that my duties have gone from creating designs for his existing ideas to possibly him selling my designs and illustrations directly, which is not something I'm willing to have happen. As it is, I'm not learning anything new or making any contacts, and the possibility for a job at the end of the internship is pretty much nil. I'm already searching for another internship or job at the moment, but would it help or hurt me to list this current one on my resume?
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Apr 16, 2009 07:02
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Zurich posted:Why are you even there? The idea of unpaid internships (though I've always been paid at least travel/lunch costs) is to get experience at a functional studio...
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Apr 17, 2009 06:36
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RiceTaco posted:Anyone ever deal with Creative Circle? They always post a lot on craigslist, monster, careerbuilder, etc. in major cities. Sounds like a typical job placement agency... Speaking of which, I'm looking up online job seeking resources. There seem to be a few specifically geared towards designers, but aside from Craigslist, Monster, and Creativeheads, can someone recommend a few more?
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May 7, 2009 02:48
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etard knievel posted:Thas never been a problem before with contract work, but is there any chance a game or film company is going to piss test me for a full time junior artist type position?
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May 29, 2009 00:42
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I got frustrated with applying for design work after my "internship" turned out to be a flop. I don't blame the guy in charge, as it would probably have been a great opportunity for people less-familiar with the software or design process. He was a marketing guy and was genuinely impressed with my work. He and I are still on good terms; he'll even send a small project my way every once in a while. Fortunately for my job quest, I've gotten to the point that if I remain in food service very much longer, I will burn down the restaurant and murder everyone in it. I've updated my portfolio with some work I did while interning, but I want to do everything that's needed to get a real job. I know I'm asking a lot, but with what I have so far, can someone give me a rough outline of what I need to do to 1.) turn myself into something hirable (i.e. freelance work, improve my portfolio site, lose weight etc.) and 2.) get a loving job? I don't care how harsh the criticism is as long as it's fair, but if I have an idea of what to do, I'll commit to getting it done. I started spamming online job postings, but until I actually get a job, it's not enough. It doesn't even have to be a good job, just one that gets me started in the right direction.
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Jul 16, 2009 06:33
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Zurich posted:Your site still comes across as horribly amateurish - the work isn't spectacular and the text makes you seem like a hobbyist. Also the coding is 10 years out of date and the navigation is confusing. Thanks for the help 
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Jul 16, 2009 10:59
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Does anyone have a list of well-made portfolio sites handy? I generally produce much better work when I have something to reference.
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Jul 19, 2009 08:09
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marshmallard posted:You mean "Does anyone have anything I can copy"? I have my own words, I just need the grammar.
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Jul 19, 2009 22:53
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Pantothenate posted:Pshhh. Such a thief you. ARE? I dont copy grammar from book texts and I use for write to be. AM GOOD?! with for to writing grammar.
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Jul 20, 2009 10:37
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I'm still working on a portfolio re-design, but in the meantime I think I may have lucked out and am scheduled for a third-level face-to-face interview with a web company. The job is for a vector artist, which is something I happen to actually be quite good at. Anybody have any idea what I might expect if I were to work full-time for a gaming website? It's still a longshot, but I don't want to be suckered into another bad position like I was with my "internship". They're based in the Bay Area and supposedly have a long list of popular games for Myspace and such, but would even a popular company like that have enough capital to pay a fair wage? Even entry-level wages for an artist or graphic designer in the Bay Area would be something like $25 hourly. How do I a) put myself in a better position to succeed in this job interview and b) ensure I don't get sucked into something unpleasant?
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Jul 29, 2009 23:29
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The guy who was in charge of my "internship" aka free labor a few months back is getting rid of some of his desktop towers. They're super-fast, loaded with design software and some other stuff I don't have access to since my old, no-longer-supported version of Photoshop died on me. In exhange he wants 50 hours of free design work. Even I know this is a ripoff, considering he still owes me about $180 for commuting costs, but assuming I were to write those off, what would a reasonable amount of free design work be? I still like the guy, and he's thrown a few paid gigs my way, but I refuse to be taken advantage of... again.
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Sep 11, 2009 13:31
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Eww. He got back to me with the computer's specs and it seems a bit ancient. A four year-old computer with 1GB of RAM, 500 gigs of storage and he didn't mention the processor speed. As for the CS4 design suite, I'd only be willing to pay what he paid for it, which is nothing. So yes, it would not be worth the 50 hours of design work. I might try for one of the faster computers he's selling instead. The work itself, when I interned with him, tended to be low-end stuff like magnificent7 detailed in his story. It sounds like he wants to outsource my labor like he was starting to when I quit, and those rush jobs never produced anything worth presenting.
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Sep 12, 2009 01:07
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Does anyone have any experience with Academy of Art University in San Francisco? I was planning on taking a few courses to improve my sorry design skills, build up my portfolio, and make a few Bay Area contacts. I'm more interested in expanding my practical knowledge than getting another design degree. How much are courses there, and are they any good? How's their job placement program?
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Nov 7, 2009 11:59
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qirex posted:I won't post my usual rant but it's incredibly expensive and I've never heard anything good about their job placement program. Err, on second thought, if I were to pursue a MFA in illustration with the intent of someday teaching college, is there a decent Northern California school for that? AAU has that option too, but I still have my doubts about the place (although there's talk of their illustration program being good). The CSU system up here in Northern California seems to be a bit lacking in art programs. Are there any good art schools in Northern California (not just the Bay Area) that aren't nearly as expensive as AAU? KittenofDoom fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Nov 9, 2009 |
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Nov 9, 2009 10:39
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After a ton of research, I'm fairly sure I want to go into AAU's MFA program for illustration. In spite of the cost and some other departments' reputations, their illustration program seems really, really good. It's even been credited as such in this thread. I've checked around, and AAU is one of only two schools in the entire STATE that has an MFA for illustration. The other is CSU Fullerton in Southern California, which likely wouldn't accept me because my first degree is in graphic design. I want to go for an MFA instead of another BFA because I'd like to teach someday, plus I'd rather not deal with too many kids straight out of high school. If I do this for one semester at first to feel out the program, and the cost of the two classes I'd take won't set me back too far, is this a terrible idea? It seems like there's a lot of practical skills I can gain from them.
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Nov 16, 2009 12:57
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I'm going to try to finance it with FAFSA. If I regret it, it won't be too huge a debt and it'll be a fairly low interest rate as well. Still, the cost of an MFA there is cheaper than the cost of an unaccredited degree from a place like Art Center in Pasadena.
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Dec 6, 2009 13:14
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