After leaving my house in Vancouver at 5AM, flying all day to finally check into our hotel in Boston at 6PM, Mark and I were exhausted. Time to check in, take a nap and then find a good meal. Not only did we arrive at a super swank boutique hotel called The Liberty Hotel, but [...]
If I was asked who Stefan Sagmeister was a week ago, I could’ve given a handful of knee-jerk descriptions; he’s a designer, he’s provocative, he’s influential. I could’ve said many things to describe the icon he has become, but I would have failed to mention that he’s human.
“Everybody who is honest is interesting.”
On Friday afternoon, [...]
The drive to improve and succeed has increasingly lead to professionals in all trades to specify down to minute processes in projects. A photoshop artist will focus entirely on fashion retouching, or an interactive designer will draw boxes and arrows all day long. Along with this professional focus, influences and inspiration can also become focused. [...]
As featured on Design Taxi
Macro or Micro?
The new Vancouver International Film Centre seems like the perfect venue for something called VIDFEST, a five day “festival” put on by New Media BC and meant to connect and promote the digital media sector. That said, the location is much smaller than the Granville Island facilities used [...]
London was buzzing for the last two weeks of September. Everywhere you looked, on every street corner there seemed to be something about design. The city was filled with museum exhibits, public art and storefronts with interactive installations. I took in what I could in a week before heading to the south of France for [...]
During the iDesign conference in London I heard Bill Thompson talk about design’s role in the world of technology and he mentioned the locking down of Apple’s newest portable products. I did some reading and found quite a lot under the surface. I was very close to buying an iPod Touch but now I’m reconsidering.
Apple [...]
In the UK, where I’ve been for the past couple of weeks, pay rates for design freelancers are up in many cases, particularly when it comes to digital disciplines, according to DesignWeek’s second annual survey.
Overall, pay increases have been extremely healthy over the last twelve months, with increases of 13% cited, and a further 9% [...]
I was somewhere over Northern California headed south when the fear started to take hold. I remember wondering about what lay ahead thinking something to the effect of ‘what am I doing here?’ As a graphic designer only peripherally interested in animation, 3D rendering, motion capture, or gaming, I was afraid that I might not [...]
This blog was started years ago in part as a repository for our inspirations, yet I think we often drift away from that purpose a bit, so I want to share something that inspired me this weekend: discovering new music.
Obviously music plays a big part in most of our lives. It’s always stated as a [...]
June 4th marked the launch of the new London 2012 Olympic logo and it didn’t take long for the controversy to begin. I’d already fielded a number calls and emails before lunch from friends, designers and even the media. My inbox is filled with emails about the subject from various GDC designers across the country—some [...]
Mark just asked me to take ten minutes and jot down my opinions about what a student (or anyone I guess) should do/include/avoid when putting together and presenting a portfolio. A couple years ago I actually did a post on the topic on this blog.
Since then I have been on the receiving end of hundreds [...]
Well, we did it, again. The Industrial Brand/Legends Memorabilia “PicniCANtics” took top honours in this year’s Canstruction Vancouver for the third, THIRD, year in a row (2005 Award, 2006 Award). For those not in the know, Canstruction is an international design/build competition that benefits local food banks, brings together teams of architects, engineers, graphic artists [...]
The longer I stay in this industry, the more I realize the difference between producing graphically appealing (pretty) solutions and creating strategic communication designs that produce results.
Though I use my training in Graphic Design daily and often find much of what I do professionally to be based on visual language and aesthetics, it is only [...]
Some time last year I began considering about the similarities between branding loyalty and belonging to a church after an interesting conversation with Rick Poyner, the design critic and founder of Eye Magazine, who said
“Religion is now just another lifestyle option fighting for survival with all the other brands in the chaos of the marketplace.”
[...]
I feel a rather humbled and a little bummed out since attending Rimmerfest at SFU downtown on November 25. It was both an inspiration and an honour to be among Canada’s Graphic Design elite to celebrate and honour one of Canada’s living national treasures, the printer, publisher, and one of the few remaining typography and [...]
Mark just asked me to take ten minutes and jot down my opinions about what a student (or anyone I guess) should do/include/avoid when putting together and presenting a portfolio. A couple years ago I actually did a post on the topic on this blog.
Since then I have been on the receiving end of hundreds (if not more) emails, cover letters, resumes, portfolios, unannounced drop-ins and all manner of people, talented and otherwise, looking to work here. Having been on the other side, let’s call it the Dark Side, before, I can empathize. Most often I try to respond personally with some kind of feedback. Here’s a peek into what I’m really thinking. Oh and by the way, this isn’t just what I’m thinking, it’s the general sentiment here at Industrial Brand and I’m sure many other places too.
Don’t waste my time.
Tailor your book to me – or at least what it is you think will get my attention based on the work WE do. Prove you’ve done a little research about us. Want to get my attention? Show me I’m not your latest form-letter victim.
Get Electric
I don’t have time to meet with every person who contacts me, especially when I’m not hiring. I have unsolicited portfolios and resumes sitting on my desk, or worse, that take the lowest priority. These days I want to see a PDF, or even better, a website with good samples of your work that are representative of the skills you hope to bring to the company.
The notion of a super busy creative director actually having the time to sift through a bunch of junk to find a jewel in the rough is a romantic one that probably last happened in the 70’s. Seriously, the competition is so tight that portfolios that are not polished and professional are usually completely overlooked.
Touch me while touching base
In your email to me:
So, the portfolio itself:
Listen up
Finally, you’ll hear lots of rhetoric from busy people. Sometimes they take an extra moment to give more honest, personal feedback. Cherish this. Don’t expect a job from people, be happy to simply get advice, and take it (sometimes with a grain of salt). Ask if you can be back in touch sometime. From the answer you can intuit whether there might be something in the future. Then actually do it. Be good if you had something new to offer when you do.
That’s all I have NO TIME FOR.
Entries (RSS)
March 21st, 2007 at 10:48 am
I remember interview I had with a firm in town (not mentioning any names) and after a long conversation and a look at my book, I was asked what I thought about midget porn! Maybe I should have brought my video samples…
April 1st, 2007 at 7:26 am
Ben,
Great post!! Thanks for your honesty and advice. Being a rookie in the design field, I really appreciate the insight you offer here.
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Wow. I’m going to write a alot, Gren Barfinkel, but I suspect you’ll be too busy to read it. Agh well ..
First of all, I find it to be depressing to see a repeat of a tired and well-worn trope for creative directors to write about. It’s more depressing to see a another site I actually respect link to this shit. I’d love to make some harsh and absolutely, objectively true judgements about your site, Ben, “Industrial Brand,” and what it represents about you, but I’ll abstain. Because it’s not productive.
That’s the point. We need to be productive. Just that 1% is good enough. More is better. Pretending to be little Simon Cowells and little Gordon Ramsays is tired, stupid and very irresponsible.
“Dirty, bruised, tired portfolio? You probably are too.” “Fussy, complicated or overly precious portfolios are annoying.” What the shit type of judgement is this? Is “annoying” meaning anything? I mean, I suppose you’re aping the general public, viewing well-crafted, well-meaning and well-conceived pieces of design and communication. Nevertheless it’s foolish and ultimately it perpetuates the tone of our marketplace …
Oh well, I suppose I’ll go on, being a beacon of humility and practicality in a world of brutal foolishness and nerd-alerts on parade. I always imagined a career outside of professional sports and Wall Street could exist without a sense of dismissiveness and bald unnecessary agression, but I suppose I should continue to be proven wrong. Congratulations, design nerds, too, for stooping to the level of treating each other like fucking animals. Congrats.
May 8th, 2007 at 10:37 pm
Being a rookie, I appreciated the insight on how things work, at least pertaining your own company.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:47 am
Don’t be so upset Jerry; getting the dozens if not hundreds of form cover letters that every design hiring manager receives has risen to nightmarish proportions. I propose that Ben’s comments primarily aimed at the thousand of emails sent out before even looking at the firms web site and body of work.
May 23rd, 2007 at 6:38 am
I agree somewhat with ‘Jerry the Greek’ here in fact. This article comes across as arrogant and angry and not particularly helpful except for the one or two points about not sending generalised letters and making spelling or grammar errors, which is common sense anyway.
“Dirty, bruised, tired portfolio? You probably are too.” - Come on, that’s just nonsense.
I am tired and my portfolio is perfect.
Best way to get a design job is to have better work than the other applicants.
May 23rd, 2007 at 8:55 am
I’m surprised with the amount of negative comments here regarding Ben’s portfolio suggestions. Frankly, I would have been grateful for insight and direction for my portfolio when I was a young designer only (woah) 15 years ago!
What becomes really apparent here and what some people might be missing, is that sometimes it is less about being a great designer and more about your attitude.
Some of the postings here suggest an attitude of arrogance and an closed-mindedness. These are characteristics of poor designers, people I wouldn’t want to work with or even hang out with.
May 25th, 2007 at 1:19 am
I’m happy to see you’ve linked to Speak Up. I love Marian Bantjes and was fortunate enough to take a class with her — but just online.
I also agree that pointing out the no-no in using a formula letter without consideration is the first step to achieving the rejection pile. You have better things to do. I use a template that I redo on a regular basis and tailor for each job application as much as 95%. The frustrating part was the bullshit they taught us in high school that involved redundant phrasing and some definite no-nos. My cover letters now barely resemble the ones from high school (oh, 4+ years ago), thank god.
Sometimes we need a wake-up call and we can either choose to accept this as great advice and take it, or get overly sensitive about it and pretend we know everything and have nothing to learn.
May 28th, 2007 at 4:51 am
WOW! Could not have said it better, because I can TOTALLY related to this. From a different point of view, as an editor, I go through… well… loads of submissions, and sometimes I want to pull my hair off and shutdown the submission form to have a break from mediocrity because submitted portfolios are simply not ready.
One rule of thumb: show only your best work and not 10 versions of the same projects.
.c
Another rule of thumb: get someone to help you, for objectivity.
Third rule of thumb: survey the kind of portfolios that are already displayed to see if yours is up to par.
We are all about championing the luv of design around the world and as such, need excellent examples, so we all keep on improving.
Thanks for writing such a little treasure. With much-much appreciation.
May 28th, 2007 at 5:00 am
Ooops here is an article that I republish every now and then - that may supply some pointers and even I, after years of being a designer, need to be reminded.
Portfolio checklist & build a great one
.c
August 1st, 2007 at 9:40 am
1st, I must simply say that most designers, are not designers, they just went to school for it and probably barely passed or had some shit teacher who couldn’t find a job either.
2nd, real designers work for themselves, form companies, attract clients and rarely hunt for work. Really, if you need a job, are you very good? No, you suck, you rely on someone else to define your career… or lack of one. So go back to the couch and watch some more TV designer superstar challenge or survivor or whatever the fawlk is on, flick the channels, go eat some chips.
3rd, learn how to fricken draw. I’ve worked with so many so called designers who take a week to make something that i can draw in a minute, blow me, you suck too, go jump off a bridge. If you can draw, you can get any job. I would never hire someone who hasn’t taken the time to ‘learn’ how to draw. No, its not a God given talent, if it were, our fingers would be pencils, Edward Pencil Finger. If you can’t be bothered to learn how to draw and you call yourself a designer, you are a mockery and have already proven that you give up easily.
4th, this article was fairly true, but whats fair?
5th, nice black turtle neck buddy. Go get me some expensive coffee.
August 9th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Thanks Ben,
At least you are responding to people … even if they don’t appreciate it.
People: it could be worse … YOU COULD HAVE NO RESPONSE OR INPUT … and that is a lot worse of a situation.
When I was looking for work (pre-internet days), the only way anyone could respond was with a letter or a phone call. And, NO ONE ever answered phone calls back (too busy, not my problem, who’s this person). It was the days before cheap colour output and I ONLY had 1 hard copy portfolio (yes, I am old school … my first poster was cut and pasted with rubylith).
My letter was personalized to each company and I did do my homework. There was a recession going on. I volunteered at GDC functions while I was at Emily Carr. I had 2 printed peices in the Student section of Studio Magazine. Only 3 company’s responded when I followed up.
I currently work at one of those places (the past 9 years). They were the only place with the decency to write a letter back. They had no job available at the time but we kept in touch … and I’m glad we did.
I learned a lot about looking for work.
1. No one cares
2. No one owes you anything
3. Designers are a dime a dozen … even amazingly talented ones.
4. How fast can you do it … and how cheap are you … this is what matters.
It’s a pretty shitty revelation after you’ve invested 40 grand and 6 years into your education.
By sharing his experience, Ben is giving FREE advice to help you out. He at least cares enough to share his insight. People should at least have the decency to identify and appreciate that.
November 24th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
…Sounds like you are all drunk with clever insights, here’s a creative idea…go live in a very poor country, look around, talk to people…and then come back and pursue your “Design Career” and Ben, oh god of the black frame, sounds like you could use a nice cup of humble tea.