More Information - Graphic Design Portfolio

By CRAIG KUNCE

There is nothing to hand in, and this information is not graded—it is for your personal enrichment.
I felt strongly that you needed to know this information, but there is only so much time and space in a class during each semester. I think you will find it helpful during your job search.

Student Release Form

Fill out the form on the web site linked below. One copy will be emailed to the student, one to the reference, and one to the student services dept.

http://www.westerntc.edu/careerservices/referencerelease.asp

Portfolio Review Name Badges

Design your own! Unique and professional.

You will want a name badge for the Portfolio Review. Click to download a file to make one:

• student_name_badge.indd
• student_name_badge.ai

References

Your references page is what you provide to a potential employer so they can contact people who can provide additional information about you—typically, information beyond that provided in your cover letter, resume, and interview.

Usually the best references are current or past employers, previous supervisors, and those people who can describe your work habits, skill development potential, ability to get along with others, ability to show up to work on time, ability to work well independently without supervision, your enthusiasm for work, your attention to detail, and your ability to complete projects right the first time.

I suggest you do not use family members, relatives, friends, classmates, or other people who would not be able to objectively evaluate you. Potential employers want honest, work related, opinions of you and your abilities—they don’t want to hear what a good grandchild you are.

Suggested Guidelines

• 8.5” x 11”, single sided, same paper and layout/design as your resume
  
• Be sure your name, address, phone, and e-mail appear on the references page. (Use your header from your resume so they look the same—brand yourself)
  
• Ask permission from the person before you list them as your reference.
  
• Discuss with your references what they will say about you when a potential employer calls. Will it be positive? What areas will they say are your strong points? What are your weak points?
  
• If the reference is a Western employee, be sure to complete and file a Reference Release form, so they can speak to a potential employer about you. Forms are found in the Student Employment Services office - Welcome Center.
  
• Make sure all of your reference’s contact information is current and accurate.
  
• You should have three references. Your bosses/supervisors from current and past jobs are best. Two bosses and one instructor is okay.
  

References Sample

Use this sample to see what information you need to provide for each reference. For most references there is no need to have their home address. But if it is helpful, be sure to include it.

References Sample 1

Download a PDF of this Reference Sample Page: references.pdf (23K)

Researching a Potential Employer

Before any interview or tour, you should research the company or organization. Researching the company will give you valuable information about who they are, what they do or sell, and what their goals are. By doing your research you will also be a well-informed applicant who can answer the tough interview question, “So… why do you want to work for us?”

You will have to be resourceful to answer the questions below. If you can’t answer all of them, make sure to ask them at the end of the interview.

When you apply for a job, it is extremely important that you find out what they do, what they make, who they are in their industry, in their state, city, etc. All of this information will be invaluable during your interview and even more valuable when you are deciding whether or not you want to work for the company.

To research the financial profile of a publicly traded company go the following web site and enter the company’s name and click GO: http://moneycentral.msn.com/companyreport.

You can also go to www.google.com, or www.yahoo.com, and search under the company’s name to find their Web site and to find other Web sites that may offer information about them. I would also recommend setting up an informational interview with a company you are interested in.

Most companies are happy to sit down with interested candidates and share some company information with them. They will usually take you on a tour of their buildings and facilities. Be sure to leave your portfolio in the car if you go on an informational interview/tour. Employers look down on a candidate that tries to push their way into a job by asking for an informational interview and turning it into a job interview.

Research and answer the following questions to learn more about the company you are interested in:

1. What is the company’s official name?
   
2. What is the company’s address?
   
3. What does the company sell? Learn what products or services they offer.
   
4. Where can you buy the company’s products? (Online sites? Retail Stores? Catalog?)
   
5. How much do their products cost? (Value-priced? Upscale/expensive?)
   
6. What is the company’s brand? What words come to mind when you think of them?
   
7. What is the company’s total annual sales? Can you get an annual report online?
   
8. Are they a growing company? Have they had to layoff employees recently? In Wisconsin try this site:
   http://worknet.wisconsin.gov/worknet/downloads.aspx?menuselection=da&pgm=pcml
   
9. What is the company’s current standing with the Better Business Bureau? (www.bbb.org)
   
10. How many employees does the company have?
    
11. Where does the company advertise?
    
12. Who is the company’s target market(s)?
    
13. When was the company founded/started? Who started it? Who owns them?
    
14. How many people currently work in the company’s graphics department?
    
15. Who manages the graphics department? Who would you report to?
    
16. What kind of equipment do they use? Outdated or new? Mac or PC?
    
17. What software do they use? Photoshop? Illustrator? InDesign? Dreamweaver? Flash? Others?
    
18. Do you know anyone who has or does work there? Ask your friends, family, and grandparents what they know about they company. Remember that these are just opinions—but they can begin to give you some information about your potential employer.
    

After completing your research, ask yourself, “Would I work for this company?” “Is it a good fit for me and my skills, talents, education, and career desires?” “Can I grow with this company? And could this be a long-term career option?”

While I am sure you are excited to begin your first job, I suggest that you seriously consider whether or not each company is a good fit for you and your career goals. It may sound a bit old-fashioned but I try to use what I call the “Thanksgiving Dinner Test” when I am considering a job. Picture yourself sitting at Thanksgiving Dinner. Your family is there and Grandma asks you where you are working these days. Now, can you tell everyone where you work and be proud of your job and employer? If not, it may not be the best job for you. Some people are comfortable working for almost any company in any industry.

Others set strict boundaries for themselves due to personal convictions and beliefs.

A few years ago while demonstrating to my class how to search the Web for jobs, we came across an entry level graphic designer job that paid well above average. When we dug deeper, we found that it was a job designing in the adult film industry. Some students did not feel comfortable with the job. My point is to know your own comfort level and use it to guide your job search.

PDF Portfolio

Design your own digital portfolio (PDF) with 5–7 of your best portfolio samples

A PDF portfolio is a powerful and useful marketing piece during your job search.

When applying for jobs, you may need to send a potential employer your portfolio samples electronically. These 5–7 samples give the employer an idea of your skills and talents. You will still show your entire portfolio during a face-to-face interview.

A horizontal layout fits best on a screen when opened and viewed in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader. These samples have been reduced, the actual size is 11" wide x 8.5" high. You may label each sample if you want.

Project 10 will show you how to build a PDF portfolio and e-mail it as a test. You can e-mail or upload this to potential employers.

Suggested Guidelines:

1. Create your multiple page portfolio in InDesign
   
2. Choose only your best samples
   
3. Choose a variety of samples to show your range of skills and abilities
   
4. Size: 8.5” x 11”, Horizontal format (landscape)
   
5. Title page should include your name, address, phone, e-mail, and portfolio Web site URL if available.
   
6. Sample pages should be on a black background (unless you must use white for aesthetics)
   
7. Include 5–7 samples, show one per page
   
8. Keep your layout simple and focus on your samples
   
9. Simple files and layouts will transfer the most efficiently
   

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Create a multiple page file in InDesign
   
   • You will need one page for each sample, plus one page for your title page
     
   • Make your pages landscape (horizontal)
     
   • Draw a black box to fill the entire background with a “built” black (60c 60m 0y 100k)
     
   • Put all contact info on your title page - design this page to be original and match your brand
     
   • Next, place one sample on each page
     
   • You may label each sample
     
2. Place each sample on the page (one per page)
   
3. Be sure all samples are at least 72ppi at the full size you are using them on your page
   
4. Save as a PDF file in InDesign (File > Adobe PDF Presets > Smallest file size)
   
5. Your file size should be about 1–2 MB
   
6. Open your PDF portfolio file in acrobat and make sure everything looks good
   
7. E-mail your PDF portfolio file to your instructor for grading
   
8. Be sure to keep your original InDesign file to make updates when needed
   

You now have a digital portfolio to use in your job search. Many companies only allow you to apply for jobs online. Be sure to make PDFs of your cover letter and resume to send to them with your PDF portfolio.

The PDF format keeps your unique design intact so your potential employer sees what you want them to see. Remember, your cover letter, resume, and PDF portfolio are being evaluated on their design as well.

Student PDF Samples

Here are examples of how your PDF portfolio could look—draw inspiration from them.

Like the portfolio, the PDF portfolio has a simple design—each sample is on a plain black or white background. You want your samples to stand out and get noticed.

(Click the image to download)

Page-by-Page Sample

Thank You Notes

Surprisingly, many applicants do not write a thank you note or letter after an interview. And unfortunately for applicants who don’t send thank you notes, many interviewers say that a thank you letter would increase the applicant’s chances of getting the job, or at least help him/her stay in the running for the position, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified.

So… write thank you notes or letters after your interviews! Fifteen minutes of your time and a first class postage stamp are very inexpensive investments in your career. Thank you letters simply thank the interviewer for his or her time and reiterate some of the important things you learned about the company in the interview. You may also want to add some key qualifications that you forgot to mention in the interview, or emphasize some of the more important things you discussed. If the interviewer shared some information that gave you an insight into the company and its culture, mention how much you appreciated it.

A thank you letter should be short—three paragraphs at the most. The thank you letter reinforces your interest for the job, and your appreciation for their consideration.

A few guidelines to follow:

1. Be sure to mail your thank you letter or card within one day of your interview
   
2. Take the time to write a good, meaningful letter or note. Don’t rush just to “get it done.”
   
3. Make sure their name is spelled correctly
   
4. Make sure their title is accurate
   
5. Make sure their address is accurate
   
6. Make sure your return address is accurate.
   
7. Print your letter on resume-quality paper and use a resume-quality envelope OR hand write a thank you card and envelope.
   
8. Reference something specific that you discussed during the interview or tour. It makes your thank you more personal and thoughtful.
   
9. Personally, I prefer to send and receive hand written thank you notes. They are most personal and meaningful.
   
10. Be sure to sign your letter or card.

Search the Web for samples of thank you letters and notes. There are many samples out there.

Job Application Forms

The formal and legal document that you have to fill out when you interview with a company is a job application form. This form differs from the resume in that it is a legal document that you must sign. Your signature binds you to the accuracy of the information you provide on the application form, and if they request it, it gives the potential employer the right to conduct a background and credit check of you.
On the next page is a standard job application that most employers will use. Or they will use something similar.

Usually, you will be asked to complete this form the first time you meet with people at the company’s offices. Be sure to bring your driver’s license to identify yourself.

Here are several tips to help you complete a job application form:

1. Use a black ink ball-point pen. (Not a marker, felt tip, or liquid ink pen—they will bleed through the paper)
   
2. The job application does not replace a resume and cover letter. It is a document that is meant to be a legal document that ensures you are providing your potential employer with accurate information about you and about your past.
   
3. Most employers will double check everything you write down on your application, so make sure to recheck your information and its accuracy.
   
4. It is best to have all of this information written down before you apply for a job. This way you do not have to remember all those dates and information. You also guarantee it is accurate. You will still have to transfer the information to the employer’s form, sometimes handwriting it as I have done on the samples, but this ensures it is you filling out the form, and it ensures that you are the one signing the form.
   
5. Read the fine print. Be sure you know what you are signing. If you have questions, ask to speak with the human resources manager for an explanation of the information. This, as with anything in life, should never be signed unless you understand what it is you are signing.
   
6. Be sure to sign the job application form when you are done. This legally binds you to the information you provided to the employer. People have been fired, or not hired, for lying on an application.
   

I suggest you write, “negotiable” in the pay desired section. You may need to interview and learn more about the job before you know how much you should earn.

Here is a sample Job Application Form that you can print and fill out: job_app_form.pdf (152K)
Take it to interviews so you have the required information at your fingertips.

Mailing your Application Materials

Below is a sample of how your envelope should look. Print your envelope on a black and white laser printer for the best quality possible.

Note: the envelope sample is not actual size, it is smaller. The actual resume envelope should be a 9” x 12”, or 9.5” x 12.5”, resume-quality envelope. By using the larger envelopes you do not have to fold the contents and risk damaging the laser-printed type on your letters and resume, or folding through your samples page.

Helpful Guidelines:

1. Check spelling and proof-read all pieces. Use ALL CAPS for the “TO:” address (see sample)
   
2. Sign your cover letter in black or blue ink
   
3. Double check all pieces for smudges, chocolate, coffee, pasta sauce, etc.
   
4. Make sure your type and art was aligned when your printed it. No slants, angles, or uneven borders
   
5. Place your pieces in the envelope in the following order: Do not staple.
   
   • Cover letter
     
   • Resume
     
   • Color Samples Page
     
   • Others (double check the job posting to see what they requested you send)
     
6. Make sure your envelope is either white OR the same paper stock as your cover letter and resume, (if available)
   

When everything is 100% accurate, mail it. Be sure you have the correct postage.

Salary Negotiations

What am I worth? How much money do I need to make?

The best advice I can give you when you are negotiating a salary is to sit down with your potential employer, face-to-face, and talk like real people. This process does not have to be a difficult, hard-nosed, business transaction. The second and third most important aspects of salary negotiation is to know what you are worth, and how much you need to make. Lastly, you need to understand how your benefits package fits into your compensation package.

1. Don’t make salary the primary issue of your job interview. You will look greedy. Remember that you are there to give something to the potential employer—not to “just get a pay check.” I prefer to let the interviewee bring up money first. However, if they don’t mention wages, and the interview is ending, it is okay to ask them, “I am wondering, what is the pay range is for this position?” Then you will have an idea of what you will be earning. This will be especially helpful if you are offered a job.
   
2. So… what are you worth? The age old question that is difficult to answer. The good news is that you have many resources that will help you determine how much you should make at your job. There are several different ways to research how much money you should make. First, ask you instructors for a generally accepted wage in the field and geographic location you are entering. You can also check your industry’s trade magazines and journals. Most of them conduct annual salary surveys and report them in their publications. Check out How, Step and Communication Arts trade magazines. Another great reference for graphic artists, illustrators, designers and photographers is the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. Your local library should have a current copy, or you can buy one for current and future reference.
   
3. I suggest that you add together all of your “bare” expenses in order to see how much money you will need to make. I have provided an example of how to do this below. I chose “average” costs for each category. If you move to a larger city these cost may be higher, and may be lower in a smaller city. Check newspapers online to learn how much an apartment is renting for in the city you may live in.
   
   

The average starting wage for a graphic artist/designer is $10 to $14 per hour. If you are asked for a starting wage range, tell an employer you would like to start at $12–$14 per hour, and that you are willing to negotiate. Don’t say $10–$12 or you may be making $10 per hour.

Be careful thinking that fringe benefits are money in your pocket. If your company offers to pay for your health insurance, that is money in your pocket. If they offer you an extra weeks vacation, that is not money in your pocket. You can’t pay your rent with vacation time.

Best of Luck!