Lately I've been advising my students, friends and colleagues on landing a job. The recent outpour of requests has led to a brief list of 5 easy steps I've created, and has been useful (well, I guess) to those I've passed it on to.
I suppose it could do quite a few others some good as well. Now remember, this is somewhat specific to advertising and graphic design, but you'll get the idea.....
To land your DREAM JOB, do these 5 things:
1. Freelance work on weekends and evenings can diversify your portfolio and build your professional network of contacts and references. To get started, try guru.com and craigslist
2. Find your DREAM JOB at a company that has clients you would kill to work for, and a team that has creativity and innovation oozing out of its hallways. To get started, find great design firms and agencies linked up at k10k, designiskinky, threeoh
3. Design spec work--in order to land your DREAM JOB you have to create ad campaigns, write creative briefs and design websites for your DREAM CLIENTS, ideally ones on the agency's client roster. You'll show them you can design and create for their clientele.
4. Build yourself a website. An online portfolio of your work can do wonders to expedite the process of getting your work in front of potential employers. With just a basic knowledge of html, a domain name (Network Solutions), cheap reliable hosting company (mediatemple) and a more professional email address than Hotmail.
5. Look for jobs--no, REALLY LOOK for jobs! Make it your business to scour the web (indeed.com) and keep your resume on file at careerbuilder and American Job Bank --its tedious to go through their posting processes, but it is well worth it!
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