What do you do to best represent you?

Quick note: I initially wrote this as a submission to another site that was asking people to contribute their thoughts behind the idea of non-graphic (i.e. account management) professionals having a portfolio. At the time, I was still searching for work and put together the post below. However, I didn’t complete the write up in time to be considered, as the site had already selected the post to publish. Given that it’s been over 7 months since I wrote this, I figured it would be OK to publish on my site, with some minor edits. With that being said, here are my thoughts on the subject of having a portfolio.

I suppose the very people who are going to overlook this post are the very people that this is being written for. If you’re a Graphic/Print/Web designer, then this post isn’t really for you, because you already (or should already) know the reasons why you should have one. For everyone else who was not previously mentioned, please follow along.

During the course of working in various advertising agencies, in-house departments and everything in-between, you more than likely worked on a slew of projects that are behind closed doors and locked cages. You contributed blood, sweat and tears into new branding concepts and advertising campaigns, only to lock them down behind barred walls for others to view as they pass by. And you move on as the next new beast comes into your zoo. This cycle continues to repeat itself. Each time some new design was completed and approved that designer(s) quickly took a snapshot for him/herself, because they knew what it meant: Another proof of their mastery and skill. Another proof of their contribution and completed work in taming the beast that was your project. But my question to you is: what about you?

You also contributed to finished designs and helped to guide the final product as well. When you saw something that was amiss, you pointed it out. When a proof was provided to you that didn’t fit with the client’s objectives, you asked for it to be re-done. Yet, as Account Managers/Executives, Proofreaders, Traffickers and etc… why haven’t you also considered sponging a copy for yourself. There are elements of you in that finished layout and it is evidence of your advertising identity.

A portfolio is not only for our better halves (i.e. graphic designers). It’s also for you and I.

Portfolios should show your greatest hits, just like an iPod plays your favorite music. What you put in it represents your style and ability to manage a project to completion. It reflects a commitment to ensure the final piece is accurate and that it was approved as having met the need of the client that it was produced for. It is your history, just as much as it is the person who actually did the design work. When you’re in the interview and the question comes up, “What was the last project you worked on and how did it turn out?”, wouldn’t it be nice to say, “Here, let me show you and explain how it was utilized”. When a client asks for the previous work you’ve done, so that they can discern the truth in your representation of being the best person they should let manage their advertising projects, do you really want to have an empty bag to present your past accomplishments? Even though I have only worked for a few years in this industry, each time that I went out on an interview, I had my portfolio with me. Sure it is short and it doesn’t reflect every bit of work or projects that I’ve been a part of, but it reflects what I consider the very best of my contribution to each of the projects that I am showcasing.

Further, your portfolio is a conversation starter and if presented right, can be very engaging. At the very least, you have the opportunity to deter the enormous amount of questions that are waiting to come your way, while you break down the ice in your interview. It’s a yielding moment that the interviewer provides to you, which allows you to gain more comfort with presenting your past hits and it’s in that moment that you can calm yourself for the remainder of the interview. Nothing is easier, then to discuss past projects as you flip through the pages of your previous work, because, at the heart of it all, you are talking about yourself.

Essentially, a portfolio maintains your zoo.

Stop leaving your successes behind.

Take your snapshots of the tamed projects of your past and lean on them once more to champion you through to that next beast of a project from a client and/or career opportunity.

——-@ds

A month or so back, I was on Linkedin commenting on a topic that I had initially started and someone posted something of interest about job searching. The gentleman brought up a situation that had happened to him and in it, he proposed the idea of offering yourself for free to a company in exchange for either: being considered for a future position later; references to jobs that you are still applying and seeking, and/or the benefit of keeping your skills abreast with the changes in the work environment. I thought the idea had some potential usefulness.

I recently came back to this idea and thought, “why not”. During this time of being laid off and the countless applications for positions, networking through my contacts and etc… not one of the employers have found me worthy enough to hire. That’s been very frustrating, because I can’t recall a time in my life where I was unable to find a job for a stretch of time as long as it currently has been. There was only one time before that I was out of work for just about 3-months, but that was because my internship with Disney on their College Program came to an end. That has been the only other time that I have been remotely in a similar situation. And, yes, I know that many others are going through this and that it is not just me. But it is still frustrating, nonetheless.

With that being said, I reread the post on Linkedin that spoke about offering your services for free and I decided to give it a shot. I saw a job in my field that was asking for an intern for the summer with the *possibility* of being brought on. I thought, “What better an opportunity to offer myself to a place than one that is seeking an intern to begin with”.

A short time later I received the standard reply that my resume has been received and that it will be looked over to see if it meets their needs. I couldn’t believe that in offering myself for free, it didn’t even yield a phone interview. I’m hoping that I am actually being considered, sort of like I’m hoping on all the countless jobs I’ve applied to (of which some responses are just now coming in and they have all been “no” so far). I know that this wasn’t a no, but I have a lingering sensation that it was indeed a “no”. I think my jaw almost dropped. I just lifted it back up.

Am I not even good enough for free?

Really?

——-@ds

Addendum:

This won’t deter me; the mission continues…  

You want me smarter or dumber?

I’ve started thinking about the idea regarding dumbing one’s resume down. The idea behind this is for an individual to have a resume that employers wouldn’t see as being over qualified. I already have a personal pet peeve with the statement, “over qualified”. In my opinion, when I hear “over qualified” I immediately want to respond, “Then that means I am more than capable of handling the tasks of this position, so what’s the problem?” It is a poor, subjective reason to justify overlooking or deciding against an applicant, while providing no real reason for the decision. If I want to take and/or apply for a position that is a step or two lower then my skill set, shouldn’t that be my prerogative? And if it is, then why would anyone not consider someone simply on the basis of being more qualified for the position? I’m aware that many companies and hiring managers seem to have this belief that if they hire someone that is over qualified, then that means the individual is only using the job as a filler until they find another opportunity that is more complementary of their skill set. There’s also the second idea that the company believes they will have to pay more for the individual, but isn’t that part of what salary negotiating is about? I understand this line of thinking, but I also understand that it is not true in every case. When I apply for a position that I may be somewhat over qualified for, I’m actually looking at it as an opportunity to learn more in a specific area that the position addresses and use it as a means to enter a company to grow within. Isn’t this a fundamental idea behind career development and growth within a company?

When I look at my resume, I do not see how it is over qualified for any of the positions that I’ve applied for, but I have a heard a number of times now that this is the case. This has now led me to reconsider the content that is contained in my resume. The sad thing is that no one should actually have to consider revising their resume when it is correct in its representation and accurate with regard to their professional experience, and applicable for the job that they are applying to. This isn’t a stance against tailoring your resume so it more aptly reflects the job you’re pursuing, but simply the aspect of taking information from it or altering it in such a way that it makes you appear less qualified then you really are. It also seems to suggest a bit of a contradiction as to what employers really want. If it’s true that they want someone that is intelligent, capable, sound, driven, knowledgeable and experienced; then isn’t the idea surrounding dumbing one’s resume down a conflict in principle? And why should someone have to present themselves in a false manner in an effort to underplay their skill set, for an employer that is claiming to be looking for the best and brightest? Is it that they want the best and brightest liars?

I do not believe that anyone should have to under represent themselves in order to achieve what they are seeking, yet, I understand why people do it. I understand why people feel like they have to do it. It’s something that I am now grappling with and I don’t like it. I don’t want to under represent myself. I simply want a fair chance for what I am seeking. When people have been employed and have lied about their experience and certifications to gain the employment, only to be found out later to be fraudulent, they’re usually promptly fired, regardless of how well they may have performed the duties associated with their position. However, companies do not seem to have a problem with doing this exact same thing, but in reverse. If a person applies for a job and claims to have a masters degree and 15 years of experience, when they really only have an associates degree and 3 years of experience; while another person who may have a masters degree and 20 years of experience, but under represents their qualifications, then what really is the difference? Personally, I don’t believe there is anything different between someone who under represents and a person who over represents their self, because in both instances it’s a matter of spinning around the issue. I wonder if companies simply want to buy into the idea that applicants appear less qualified, while hoping that they are able to bring more to the table. Again, this is pure hypocrisy. If you want someone with more to offer then get the person who is offering more, rather then someone who feels forced into lowering their skill set in an effort to meet a level of standards that are not even being upheld. Standards. That’s what this is all about. Given all of this, I’m now at a conundrum where I either continue with my resume as it is and maintain my principals or “dumb it down”. It’s a decision that I am not happy with having to face, but the real decision that companies need to face is: Do you want your applicants smarter or dumber?

Feedback or opinions on the post? I’m all ears, share them here!

——-@ds

Handwritten or Email?

After my most recent interview, I started to sit down and write a thank you letter to the interviewer on one of my “thank you” cards that I purchased a while back. After realizing that my penmanship (when writing in a very small space) has taken a hit after all these years of sending emails, messaging, texting and etc… I began to wonder if sending out a hand written thank you card even matters any more. Is it even considered more meaningful then sending exactly what you are writing as an email?

By sending it as an email, it’s instantaneous and clear. There’s no issue of wondering if the writing is legible or coming across in a professional manner. You also do not have to worry if it was “lost in the mail” or shuffled into some indiscriminate pile at the employer’s office. In contrast, when sending a hand written letter, it’s more personal and shows that you took the time to think about the person. It also reflects that you’re willing to physically write out and mail your note to them. Yet, I still find that I spend the same amount of time thinking about what I am going to say, whether I am writing or emailing it. That part does not change. The difference for me is the time it takes to actually pen the note by hand and in my case the effort I went through to ensure it was professional looking.

To compensate for my penmanship and the fact that it was angling downward to the right side, I realized that when time and money permits, I need to go and involve myself in a penmanship class to correct this issue. I also had to use a ruler and a pencil to outline very faint lines to keep my writing straight. Further, in an effort to ensure my penmanship looked cleaner, I wrote out my note in pencil in a very light manner and then traced over that with the actual pen. Later, I used an eraser to remove all the pencil markings.

However, this attention to detail and care is not something that will be noticed by the employer. In an interview prior to this last one, I didn’t send out a thank you card, instead I sent out an email to the three people that interviewed me and I can tell you that I didn’t get a better or worse response with the emailed “thank you” letter vs. the handwritten attempt. So, the question still remains, does it really matter to mail out a handwritten “thank you” letter after an interview or is email a fully acceptable manner to send such a letter, with the exception of those niche people that may actually consider the hand written note a reflection on a person’s professionalism and quality?

——-@ds

Ouch: Oh and one other thing, I need to buy better pens cause my middle finger was destroyed after pressing so hard on the pen I was using to write with. Any high quality (and very comfortable), pen suggestions? :-p

Just making a minor post today. A couple of weeks ago, as many of you know and some probably didn’t know, I interviewed for a job with a local ad agency in Orlando, FL. The position was for a Client Services Manager and the interview went very well as it touched on all the major points that I was interested and/or concerned about. I felt that I represented myself very well. I was told that I would receive a call back by today. True to the owner’s word, I received that call and although I can not say that my search for my career is over, I can say that it was the most pleasant phone call one could receive when being turned down for a position. The owner was very kind in the reason why I wasn’t chosen and where most places really do not say anything or very little, I at least obtained beneficial information. I gave myself only three minutes to feel “down” about it (okay, maybe it was more like 5 minutes, and yes, for those that know me, this was a direct rip from the first episode of LOST), but I refused to let it shift my attitude from the positive experience I had with the interviews (the phone and face to face) and the follow-up phone call. I thanked the owner for the call back, stated that if anything changes or if the new hire doesn’t work out, that I would still be interested. I was told in kind that my resume and information would be kept and should anything come across in the future, I will be kept in mind. Although it is with regret that I didn’t earn the opportunity, this has not stopped me from my quest of running without condition. I will continue my career search and looking for the next best chance to “jumpstart my career“. 

I also tend to look at this in another way. While it is true that I am out of the running for this position and that 1-3 other people are still vying for the opportunity (to whom I wish them well); once one of those three obtain the position, that will be one less person for me to compete with for the next career opportunity, even though I would have preferred being the one chosen for the position. So I shall persist onward. I think it is far too easy for one to feel down (even hurt) about losing out on a great opportunity. Not only the opportunity to end the almost 8-month unemployment status that I’ve had (with many people being out of work even longer), but also the opportunity to have a fresh start. It’s much harder to maintain a positive attitude, accept the loss, firm up and commit yourself to moving forward; without any regrets. For me, it’s all I really have. I can either sulk or I can be proactive. I choose the latter.

——-@ds

What Lies Ahead

Well, I woke up today and started wondering how long this madness of being unemployed was going to carry on. At the onset of this thought, I went to a folder on my computer which is a repository for all the jobs that I apply to. My method of retaining this information is as follows:

1. Find a job posting to apply to
2. Select print and save the job description page as a PDF
3. Save the PDF to my folder: “Jobs applied to”

I do this each and every time. Part of the reason is so I can keep track of where and when I am applying for the Unemployment agency in Florida in case they ask me for proof. The other part of this process is to prove to myself, when I am doubting whether or not I have put enough effort into the search, that I have indeed been putting out my best effort in looking for my next career opportunity, by being able to look back on the total files saved and the dates of creation. Initially, I had kept a log in a notepad of this information, but decided that was getting very tedious and annoying. So, I resorted to this method which works perfectly. I looked at it again today and noticed that I have saved about 65 jobs in this folder as PDF’s (or, if the page does not output correctly as a PDF, then I copy the contents of the job description and save it as a text file). Now, these 65 files do not include the emails I’ve sent to a few Advertising Agencies (I believe the number to be about 5) as a means of reaching out, even though they had no job postings. Also, this doesn’t include my initial notepad of jobs that I had applied to in the initial weeks of having been laid 0ff. My notepad contains a total number of 24 jobs. When considering these facts, my best estimate is around 94 jobs in total. Along with this is the fact that it has now been 7 months that I have been out of work. That means, on average, I’ve applied to about 13.4 jobs per month. Breaking this down even further; 3.4 jobs per week.

During this time, I’ve had only one interview and the company found me from my profile on Creative Hotlist. I interviewed for the position and found that the opportunity sounded ideal for what I was looking for; this was back in December. After about 2 followups with the response being that the position is delayed or is on a hiring freeze, I surmised that either they were not interested in me or that they would contact me when the position was truly ready (I also didn’t want to come across as a nuisance, even though I have an urge to send a third email, I mean, it had been about 3 months as of April since my last inquiry and I still had not heard of a final decision). Update: I followed my instincts and sent a third follow up on April 16th. I received a reply on April 23rd and was told that they liked me (which was great to hear), but that they are not able to create the position for their department at this time. Should something change at a later date, they will let me know. This was great to hear and it was equally nice to be able to put behind me the nagging thought of, “are they still interested?”. I never stopped applying for other career opportunities just because I landed an interview, but it was the only “second-stage” opportunity I have had, and it was nice to have some form of finality with the matter.

Personally, I have applied to a number of companies throughout the United States and locally to Florida. That means that there was 89 (not including the 5 applications that I sent out to companies that had no positions listed) positions that were at one point available that I felt qualified enough to apply to. In terms of these other jobs that I have applied to, what’s even more trying is knowing that I have had personal referrals for some jobs through direct acquaintances/contacts on both ends. While this doesn’t always tend to lead to an advantage, it appears that more and more people are landing back in their careers (or another form of it) through their network and while I still have to make my case as to why I am qualified, it’s perplexing that no one seems interested in setting up an interview. In my case:

1. I know of a few companies that are still hiring
2. Have posted positions that need to be filled
3. Have received my application and, more than likely, applications from others that are qualified
4. Have said nothing
5. Only to re-post the position a few weeks later
6. I look at the position (again) and review my resume, while coming to the conclusion that I am capable of fulfilling this role
7. And with no response from the company, I am left wondering: “Why not?”

I know what I am capable of and I know that of all the positions I have applied to, that I am able to perform the tasks required of me and with a fair amount of time, digging deeper in to my role to find more efficiencies that will provide a good return to the company and my direct team. Maybe it’s truly an issue of responsiveness and the companies that have been applied to are just slow to respond. Maybe phone calls or emails will start happening in the coming weeks and will hopefully lead to my next opportunity. Maybe I have to hold out a bit longer then others that have been able to bounce back and if so, OK, I can handle that. I can deal with that outcome. This is all a possibility. A possibility that I am still fervently holding on to.

Update 2: I just had the opportunity for another interview today, May 28, 2009. It was a really great experience and I feel that the position’s details and my background complement each other really well. I hope this opportunity yields itself to me, as I see so many opportunities to learn and grow, and to obtain even more knowledge in various areas of advertising, print, SEO, video, writing and production. These are areas that I have knowledge in, but could really obtain more direct knowledge. It also provides the opportunity to really have more of an overall impact and the way the interview was set up felt extremely casual and seemed to diffuse any stress I had coming in. It was conducted positively and addressed all my issues/concerns. I really hope this opportunity pans out as I feel that I was equally received very positively. I know I did the best that I could and feel that it came across as such. I will be told of the decision in about a week and a half. Exciting opportunity; anxiously awaiting!

——-@ds

We Are Here and We Are Ready

I’ve written a lot about my personal trials, refocusing and the shifting in my thinking about the current perils of being unemployed from my perspective (and about myself on a personal level). This post today is being written for those companies throughout the U.S. that have positions posted, but seem to be stalled in their hiring; or failing to do so. By “failing to do so”, this is not meant for companies that are still on a hiring freeze or those that do not have the budget to hire another person, rather, this is meant for the companies that are in the exact opposite position. They have opportunities needing to be filled and the budget to fill them, but they seem to be slow in doing so. It’s not that there’s an expectation for a day or a week turnaround. It is understood that this is a time consuming process, but on behalf of those of us that are in need of work and are actively seeking day in and day out; we need you, the company, to be better. Right now, we need you to come through for both of us as we are seeing your positions and are applying, but to no avail, there seems to be a lack of response from you. In addition, you need us, because until that position is fulfilled, either your business is being held back and/or someone is seriously overworked, which can still have a detrimental affect on your business. It’s difficult to be in this situation, but to constantly see opportunities that are available and some that consistently reappear with new listing dates, but with no response to the previous applicants before it is re-posted, is defeating. One can directly assume if there is no response; no interest. It is a fair assumption to make in today’s job application process. Yet, given what is going on in the economy and that it is not a secular issue, there should be better diligence in the application process.

It’s not that we don’t understand (“we” being the unemployed/laid off). Current economic conditions have caused many companies to reign in their hiring budgets. Many have tried to combine different types of positions into one to cut down on the overhead. And along with this comes the countless flooding of our voices reaching out to you via our resumes, contacts, emails, faxes, head-hunters/recruiters, online job listing services, phone calls and (if the job seeker is lucky) personal contact every time a company puts out a listing, even if it is for only one position. We understand that you have a bombardment of cover letters and resumes all detailing to you why the applicant is qualified and it becomes almost burdensome to try and respond, or to make a decision. But, let’s face it: for all the good and bad, we need you to make that decision. We need you to have your HR departments, or your hiring managers, be more conscientious in their hiring practices and to actually want to fill these positions (not have to, but want to). Not only do we need you to be better, your business needs you to be better, because it needs us to help it continue to succeed. With respect to the aforementioned, I do not want to demean the fact that there are many employees out there that are doing the best they can and a lot of HR representatives that are over worked and understaffed, trying to do what they may feel like is an insurmountable task; reviewing hundreds if not thousands of applicants from every corner of our country, for only a handful of positions. Filtering through tons of applicants, even from some who may not really be qualified, but still felt the need to just “try”. We know that it is a time consuming process and that many people are doing what they can to the point that it may not seem like there’s enough hours in the day. They understand, as do we, that no one wants to be in this boat and all of us are not going to make it out anytime soon, but nothing is more defeating than for companies to seemingly do nothing, while constantly post that they have an opportunity.

Given this, even more stringent criteria is being placed on filling open positions, which brings up another issue: relocation. In spite of the state line divisions within the United States, we are still one country. This means that an applicant in one state is not incapable of moving to another. Sure, it’s not the ideal situation for everyone, but it may be the only realistic situation for some. To those companies that have “no relocation” on their job postings: Stop for a moment and consider that if the only thing standing between you and an applicant, is the fact that you’re in another state, that doesn’t mean that the applicant isn’t qualified or is unwilling to move his or her self to your state for your opportunity without the need of your help. You can still talk to and consider those of us that are in different states. You can make it clear that you’re unable to assist with the relocation, if this is truly the case, and allow us to consider that choice of having to shoulder the entire cost of the move for the position in your company. This should be the case if only the relocation is the barrier. It’s clear that not everyone is able to relocate without some help, but there are plenty of other people who are able to consider this as an option. If you are able to help with relocating, then we would greatly appreciate it! However, I am confident that I speak for many others that would like to not be overlooked, due to an issue of distance, if they have the means of moving for an opportunity without your assistance. We all understand what is going on and some concessions will have to be collectively made, but distance should not stand between you and those of us capable of making the move.

In the process of writing this, I’ve started to notice that there’s been an uptick in people being hired and this is great news. It’s a positive feeling to an almost dreadful experience. Yet, I believe it is possible for us to collectively make it even better:

1. For those of us that are out of work and see positions that are available, but of no interest to yourself, please pass them along to your other friends and/or colleagues that are seeking as well.  Even consider posting the positions to group boards or social sites to spread the word for others that may be interested in it
2. If you’ve found employment, make sure that when you’ve had a chance to settle in, that you look for positions within your company that are available and pass those along as stated in number 1
3. If you’re currently working, please don’t take it for granted and refer to 1 and 2 to contribute to those of us that are still searching

The steps above are only part of a solution and will do some good, because as more people transition out of being unemployed, that means the next opportunity might swing towards the rest of us that are still in this boat. However, with companies like Disney laying off large numbers of people as they have recently done, that equally decreases the chance for those of us that have been out of work for a while (even those that have been out longer than my current running of 7-months) to find employment. In the end, we (applicants) understand that you (companies) are constantly being bombarded with resumes from persistent hopefuls. But, again, we need you to be better and for you to be dutiful; for both our sakes. Just as the seeker needs to re-evaluate him or her self and the options that are available to us; companies need to re-evaluate their processes and to make sure they’re not overlooking someone based on an issue of semantics and/or location. Reviewing a resume is a subjective process. One that is meant to quickly filter through a stack of applicants to a much smaller stack of potentials. Now more than ever, the process of reviewing resumes should be subjectively re-evaluated. Times are changing, but they are changing on both ends of the equation and that means that both sides must update their processes, and expectations. We have to do this together in order to find the balance that is needed in order for us to have a mutual benefit and sustainable impact.

——-@ds

**Please feel free to leave your comments here on the blog site.

I’m not ready to call this my “first” post just yet, even though it technically is.  I am still testing and setting up twitter at the same time.  I would like to find a better wordpress layout, but for now, this is fine.  I am hoping to initially chronicle about the day I was laid off and then have subsequent posts about where I am currently at.  With that being said, I shall return…