More Survival Tactics for Graphic Design Students
In our last article we pinpointed two important things to help you survive graphic design school — time management and not to constantly compare yourself with your fellow classmates. This time around, we’ll delve into some pro-active issues for you to try.

Find a Buddy or Two
Graphic design majors have quite a bit on their plates — they must learn and assimilate a variety of design methods, hone their graphic design skills, work on class projects, and tackle the academics related to art history, trends, and design. All of this can become overwhelming if you don’t have a few friends to support you.

Graphic design majors encounter unique challenges and situations that non-liberal arts majors do not normally come across. Graphic design students must constantly rely on their creativity, artistic talents, and design skills to be successful in their classes. This heavy reliance on imagination and originality can sometimes be quite draining.

Establishing a few close friendships in graphic design school can bolster morale and self-confidence through the sharing of common experiences, to bounce ideas off one another, and to generate a support system that all can benefit from in your group.

The creative process can sometimes be a lonely one, but if you support others, they’ll also support you as well.

Get Involved in Classwork
It is easy to become passive in class. Most of our past educational experiences have placed us in situations where we listen quietly while the teacher presents the material. But in graphic design school, the situation changes because the things you learn are creative in nature and cannot be passively internalized. In other words, you must do and not just listen.

The art projects and assignments that are given to you help form the basis of what you need to learn in order to qualify for jobs in graphic design, media, or other related fields.

Some students just do enough to get by but in doing so they miss out on the crucial elements of discipline and process of producing professional quality work. Try not to look at your art projects as busy work, but see them as building blocks for your artistic and design skills.

Ask Questions in Class
Your professor is there to teach you, but also take advantage of the process of asking questions in class to clarify or expand upon a particular topic.

If something is not clear to you, chances are that you are not the only one in class that doesn’t’ understand.

Try to schedule an appointment with your instructor in topics that you need extra help in. You are paying for your education and getting the help you need is not outside the boundaries of school protocol.

Next Time…
As your graduation from your graphic design school approaches, your thoughts will be centered on looking for a job in graphic design, web design, illustration, photography, or one of the other media arts. In the next article we’ll look into the typical work environment and qualifications that a typical job in graphic design requires.

You may be contemplating going to a graphic design school or graphic design college to earn your degree. Or you may already be enrolled in a design program. What can you do to make your experience better while attending a design college?

The following advice and tips may help you to understand the process of what it takes to get the most out of your graphic design school.

Time Management
This is probably one of the most important things that you can work on while attending graphic design school.

In addition to understanding and assimilating the information from your classes and lectures, you’ll also be charged with the duty of turning in your art projects and assignments on time.

Managing your time is crucial to the quality of your projects and will allow you to get the most out of your assignments. This means that you’ll have to be brutally honest about how important your recreational activities are to you and whether you will need to sacrifice some events in order to finish your projects.

Concentrate On Your Own Education
In any creative environment where you are surrounded by others who possess talent, there is an unconscious need to see how you compare to everyone else.

This is perfectly normal as we’d like to find out how good we are. But over emphasizing this informal competition can sometimes be a distraction to your own graphic design education.

The main reason why you are attending a graphic design college is to acquire and receive the proper career training that you’ll need for a graphic design job. If you concentrate too much on how everyone else is doing in your classes, you may be sidetracked in developing your own talent and skills by worrying about everyone else.

You can have some friendly competition with others, but don’t be distracted from your own development as a graphic designer.

Next Time…
We’ll present more survival tips that can help you to get the most from your graphic design school. See you then!

The Basics So Far
In our last few articles we’ve covered topics related to properly preparing for graphic design job interviews and ideas for designing creative resumes.

In this new series we’ll explore what sorts of traits successful professionals in design or creative positions commonly possess. . .
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What the Employers Say They Want
The original information was researched by Preston Lee, an award winning graphic designer, who queried design professionals from different firms.

He asked them what sort of traits they believed are inherent in people who work in jobs that required creativity.

The following list of attributes isn’t exhaustive by any means but may be useful in determining whether you have “the right stuff” to work for a design or media firm.

The List
What is interesting to note is that of all the traits that were mentioned as valuable for a career in design, very little was said about actual talent.

The responses were generally about personal character, good attitude, and good communication skills.

Of course talent is a factor, but this seems to be a given and employers are looking for that extra “something” from potential hires in addition to talent alone. We’ll list the top responses here with a short comment for each trait.

• Be motivated and eager to learn. Design methods and software are constantly changing, so a graphic designer who continues to learn becomes a valuable team member to the company.

• Be curious about the industry. This could also be rephrased, “Be interested in your work.” A fresh perspective of where the industry is heading shows employers that you are involved and engaged in your work.

• Get a good education. Preparing yourself for a career in graphic design, illustration, or one of the many related fields in the arts means getting the best education that is available to you. Graphic design schools and graphic design colleges can help you to receive the graphic design education you need to qualify for jobs in the industry. Most entry level jobs require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

• Be authentic. It is sometimes hard to admit a lack of knowledge when searching for a solution to a design problem. But pretending to know everything isn’t the way to go either. Just be yourself. Employers want people that can fit into their organizations.

• Network constantly. Or in other words, communicate! Errors in design concepts can sometimes be attributable to nothing more than just a misunderstanding of project guidelines or the assumption that the other party knows what is expected. Design companies need people who can effectively communicate.

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Next Time…
We’ll list some more traits that graphic design employers seek in their new hires.

We’ll also discuss some of the things that you can do to increase your chances of becoming hired with a design company, or other firm dealing with the visual arts.

Targeted Resumes
In Graphic Design Resumes: Plain or Different - Part II, we’ll show examples of resumes that are specifically created to draw the interest of a particular type of employer in graphic design, illustration, or other connected field.

These resumes are targeted towards the potential hirer much like how advertising is aimed at a specific demographic group.

The following resumes are truly unique and attention getting. After we go over each one we’ll discuss when, if ever, it is appropriated to submit resumes of this nature.

In creating these resumes, the individuals truly must have used what they learned at their graphic design schools to create these interesting documents.
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A Video Game Resume
If you have ever played an RPG (role playing game) or a shooter, you’ll recognize the resume format immediately. This industrious job seeker has taken on the motif of a video game status screen.

He included his various talents and skills and rated them according to a video game format that indicates the strengths and weaknesses of a game character.

But in this case, he has substituted the game attributes for his design and animation skills. Why did he do this? He’s applying for a job as a video game animator.

The resume shows style, creativity, and a sense of humor. To see the resume, click on the image.
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A True Graphic Artist Resume
In this example, the resume writer has elected to format his document in the form of a business graphics report. Pretty cute, eh? It serves to show off his design skills while also adding a little humor to his resume as well.

He pie-charts and graphs his skills and shows his daily routine through the use of a 3D graph. He even registers how much coffee intake he has during the day.

A time-line shows his work experience and time worked at various locations.

The resume is colorful and attention getting. To see the resume, click on the image.

A Horror Filled Multimedia Resume
I couldn’t stop reading and smiling at this particular resume.

The creator of this document is seeking employment as a multimedia specialist. And what better way to sell yourself than to create a movie poster of your abilities, skills, and talents?

The resume reflects a creative, if not slightly off-beat, mind behind the document. It is certainly entertaining, and shows a person who has a sharp wit.

Definitely worth a second look by the human resources department or hiring manager. To see the resume, click on the image.
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Professional Artistic Resume
Perhaps you’d feel a little more comfortable submitting a creative resume that is a little more subdued.

The following example is what you are looking for. This resume lists all the qualifications that are normally found on a standard resume - work experience, education, graphic arts skills, and computer software abilities, but in a creative way.

In this case, the resume artist has included the logos for all the popular graphics software that is used in graphic design. By incorporating these elements into his resume, he creates a nice piece of eye-candy for the viewer while also informing the employer of his abilities.

To see the resume, click on the image.
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Should You or Shouldn’t You?
A resume should give a clear summary of your skills, education, work experience, and your goals. How you package this information is a judgment call. You have to consider what type of firm you are seeking employment from. If it is a firm known for being creative and cutting edge, a creative resume may work.

If the firm is more traditional in nature, you may want to take the approach of an artistic, but more subdued resume to catch the eye of the hiring personnel.

Regardless of which route you choose–traditional or creative, it never hurts to add a little color or design to your resume. This makes sense since your career training in a graphic design college has prepared you for projects like this. After all, you are in the creative arts.

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The Job Interview Questions Everyone Knows About
At the heart any job interview is a vetting process that relies heavily on a candidate’s response to questions. Interviews can be challenging if you don’t know what sorts of questions will be asked.

But virtually everyone is familiar with the “standard issue” questions:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What are your plans for the next five years?
• What can you bring to this company if you are hired?

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While these questions have worked in the past to screen individuals for job positions, the mere fact that they are so well recognized by the general public has taken much of the edge and usefulness away from them.

This doesn’t mean that you won’t be asked these questions during a job interview, but you should also be prepared for questions that are “outside the box.”

Questions That Make You Think
Firms are using an alternative interview method based upon behavioral responses from potential hires.

Questions that are behaviorally based try to determine how well a job candidate may fit into the company based upon the person’s performance on previous jobs.

Behavioral interview questions can reveal how a job candidate reacts under pressure, how well the individual works with others, and how creative the person is in problem solving.

Some of the behavioral questions you may encounter during a job interview are:

• What did you do about coworkers that were uncooperative and difficult to work with?
• When you didn’t agree with your supervisor or manager about something job related, what did you do?
• When you were criticized about your performance on a project you were working on, what did you do?
• Tell me three things you would change about your last job and why?
• Give me an example of how you motivated other coworkers to do better in their work.
• Tell me about a time when you were able to use your creativity and problem solving skills to complete a difficult project or request.
• Tell me what you did when your design for a project wasn’t working out as planned.

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Make Sure You Can Remember
Behavioral interview questions dig deep into your past, so make sure you are prepared to answer questions of this sort. If you just graduated from a graphic design school, the questions you are asked will be in relation to your school experience.

Next Time
We’ll wrap up this series with the topic, “Things Job Interviewers Won’t Tell You.”

In this upcoming article we’ll explore what the interviewer is looking for in a job candidate, what things that can fail you during the interview, and whether you should accept the job offer.

Job Interviews
If you are a student in graphic design, graphic arts or illustration, you’ve probably wondered about the interview process in applying for a job.

While job interviews can take on a variety of scenarios, you can still be prepared.

The tips presented in this series do not guarantee you a graphics job, but they can help you to organize, plan and possibly increase your chances for a successful job interview.
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How to Prepare Before the Interview
Preparation can play a significant role in the outcome of job interviews.

By doing your research and being aware of what is expected for the job position, you can enhance your credibility and professionalism in the eyes of the interviewer.

Prior to showing up for the job interview you can prepare yourself by going over the following suggestions and plans of action:
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• Portfolio. Assemble your portfolio in a conscious effort to meet the needs of the company or firm you are applying at.  Keep it concise and to the point. You don’t want to bore the interviewer with examples that don’t represent your best work.
• Background. Your interviewer will probably ask what you know about the company. Present a few detailed facts about the firm. This shows that you are interested in the company and have done your part to be informed.
• Dress the Part. Try to find out what sort of dress code the office has for its workers. You want to dress appropriately in order to fit in. Being neat and casual sometimes works better than wearing a suit. Check or ask before your interview appointment.
• Materials: In addition to your portfolio, bring along copies of your resume, a disc of your work examples, and a cover letter just in case the items were lost in processing. Also bring your driver’s license, social security card, and three references.

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• Groom. Personal hygiene should not be forgotten. Do all you can to appear fresh and clean.
• Be Punctual. Plan to arrive early–at least 20 minutes or sooner. This will take into account any time that you may loose by getting lost or other tie-ups. Arriving early also gives you a chance to catch your breath, scope out the area, and relax.

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The Primary Interview Formats
There are usually two types of job interview formats that employers choose to use:

* Traditional - In this method, the interviewer asks candidates about their strengths and weaknesses, why they want to work for the company, what their goals are for the next 3 to 5 years, and other standard questions that are quite common to this style of interview.
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Employers use this method to determine the applicant’s communication skills, experience, and suitability as a team player.

* Behavioral - More companies are adopting this interview approach because it probes the potential employee’s past performance as an indication of how well the candidate may perform in the work firm’s work environment.

Questions are asked about how the individual handled coworker conflicts, project challenges, ingenuity in problem solving and other questions related to on-the-job performance and actions.

Next Time…
In the following parts of this series, we’ll delve into the aspects of what to do during the interview process, how to avoid pitfalls during the interview and more so stayed tuned.