Top Ten Job Hunting Blunders in Latin America

Nobody is perfect, especially when it comes to job hunting, which is greatly subjective. There are however, practices that should be avoided if you want to up the chances of getting an interview.

In my experience, I’ve had the opportunity to recruit mostly designers though I’ve recruited other positions. And believe me, when you’ve got about 500 resumes to read, you’re just looking for reasons to filter the best out quickly.

Here I present to you the top ten blunders (In no particular order) I see in designers looking for a job in Latin America. Let me tell you, these poor souls weren’t called for an interview.

Blunder 1: “Maybe someone will see how much I need the job and hire me”.
Nobody will hire you for a design position out of pity. Remember, it’s not what the company can do for you, but the other way around. People hire you for two basic reasons: They want you to help increase sales, or cut back costs. Think about how you can play a part in either or both and present yourself that way to the company. You’ll boost your chances of getting called for an interview.

Blunder 2: “Let me go ahead and send just my resume without a portfolio. After all, who cares about the work I’ve done?”
Helloooooo! Aren’t you a designer? When you send your resume for a position as a designer, and don’t send a portfolio, you’re not leveraging the opportunity to make a great first impression, thus losing the battle against people who walk the extra mile and do send samples of their best work. Who would you call for an interview? Don’t place any more work on the recruiter, making them send you an email requesting a portfolio. Send it up front!

Blunder 3: “She’s not going to notice that I sent it to nine different places at the same time”.
You send the resume in an email to several different job offering people in the “To” field, displaying the fact that you don’t care about any particular company or position and that you didn’t even research those companies. Worst of all, displaying your carelessness when it comes to presenting yourself which could lead one to believe that you’re sloppy in your work as well.

Blunder 4: “I know! I’ll just write ‘resume’ in the subject line of the email! That’ll set me apart from everybody!”
Again, a sea of emails and resumes. Think, how can you set yourself apart? The least you can do is write your name and the position you’re applying to in the subject line of the email. This way you make it easier for the recruiter to find you.

Blunder 5: “Wow, my resume is so gorgeous, I’m not going to even bother to check my spelling”.
Wrong! Send a resume with spelling and grammar errors and you’ll be screaming sloppy. You’re a designer, you need to be concerned with kerning and correct punctuation. Who wants to hire a designer that doesn’t pay attention to details?

Blunder 6: “Picture perfect?”
So you went against your better judgment and decided to include your picture on your resume. I suggest you run a poll among your closest friends and acquaintances to decide whether or not the picture does you justice. With all due respect, but the mug shot, or the I-just-got-out-of-bed, or the I’m-so-pitiful-please-hire-me look don’t favor anyone.

Blunder 7: “I’m sure they’ll only receive about three designer resumes, so why bother with a presentation letter? I’ll just send my bare resume”.
Again, 500 resumes at any given time. The key here is to differentiate yourself. Other designers present their case in the email or the presentation letter, telling the company how hiring them would be a good idea, how they can help the business grow sales and how what they have to offer matches the company and the position. You might want to try that sometime.

Blunder 8: “Maybe they won’t notice that I’ve applied to three different positions in the same company”.
When you apply to different positions, it just conveys the message that you don’t know what you want or how your skills can match the diverse jobs. Take the time to research the positions and the company, before applying.

Blunder 9: “So I have to format my portfolio to fit their expectations? If they can’t open it, it’s not my problem”.
The recruiter has requested something from you, and you find it annoying to have to comply. Either they can’t read a .exe or they’d like you to send JPGs instead of PDFs. Hmm, you might as well say that you’re not interested, or better yet, don’t send your resume at all! Why? Because there are other designers who are willing to do whatever it takes to land an interview and you’re… not.

Blunder 10: “I’m sure it’s like all the other design studios. Why bother looking for more information? I know them all”.
You’ve been lucky enough to land the interview, yet you get there and you don’t even remember the position you applied to! You also didn’t research the company and its culture, so you are completely clueless. This screams with conceitedness and lack of vision about how you can help the company first.


For every designer that is not willing to walk the extra mile, there’s another one who will, and who has a far greater chance of landing the job.

All the best!


Related articles:
12 resume writing tips for designers.
Designers beware: Your portfolio.
Designers beware: Being the interviewee (Part 1).
Designers beware: Being the interviewee (Part 2).
Designers beware: Being the interviewer.

Design jobs: 3 great articles

As a second post for today I want to place a link to three articles from How Magazine which I think are very relevant to young designers today:

Creatives Wanted: How to Prepare Yourself for Today's Job Market
Turning Up the Volume: Teleconferencing Etiquette
Five Sure Signs Your Job Is a Dead-End

Enjoy!

12 resume writing tips for designers

Looking for a job? Finding a new design position can be a very daunting and stressful experience, especially if you're a fresh-out-of-college designer applying for your first creative job.

In my recruiting experience I've found that most young designers in South America and Colombia would benefit from some guidance with regards to self-promotion.

So if you're fresh out of college, or a senior designer straight out of a long career, here are twelve top tips for designers' resumes that can help you land that all-important interview:

1. Do some research
   Even if you think you know everything there is to know about designing a document, use your design know-how to effectively present your resume.
   
   There are tons of websites with information about designing a CV (Curriculum Vitae) like Rita Sue Siegel Resources, for example.
   
   Now, being a designer, most likely you're expected to show your creative side in your resume (At least I expect that.)
   
   Nevertheless, this is a document for you to show that you're a professional and therefore, all the right information must be included, even if it means sacrificing that beautiful symbol you want displayed throughout the whole document.
   
   So your flair for design is there only to enforce the information in your resume. Always remember: style over substance is a big no-no!
   
   


2. Customize your resume to match the position
   Designers can work in different areas of design. I've seen this especially with graphic designers.
   
   If the position calls for an illustrator, make your resume reflect that in the jobs or projects you want to show.
   
   If the position calls for a web designer, then include all web work you've done with links (making sure those websites are still active!) If you think something else will add to your value proposition, include it.
   
   However, don't try to squeeze all your work experience in just one page if some of it has no relevance to the position.
   
   


3. Make it a one-page resume
   Yes, all necessary information can fit in one page, as weird as it sounds.
   
   You have to think that the person receiving your resume is receiving a lot more and she probably is printing them out to read at her leisure (i.e.: when she has the time.)
   
   Make her job easier by including all pertinent information in a single page; you will earn some extra points for that.
   
   Now, you're a designer, play with typography, space, color… it's also very important to make sure the information is presented in an organized, clear, easy-to-read way and have some fun! Make your personality and style show through.
   
   


4. Proofread your resume
   Don't forget to double – better yet, make that triple – check your document for typos and grammar errors. Nothing says “unprofessional” like a sloppy resume.
   
   Set time side and get someone else to read your resume through for you. Maybe your mom, your dad, a friend maybe – anyone, so long as your resume is proofread.
   
   


5. Highlight your name and contact information
   Your name and your contact details are the most important part of your resume!
   
   Make them stand out by placing them where they will be easier to read for the recruiter: most likely the right top corner of the page, or top centered.
   
   Do include all your contact information, telephone numbers (cell included) where you can be reached for sure.
   
   If your email is something like “big_stud@hotmail.com” it's better to get a new one, just your name and last name, something that identifies who you are.
   
   I personally think that it's not necessary to include your photo, though I've seen some pretty cool ways to add a picture of yourself as an illustration or an unusual treatment in Adobe Photoshop.
   
   If you're applying for a job as an illustrator, this could be a good way to highlight your resume and maybe stand out from the rest.
   
   


6. State your profile
   Include a brief paragraph expressing what your profile as a designer is, or what your major, or preferred areas of expertise are and what short-term goals you have.
   
   This helps the recruiter see quickly if your profile matches what they're looking for.
   
   Additionally, try not to talk about the long-term in a way that sounds like you're just using your prospective employer as a stepping-stone in your design career.
   
   


7. Add the professional experience information
   Include your work experience, listing jobs in reverse chronological order. For each job include:
   
   
   
   • The time period (the date when you started and when you finished) for that job, including year and month.
   
   
   • The responsibilities of your design position.
   
   
   • The achievements of the position, and how they translated into either an increase in sales or the reduction of costs for the firm. Add some numeric information, when possible.
   
   
   
   If you've worked as a web designer, or have links to your work on the Internet, make sure they work properly and contain all updated information.
   
   


8. Add the academic information
   Include the qualifications you have and filter them to be pertinent to the position you're applying to.
   
   Also list your qualifications in reverse chronological order, too.
   
   Be sure to include the year in which you graduated and the title you received.
   
   


9. Make sure you send the right file
   When sending your resume file through email, take into consideration:
   
   
   
   • Check that your file is complete. Yes, I've received resumes that only list the jobs, with no name or contact info, because the person forgot to include the previous pages!
   
   
   • Here's another chance to stand out by naming your file with your name, e.g.: “carolina_ayerbe_CV.pdf”; make the work of the recruiter simpler and make your design resume easy to find among all the files she's downloaded that are called “CV.doc”, “resume.pdf” and every other file name that doesn't provide any information as to what it contains.
   
   
   • Include your name, title and the position you're applying for in the subject line of the email.
     
     It makes it easier to find you in the long list of emails the recruiter receives every day.
   
   
   • Write a short, warm and assertive email message to go with your attachment. This will effectively act as your covering letter.
   
   
   
   Don't just send the attachment alone; some people might take this gesture to be rude. Say hello, at least. Be polite!
   
   Don't underestimate the value of a well-crafted message selling the benefits the company will get by hiring you.
   
   If necessary, go back to the Tip 1 and do some research on how to write a proper resume covering letter.
   
   


10. Don't lie
    Most recruiters can see through a liar. Show your work in a dignified way, talk about your accomplishments, but don't try to sell things as more than they really are.
    
    I once received a CV from a designer who'd presented himself as a “brand creator”. Hmm, interesting, I thought.
    
    When I interviewed him and asked him how he went about creating a brand, it became obvious the guy had no idea what he was talking about. We both wasted our time.
    
    Be honest about what you've achieved as a designer. It's much more effective.
    
    


11. Combine your resume with your portfolio
    I really like it when the resume includes some examples of the work the designer has done.
    
    All contact, work and academic information should be in the first page.
    
    From the second page on, it's a good idea to include three or four examples of your best work. This will be the entrée for the recruiter to ask for a more complete portfolio from the designer.
    
    Don't send twelve pages, though. Still keep it short, two or three pages maximum.
    
    


12. Be professional
    Most young designers aspire to rise to the level of a professional. Design is a business; it's not just about the perfect decoration in the pretty resume. I'll say it again: style over substance is a big no-no!
    
    It has to convey a message of professionalism, that you can actually do the job and that you know how to speak the design language inside a business setting.

I hope these tips help out a few designers out there.

For more resources visit:

• Rita Sue Siegel Resources


• Manager Tools (Resumes)


• Manager Tools (Resumes and interviews)


• Search2u


• Or subscribe to The Career News, a newsletter with tons of tips to boost your job search.

I look forward to receiving some comments.

All the best!

This article is a revision on a first version I posted a while ago. Thanks to Wayne Smallman, technology blogger and fellow designer for revising the english version of the original article.

Designers beware: Being the interviewer.

As a design manager you’re sometimes faced with the task of interviewing new designers for your organization; this can make some designers a bit nervous. Here are a few tips to be effective when interviewing other creative professionals.


Before the interview


Define the position: Before you even make the process public, you need to be clear on the responsibilities of the position. Ask yourself questions like:

- What will this person do?
- If a followed him around all day, what would I catch this person doing or saying?
- Who do you want this person to be like, on the team and why?
- Who do you want this person not to be like, on the team and why?
- What are the deliverables of the position?
- What are the behaviors the new person has to exhibit to be successful in this position?


Reply to candidates: If you can manage it, take a few seconds to let each candidate know you received their information. I do. I receive most resumes by email, so I reply immediately. I have a template response email, so I just change the name of the person. If you can’t manage it, you can do it in bulk, when you have some resumes stacked up. Not many people do this and I think it speaks well of you and your company.


Review each resume in advance: Decide the key points you’re looking for beforehand, so that you can pick those up quickly. Circle a couple of accomplishments or projects in the portfolio that catch your eye, so that you can ask the candidate about them during the interview.


Device a tracking table: Unless you’re in a big company where HR is directing the search, I’d recommend creating an Excel tracking chart for your candidates. Especially is there’s a lot of them. I don’t enter every single candidate in it, but I do keep track of those candidates that I will be interviewing based on their resume and portfolio. I include relevant information, like age, academic degree, email, date of the interview. I also color code them and leave a field open to write my impression of the interview.



During the interview


General interview tips:
- Don’t read the resume in front of the candidate.
- Ask about parts of the resume, not all of it.
- Have the questions written down.
- I like to ask them to tell me briefly about their portfolio. I actually picked this from another designer I was doing a selection process with.


Ask the right questions: As I pointed out in an earlier post, I like to ask questions that will help me to decide if the person is a good match for the position and for my team. Here are some sample questions I ask:

- How did you hear about us?
- Why did you become a designer?
- What did you expect to achieve as a designer then?
- What do you expect to achieve as a designer now?
- In what type of atmosphere/environment do
you feel most comfortable working in and do you do best working in groups or by yourself?
- What are your skills?
- What are your flaws?
- What’s your creative process?
- How does your expertise relate to our company?
- How do you think you’ll help us increase sales?
- What are your salary expectations?

You can also ask about the couple of accomplishments you circled in their resume.
Ask about a time when they did x. How did they do it and what were the results? This may be extracted from a situation that happened to you recently so that you can compare the two instances.


Evaluate the answers in a structured way: According to Manager Tools, here’s a good way of structuring your perceptions: Divide them in four categories, interpersonal, cultural, skills and technical, and for each of them write down the behaviors that led you to draw your conclusion.


Evaluate body language: I'd covered this before, but my friend Fernando Pacheco from www.saturnattacks.com reminded me that it was important to cover this here again and I agree! I look for confidence, candidness, energy and professionalism. Signs of excessive nervousness, clues on lack of confidence or inappropriate/unprofessional behavior also show through.



After the interview


Decide, right then and there: I like to make quick decisions. In this case it’s either yes, no or maybe. Decide immediately after the interview and record it in the Excel table. Avoid deciding on “maybe” too much, otherwise you’ll be stuck having to decide yes or no, later.

Inform the outcome: Again, take the time to inform the outcome of the selection process to each candidate. It can be a personalized email or a phone call if the candidate made it to the final steps.

I look forward to receiving some comments or additional tips!

All the best!

Designers beware: Being the interviewee (Part 2)

Last week I covered the first part of this article about designers getting interviewed. I gave some tips that can be applied to ensure a more effective selection process.

Part 2: The actual interview.

You’ve got one foot at the door of the company, which means you’ve probably done your homework and have caused a good impression so far, by means of your resume and portfolio. Now, prepare yourself to show all you can do and be, in the interview.


Be polished.

Mind your appearance. I know that this may be obvious to most of you, but more often than I’d like, I have interviewed designers that were lacking in this department. Basic hygiene is a must, make sure everything is clean, get a manicure, take care of your hair.

Regarding the dress code, to be quite honest, I feel greatly disappointed if a designer shows up in a tie and suit. I like to see some personality, some wackiness, something that I usually don’t see in regular people. But be careful, don’t go overboard, I still expect candidates to look the part, professional and stylish. That doesn’t mean expensive clothes, it just means paying attention to the details, which speaks well of the way to tackle things in general.


Be eloquent, speak the interviewer’s language.

Since you found out the position of the person who will conduct the interview, by now you know if it’s another designer, a creative director, a human resources representative and their ranking in the company. Reflect on what that particular person is going to ask you and what kind of information they might need to make a decision.

The creative director most likely wants to understand your creative process and your ability to express ideas effectively, whereas an HR representative probably will want to know more about how you handle pressure and your academic background.


Be on time.

This is one of the first things I evaluate. If you’re late for a job interview, most likely you're lax about deadlines, not very serious about work or committed enough and wouldn’t mind leaving a customer waiting. Not being on time if absolutely unacceptable.

This being said, anybody can have a problem at the last minute and I would understand if something unavoidable came up, so call as early as possible, apologize and let the interviewer know that you’re running late and ask if they’ll be willing to wait or reschedule.

If you didn’t have a problem, but merely overslept, make sure you do call and make up a really good excuse. No, I’m not advocating lying… but we are all human.

I once had a designer show up more than an hour late, didn’t call, I thought that something really unexpected had to had happened for him to appear at my office so late. When I asked him, he replied that he had to deliver something somewhere else. Lame, wouldn’t you say? Of course, he didn’t get the job.


Be mindful of your body language.

Be upbeat, look everybody in the eye and give a good firm handshake. Goggle some information about body language and handshakes, there’s a lot on the web. You may think that’s a bit nerdy, but these things matter. I usually tend not to trust a person with a weak handshake, it just doesn’t yell confidence to me.

Take a deep breath and try to enjoy yourself, relax… most of the time interviews are about half an hour of talking about yourself! It can be fun and like everything else, you get better with practice.

Now, being too friendly, too chatty, too lose can play against you as well. If need be, practice with someone else before attending the real interview.


Be imaginative, pretend the interviewer is an actual customer.

Think about it, the interviewer wants to see if you’ll be a good match for the position, if you’re all that you said you were, if you can deliver, if you have good empathy and how you can bring money in.

So… basically, the same things most prospective customers would be evaluating, right? Thinking this way will make you prone to be more proactive, assertive and present yourself and your work in a business manner. Remember, nobody is out there waiting for you to ask for a favor. It’s about how you can leverage their business.


Be inquisitive, ask many questions.

Not just any question, you’ve researched the company in advance, right? Ask things that will allow you to a. Get a clear picture of what the job entitles and b. Demonstrate that you can do the job. Here are a few custom questions I expect to be asked (and seldom do, actually):

- What’s the position called?
- Is this a new position or would I be replacing somebody?
- Who does this position report to?
- Who else is on the team?
- What are the regular tasks of this position?
- What are the short and long term goals for this position?
- Where does this position fit in the hierarchy of the company?
- Where does this position fit in the production process, what teams does it relate to?
- What are the overall goals of the company?
- When do you expect to reach a decision?
- Will you let me know the outcome?


Be smart.

Answer questions quickly and with confidence. Phrases like this…

“This, uh, it’s a truly, uh, user-friendly… it’s uh, clean, uh, organized, uh, and uh, you know, I mean, the important, you know, is, I mean, high lighted, uh, you know, I mean, basically, you know…”*

… just don’t cut it.

Be ready to speak about your strengths and your weaknesses. You’d be amazed at how many people seem to be caught off guard with such questions, they never thought about it. Be candid and honest. Don’t try to deceive the interviewer. Remain calm, breathe slowly. Be sure not to badmouth your previous employers.


And last but not least, just be yourself, show all the good things you have to offer. If you still don’t get the job, at least you practiced. Review what went well and what didn’t go so well and make mental notes for next time.

I’d love some comments and your input. I’m sure there are loads more to add!
All the best!

* Rita Sue Siegel Resources.

Designers beware: Being the interviewee (Part 1)

I have already covered a designer’s resume and designer’s portfolio in this short series about designers landing a job in Latin America. In this new blog entry I will cover the interview from the interviewee perspective. I’ll divide it in two parts.


Part 1: Before the interview…

Now that you’re in “landing job” mode, it’s time to plan the strategy for your interview.


The call.
So the recruiter calls you to ask you to come over for an interview. Have a positive and upbeat attitude, act like you were expecting the call and be ready to jot down the directions to the place. It’s a good idea to take the chance to ask a couple of questions, like, who the interviewer is, their position, if they want you to bring anything else, if there’s a dress code, confirm the position they’re calling you for. In general, get as much information as possible from that call.


The research.
Once you know who’s contacted you, do some research on the company, if you haven’t already done so when you sent your resume. Check out their web page and find out as much information as you can. Try to relate that info to the design position and how it impacts their operation. DO NOT show up without doing some research. Research will allow you to prepare some intelligent questions for your interview and will save the interviewer some time in having to explain the company business to you. Trust me, you’ll make a great first impression.


The logistics.
Rehearse the route you’ll take to get to the interview location, beforehand. I know this may sound like a bit much, but making sure you get to the interview on time is of the outmost importance. In fact, leave a window to arrive there early.


The portfolio.
If you have many pieces, select the ones that better illustrate your skills for the position in question. Be prepared to present each piece by saying how it came about, what the creative process was like and how the customer’s business was improved by it.


The questions.
Interviewers ask difficult, personal and professional questions in order to see how you handle yourself under pressure and if your personality and professional traits match the position. Here are some typical questions:

- Why did you become a designer?
- What did you expect to achieve as a designer then?
- What do you expect to achieve as a designer now?
- In what type of atmosphere/environment do you feel most comfortable working in and do you do best working in groups or by yourself?
- What are your skills? What can you offer that other designers can't?
- What are your flaws?
- What’s your creative process?
- How does your expertise relate to our company?
- How do you think you’ll help us increase sales?
- What are your salary expectations?

Prepare intelligend answers for these questions and think about them thoroughly beforehand... show that you know where you're heading, what you want, your own value and how can all those positive things have a positive impact in the company.


Next time, I’ll be covering the actual interview. Until then, I look forward to receiving some comments!

All the best!