Colombians abroad

I just love it when this happens, you know? When out of the blue you find something that resonates with you. I love to see Colombians “making it abroad” and not forgetting where they came from. That, and weird coincidences, which deep down you know are no coincidences at all… I wonder…

Image from Decor8blog.com

Last week I was checking my favorite decoration blog on the web Decor8 Blog, which I usually do, and I stumbled upon a post about independent shops online and I started scrolling down looking at the pictures, when I see a sketch of a “Colombiana” soda, which is a brand of soda sold here in Colombia.

It was a preview from a shop online called LeftyHand. So I followed the link and it turned out that this shop was created by Marcela Restrepo who in her own words is “a Colombian professional illustrator working in Sydney, Australia. Born left-handed, she loves chocolate, The Eames and staring at the window.”

I loved her work!

Anyway, I was reading today a brochure for the Lápiz de Acero Award for this year, when lo and behold, what do I see in the middle of it? A mention of a 2004 winner in the category of “Internet”, whose name was… you guessed it, Marcela Restrepo! She won the Lápiz de Acero Award for best website with her http://www.lefthandside.com/ website, created, as she says it, “…to bring together talented left-handed artists and designers that are actually spread around the world.”

Is this what they call the Law of Attraction?

Well, at least it’s curious!

Anyway, check her work. It’ll make you feel proud if you’re a Colombian.

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.

Get your boss to send you to How Design Conference

A couple of weeks ago I received my latest issue of How Magazine. Inside there were some postcards promoting the How Design Conference.

The graphic design is pretty cool, as it is to be expected from the How team. However, that’s not what really caught my attention.

The interesting part was that they made each postcard as if it was a designer, sending it to their boss, explaining why it would be good for the boss, to send the designer to the conference.

See these examples:

“Hey, Boss! I’ll get all the tools I need to work more efficiently + effectively at the How Design Conference in Boston (May 18-21). Experts from Adobe will share insider secrets on Photoshop, InDesign and more — while top designers outline their best time-saving processes! Let me save you time (and money) — Send me to HOW! PS: If I learn just one tip that saves 2 minutes off a tedious design project — I’ll save at least 8 hours a year!”.

“Boss: The How Design Conference helps designers work faster, smarter and more creatively — that’s why I want to go! I’ll learn shortcuts and new techniques for the Adobe software I use everyday; get creativity boosters from the experts; and find out how to positively impact your business through design. Find out more at http://www.howconference.com/”.

“Being creative is my job. But on-the-spot creativity is a learned trait. That’s why the How Design Conference is important. I’ll see amazing work from some of the brightest minds in the industry and learn how to develop innovative solutions to business and marketing problems, even under pressure. — I wanna go!”

“Dear Boss— Please send me to Boston May 18-21 for the 2008 How Design Conference! I’ll learn new creative processes that will actually save YOU money — such as how to create my own type and build a stock photo library. Everything I learn, from on-demand creativity to technological shortcuts, will have a positive impact on your bottom line.”


See a pattern?

This is how a designer can sell an idea. Present to the other person what the benefits for them will be. Not only that, but be specific about what those benefits will be. Who could deny a designer who asks this way, the possibility to attend the conference?

HOW knows that, and that’s why they set up a Tips For Convincing Your Boss To Send You To The How Design Conference web page.

My point is that, if this is the way most designers think in the US, perhaps we, the Latin American designers have something to learn from them, like how to present a case or an idea and how to ask for training that will benefit both you and the company. And I think that we are scared to ask sometimes, because we assume that our bosses won’t want to spend money on such things, but like my old boss used to say: “Don’t assume, verify!”.

All the best!

Expoartesanías 2007

“From December 6th to 19th at Corferias, the most representative display of handicrafts from Colombia and other countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela, among others, will take place.

820 exhibitors will display the most unique handicrafts in seven pavilions.

Some of the new features of the 2007 fair include a special pavilion devoted to Jewelry and another pavilion for international exhibitors..."*

A couple of weeks ago I visited Expoartesanías. I know in previous posts I’ve been ranting about how disappointing current colombian design is. Granted, I referred to design in the academy and what kind of designers are getting a degree.

However, I am thrilled to announce that what I saw in Expoartesanías is a whole different picture. Of course, Expoartesanías is about crafts, so no mass production there. However, there’s still design involved!

And lots of it!

So it seems that many designers and artists are out there working hard and making great design. Some students would be wise to approach them and learn from them.

I saw great furniture, great leather accessories, home accessories, innovative use of materials, remarkable jewelry, unexpected forms and objects, but all with that amazing colombian aesthetic.

I know it’s late to go see it now, but check the catalog anyway and set yourself up to visit the fair next year!

I still wonder, though, how do we bring together this real life experience of business and the academy? Why the gap? What am I missing here?

All comments will be welcome.
All the best!

*From the Expoartesanías website.

Four Design Influences

As designers we pull from different sources to build our aesthetic awareness, our “visual culture” as a friend of mine used to call it. Here are four sources of design inspiration that I think can influence the way designers create, for the better.


Music:

Saturday night, a concert in Bogotá, the Iceland queen, Björk. She opens up the concert with a costume that made her look something like a mix between a mushroom and a jelly fish.

I was listening to the music and comparing the beats to the movements she made when she danced, how she expressed the music visually, with her body and how that connected with the stage design and the whole production including the other musicians and the different elements that were placed onstage that made for the visual experience of the performance. It was simply amazing.

There was another time in my life when this was very palpable. When I was in high school I had an art teacher. She once played some music for us in a boom box and asked us to draw what we felt. The results were rather interesting and varied, depending on the person. While some people drew in a linear form, others went back and forth with their shapes, up and down, changed colors.

Music has mountains and valleys, punches, speed, tone, it’s big or small, it’s very obvious or subtle, it can be deep, steep or narrow. Music can become something visual, something that has a shape, a size, even a color. And if it’s something visual, then it can be used to create design.


Food:

The other day I was watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on TV and he was visiting this restaurant in Spain, called “El Bulli”, where his chef and owner Ferran Adriá has a very unique proposal to gastronomy.

It turns out that Adriá and his team believe in innovation in both the dishes they make as well as how they present them, that’s why they work on a lab a great portion of the year, as if it was a chemistry project.

His team includes an industrial designer who has two functions: One, to come up with the symbols that identify the internal processes in the lab and two, to come up with the best crockery and the best cutlery to present the different courses.

How cool is that? Can you imagine working as a designer for something that is not obviously design related?

Check out El Bulli’s website and go to the section called “1983-2005 general catalogue” and see the amazing shapes, the innovating dishes, the way it’s all presented, not only as an aesthetic proposal, but as a culinary experiment, using ingredients and combinations that nobody has dared to use.


Art:

This is, of course, an obvious one. How has art impacted design? What a big question! And nowadays you often can’t draw a line between art and product design. Who is to say that an iPod is not artful? And remember the Bauhaus? Where’s the line there?

To me, art is anything, any medium that is used to express human emotion. Would you agree with me if I said that product design (and any kind of design, for that matter) is influenced by emotion?

How does an art piece make you feel? And how do certain design pieces make you feel? Is there a connection? What elements can we take from art, to apply to design?


Other designers:

Here’s another obvious one, but do young designers actually take the time to research other designers in the world?

When I was in college, we reviewed the work of French Philippe Starck. Little did I know that the guy was still alive! I thought that since many of his pieces were modern design icons, maybe he was already dead. Silly me…

Anyway, this is a French designer that has designed some of the most representative pieces of modern industrial design, from culinary objects, to entire hotels! And there are tons of pictures of his designs on his website. This is a great source of inspiration, to see how design problems can be solved with ease and style.

The point here is to research, to find out what who the big designers are right now! What they’re doing, what trends they’re creating! And then ask ourselves, what do I bring to the table?


There are many other sources of influence for designers. As Latin American designers, are we tackling on all of them? Are we researching, acquiring visual culture? What other influences can you suggest? Books, movies, local culture, history?

All the best!

Design resources: Coroflot.com

A place where designers gather together!

Coroflot.com is an online community dedicated to all the branches of design, where designers can promote themselves through:

· Uploading their resume.
· Uploading their portfolio.
· Joining groups (Like D Colombia).
· Searching jobs (Mostly abroad).
· Commenting on other designers work.
· Networking.

If you are a designer, then you need to be here.

I’ve actually used this site to recruit designers before, and every day it is becoming more and more popular in Colombia, so do take the time to post your information here. I’ve been a member for years.

As colombian (And Latinamerican designers) we need to stick together, help each other and promote latinamerican design. This is a great place to start.

Germán Salamanca had already commented on this site last year, however the site has had a revamp this year, so it’s worth it to check it out now and enroll if you haven’t already.

All the best!

Latin American Design Events

As a second post today, my friend Leonardo Mora told me about three design related events going on in Latin America.

Design Fest, in Guadalajara, México.

XVIII National Summit of National Graphic Design Schools, in Aguascalientes, México.

Latinamerican Design Summit, at University of Palermo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, already gone for this year, but coming up again next year.

Is it be possible for we colombians to organize events like these?
Or maybe our designers will join such events!

All the best!

How can I?

The other day I was listening to a radio show and one of the people cited a question that got me thinking about Colombian designers’ attitude towards design and work in general.

How can I…?

I don’t think I’ve been on the field as much as I would’ve wanted. Still, It’s no secret that I get this impression that many Colombian designers (and some Latin-American designers, maybe?) suffer from “third world” or “small” mentality, where we’re basically living and working by default.

This was especially evident when I went to the 10th Design Showroom at my university a few weeks ago.

So, they call themselves “lucky” if they can land a job. A job, which for the most part, is very poorly rewarded in our country. I think it’s easy for young designers here to get into a self-pitying pattern where external circumstances define their future as people and as professionals.

And so they find themselves waiting for a company to offer them a job, waiting for that lucky break, basically waiting to see if maybe the stars align so that they can get a better quality of life and maybe, just maybe, pursue their dreams.

So… back to the radio show I was listening. How can I…? And fill in the rest yourself!

How can I add value to this company?
How can I make my portfolio all the more attractive?
How can I be different from other designers?
How can I make some money?
How can I make work easier and more effective?
How can I help this customer reach his goals?
How can I make this logo different?
How can I approach this issue from an unexpected angle?
How can I make this project innovative?
How can I do better work?
How can I learn more and grow as a designer?
How can I stimulate my creativity?
How can I change?
How can I become the person I want to be?
How can I land the awesome position at that amazing company?



The list goes on! Did you notice something? This question immediate causes your brain to come up with answers! Notice that it’s a completely different attitude than “Why can’t I get a job?”

Do write some comments and list some more “How can I…?” questions. I’m sure it’ll be fun!

All the best!

Design resources: Springwise.com and Trendwatching.com

This week I’m going to present young designers with two more resources they can use to expand their creativity and be on top of the latest news.


Springwise.com

“Springwise and its network of 8,000 spotters scan the globe for smart new business ideas, delivering instant inspiration to entrepreneurial minds from San Francisco to Singapore. Time to start the Next Big Thing!

Springwise scans the globe for the most promising business ventures, ideas and concepts ready for regional or international adaptation, expansion, partnering, investments or cooperation. Ferociously tracking more than 400 global offline and online business resources, as well as taking to the streets of world cities, digital cameras at hand.”

Need I say more? In Springwise you’ll find the latest, most wackiest and smartest business ideas from around the globe. It will:

· Be a source if design inspiration.
· Be a source of news and design trends.
· Be a source of practical ideas even you can implement.

Check it out and subscribe to the free newsletter! The latest issue covered:

Product placement agency targets YouTube
Marketing & advertising

Crowdfunding software projects
Media & publishing

Zero cents per minute Update
Telecom & mobile / Marketing & advertising

A social marketplace for clothes hounds
Fashion & beauty

Solar-powered vending machines
Eco & sustainability / Food & beverage

Helping seniors relocate
Life hacks

Free love at the food court
Marketing & advertising

Freeze-dried eco burials
Lifestyle


You can search their webpage by date or by industry, or you can even submit an idea!
Why not give it a try?



Trendwatching.com

“Trendwatching.com is an independent and opinionated trend firm, scanning the globe for the most promising consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas. For the latest and greatest, we rely on our network of 8,000+ spotters in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Most of our findings are aggregated in a free, monthly Trend Briefing, which is sent to 130,000+ business professionals in more than 120 countries. (…) Our trend findings help marketers, CEOs, researchers, and anyone else interested in the future of business and consumerism, to dream up new goods, services and experiences for (or even better, with) their customers.”

In other words, they spot market trends, given them a name and then they follow up on them and show different examples. Some of the trends are:

5*STAR*LIVING
(AFTER) SPOILING DATE
BEING SPACES
BRAND SPACES
BRANDED BRANDS
COUNTER-GOOGLING
COUNTERVALS
CRIBTIMONIALS
CROWD CLOUT
CURATED CONSUMPTION
CUSTOMER-MADE

Visit their trend page, to see more!

This is where the world is headed, so designers, beware!

All the best!

10th Design Showroom, Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Last week I visited the Design Showroom at my university (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) and I was surprised by the examples of student work which weren’t what I expected after ten years of cellebrating this event.

Before reading on, I should say that I don't consider myself an authority in design or design trends, but as a mere user, I am entitled to my own opinion.

The Design Showroom is a compilation of the best student work of the year and it’s been organized by my school during the last ten years. I was actually honored to be a winner in the “Graduation Projects” category back in 1998. It’s presented as an exhibition in the Architecture Museum located within the campus.

The Showroom is supposed to present the visitor with the top projects which are selected based on some predetermined criteria.

I was there for the very first Design Showroom 10 years ago, back when access to the Internet was limited still and I thought the world was small, and I remember thinking that the projects were really good and in tune with the times. I went to see the exhibition to find that after ten years it seems that Colombian design hasn’t grown much (At least in my university).

I saw the same kinds of projects, the same device for picking fruit, the same transportation vehicle for the handicapped, the same furniture… And what’s even sadder, our aesthetic sense is going downhill… I barely saw anything that I would tag as “beautiful”, let alone, “saleable”.

Now, my concerns are hardly about beauty —though design definitely has to do with it— but more related to our vision as designers. It would seem that Colombian designers have a limited vision of the world today and the world of the future.

I worry that our new designers are still plagued by the “third world” thinking, that they still think we’re small and that we have no impact as a country. Is that it? Is that why they keep designing as we did ten years ago? Globalization is with us today, so this kind of thinking really doesn’t serve us.

How can Colombian designers be top notch when years (even decades) ago movies like Total Recall, The Fifth Element and Minority Report (just to name a few) have presented such futuristic societies, their devices and their weird and innovative usability proposals? How can we compare?

And let’s not talk fiction, let’s talk reality. Watch this video of Jeff Han’s Jeff Han’s 8 foot Multi-touch display wall; this is already shipping! It is commercially available! So where is Colombian design compared to technology like this? To usability trends like the ones we are already seeing commercially? Have any of our young designers even seen an iPhone or iPod Touch presentation video? How can we measure up?

And yes, in a country like ours design has a big social function, but let’s not kid ourselves here: Design is primarily a business tool, a way of making successful products that ultimately, enhance the human experience. So are our designers in touch with the current design and market trends? How about usability trends? And what about the way design is affecting other cultures and societies? Are they not watching TV or going online sometimes?

Can any of that be applied here? Of course! So what’s the gap then? Where are the dreams of the designers and the wild ideas? And let’s face it, if these guys aren’t having wild ideas while at school, the opportunity to implement them is much smaller once they graduate.

I reviewed the teacher’s list at the Showroom and yes, many of my old teachers are still there. Are they encouraging futuristic and trend-conscious thinking in their students? And what about the new teachers? Is anybody in contact with what’s going on in the world in regards to design? In my opinion, our designers are designing the same stuff we did ten years ago, when we didn’t have as many resources as they do today.

And this also brings me to my next point: It is imperative that designers speak English today. In my experience speaking English has opened so many doors for me and has given me access to huge amounts of information from the web. I think it should be mandatory in university curriculums and it should be as important a subject as the creative ones.

What I did see, much to my relief, was the use of 3D software to present the projects. Back in my day we didn’t have access to such technology, but it is good to know that at least our designers are using that resource.

One of the really good proposals is IO, a lighting sculpture.


Another one is wawawasi, an aid for parents with children who are learning to walk. This one I actually think has great commercial potential.

Aside from that, I regret to say that I wasn’t moved. And the graphic design projects don’t offer anything new either.

My friend César Galán, has allowed me to use his photos of the Showroom and share them with you. Click here, to see them.

I would love to receive some comments from people from other universities, telling me how they view design in their respective schools, if they feel I’m off my rocker here… I sure could use some hope!

Anyway, if you’re a young designer, I recommend you check some of my old posts:
Design Resources: Design Management Institute, DMI.
Design magazines
Designers beware: Podcasts

… and come back to my blog because I intend to reveal more resources to check.

If you’d like to see a couple more videos of Jeff Han’s amazing touch screen wall, click here and here.
Also, I recommend you check How Magazine’s August 2007 issue entitled “The Future”.

All the best!

Design leadership and the constant challenges

Early in my career I was faced with the challenge of being in charge of a section of the company I worked for which included having a person reporting to me. I remember feeling completely scared of becoming a bad boss!

At that time I consulted with a colleague of mine who’d had a lot more experience and he gave me a few pointers. In the end, his best advice was “just be yourself”.

So I became G’s boss.

G happened to be very receptive from the start as we were both learning all the technical aspects of the job.

In the beginning it was hard to get him to see the bigger picture, to plan ahead, he couldn’t imagine how he could predict the events and therefore, the actions to be taken for the upcoming weeks.

But during the five plus years that G and I worked together we both grew professionally to a point where we achieved autonomy in ourselves but presented results as a team.

This was an amazing growing experience and led me to want to continue to grow as a leader.

I recently was faced again with another “being the boss” challenge. Two girls reported to me. One fresh-out-of-college designer and another one with a bit more experience.

This posed a bigger test because I had to use different languages to speak to each of them.

Since my experience with G had been so good and we’d grown together at the same pace, I thought I could just use the same method with anybody.

Not!

Miss F, the fresh-out-of-college designer needed me to hold her hand a bit more, to walk her through the steps of the different activities, to guide her. And she would usually come back to me with “What do I do now, Carolina?”

And I found myself resisting the urge to give her a straight answer. I had to get her to think, to come up with solutions by herself, to be more independent every day, to ask me less.

In the eight months that we worked together she came a long way and could do most of her work all by herself. I was very proud of myself and her.

The other girl, Miss Q, she had a bit more experience and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Also, she was strong-willed and assertive. This demanded a different approach from me, one where the ideas would mostly come from her, with a little guidance from me.

This also resulted in a great growing experience; the more I demanded from her, the more she would give and the more she came up with new ideas and solutions.

I have a point, I promise…

Sometimes designers end up becoming creative directors or managing a small group of creative people, which may not be something they ever saw themselves doing.

So here are a few tips to be more effective in that arena:

Be yourself, really. As I’ve said in a previous post, it’s not about barking orders or being in a position of power. It’s about getting the best of people and people will give you their best when you are authentic, honest and real.
Be clear about goals and expectations. Communicate them frequently.

Spend some time trying to figure out what the other person is about, what their mental process is, how they handle information, so that you can figure out the best way to get through to them.

It’s not about them adapting to you or following your lead, but quite the opposite. It’s about you stretching yourself to find the most effective way to get the best out of your team and have some fun while doing it!

I am so looking forward to more leadership challenges in the future, as they are the most interesting part of my work!

Mi idea with this post is that designers think outside of the box and start reflecting on the direction their career can go in the future and if they want to be in a leadership position. If so, start preparing.

Read some books about personal leadership, building teams, managing people and resources… Become aware. There’s a lot of information on the web, podcasts and books.

Epilogue: G went on to take my position and is now the design leader there. Miss F and Miss Q continue to work in my previous company, where they are faced with bigger challenges everyday. The both insist that I was a great boss ;-)

All the best!

Design magazines

As I’ve discussed before, I think young designers in Latin America would benefit from expanding their scope and trying to find new and wider sources of information. One of those sources are design magazines. Though the web has opened up many doors for designers, there may be some that will read this information for the first time.

Remember how I said that I used to think that my world was really small? Well, when I was at the university I used to think that design magazines were beyond my reach. In those days there was a really beautiful one called Abitare, italian, awesome… we used to see them at the design building’s library.

As years went by, I started working and got a credit card and what do you know…? Using credit cards, you can buy things abroad! I don’t know about you, but this never occurred to me when I was in college (I know, I know… I was either too innocent, or didn’t have good friends!).

So I wanted to let you know about two magazines I’ve been subscribed to for years.

How Magazine: This magazine focuses on graphic design, which being a designer, I love. And it shows some great examples of graphic design, they have contests and then they feature the winners and the contestants, so it’s a great source of visual culture.

Furthermore, what I really love about this magazine is its business edge. You will find design business related articles, from hiring an accountant for your design studio, to how to boost creativity and be a great design leader.

They also do a “Business Annual” every year (no kidding, huh?) that covers even more business related topics like salaries and legal stuff. To me, this magazine is a must read for every designer. It’s American, but I think it conveys the global design business trends of today.

ID Magazine: Sister of How Magazine, ID focuses more on my field, industrial and product design. It doesn’t have the same depth in business issues, but it’s a great showcase of the best of current design. I suggest you get this one too.






So my message for this short post is…

1. Get a credit card! I don’t care if you’re a student, banks always have special promotions for you.
2. Research and subscribe to design magazines. If there aren’t any good ones in your region, subscribe to a couple abroad!
3. Even if you can’t afford it, research local publications. It also doesn’t have to be on your design discipline, you can check some decoration magazines, or architecture… it’ll all become what I call “visual culture”, feeding and stimulating your brain with more design!

I mean, that’s why we became designers, isn’t it?
Hey, do leave a comment if you want to suggest more magazines!
All the best!

Designers beware: Travels.

I come from what is called a “third world country”, from a middle class family always struggling to make ends meet and I used to think that my world was so small…

And then I decided I wanted to become a designer, a non-profitable profession in the eyes not only of my parents, but of many people. During my years in college I saw how design had changed history, how it impacted our culture and our reality. Still, I couldn’t fit in my head the idea of being able to see more, to expand my own space. It seemed like something unreachable.

It was when I started working for a multinational company that my world slowly began to grow, my vision expanded and I wanted to see more. I was being exposed to people from every corner of the Earth. I became ever more curious and I suddenly realized that I had been limiting myself for all those years, always thinking that money or background were an issue.

The company started sending me on trips to Perú, Mexico and the US and I jumped at the opportunity to stay a few days longer on each trip, to experience the culture and see the art and history of the places I visited.


My world was becoming larger and larger…

In one of my trips to Perú I visited Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It was amazing. As a designer I was very interested in seeing the architecture, art, the aesthetics, the formal solutions.




Did you know that the Incas built their houses without any substance holding the bricks (if you can call them that) together? The “bricks” were designed to fit together… mere geometrics and mathematical calculations, and guess what, those walls are still standing today, hundreds of years after they were built.

Plus, the energy of the place, the history, the culture, it will wash all over you. If you can, go. It’s rather cheap and it’ll be a wonderful experience.

I also visited Mexico which I found so interesting. Mexicans have such a rich and ancient culture. It was incredible to see the Aztec ruins visible through the modern buildings. To understand how this culture has mixed their native influences with the modern currents to create something unique.



I was particularly amazed to see the works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo and many other Mexican artists that paved the way to today’s Latin American art. You can see their influence in many art manifestations like architecture and fashion.



Last year I was fortunate enough to go to New York. I mean, it doesn’t get any more global than that, right? Visiting places like the Met and the Brooklyn Museum of Art, all the different cultures of the world gathered in one place. All their aesthetic solutions to the same problems, their vision of the world, of their past and their future.



By now you must be wondering where I’m going with all this…

Well, here are some points I think young designers need to ponder:

1. If you think money is an issue, it’s not. I got loans, I saved, I found a way. Now I don’t see any destination as impossible.

2. Wherever you are, there’s still so much for you to see. Whatever you’ve been told, or you’ve believed, there’s a whole big giganting world out there for you to experience. Go seek knowledge!

3. Creativity is like a well… in order to draw from it, you need to fill it first. Find things that move you, that touch all your senses, experience, feed your own visual culture, taste new flavors, listen to new languages, live like other people do. It’s only going to make your work that much better and your life much more fulfilled.


You’re young, do it now. Don’t wait any longer, today is your chance! Such beauty waiting for you to discover it! And if you’re not so young, it’s never too late. I’ve now made it a priority to travel at least once a year. I’ve visited Ecuador, Perú, Brazil, Mexico and several cities in the US. What’s next? Who knows? Europe, the Far East… I haven’t decided what my destination will be this year, but I’m sure it’s going to blow my mind!

All the best!

Designers beware: Setting clear goals and expectations.

Lately I’ve found myself having differences of opinion with people about my ideas on how to lead a design team. I want to present a situation to the community and get some feedback on whether or not I am completely off my rocker.

Let’s say you own a small design studio or you lead an in-house team. Let’s say you hire a new designer. A young bright designer. Let’s say that this new designer is assigned a group of tasks that involve learning a new software or mastering a technology which he hasn’t been exposed to before. He’s expressed this openly to you during the selection process.

The standards or final goals are clear in your head. You know exactly what you expect from the designer.

The question is: How do you get this new designer from not knowing quite how to do the work to getting the job done as you want it?

Some might argue that if this designer is as bright as he seems, he should figure it all out on his own. Now, from my point of view, there are three things/issues he should figure out:

- One, how to work the software/new technology.
- Two, the standards the job needs to meet.
- Three, how much time he’s allowed to take to get to the expected level of performance.

Do you agree with me so far?

New set of questions: What would happen if you (the manager) fail to give information to this young designer on one of the three issues. In fact, what would happen if you refuse to provide information on all of them? What would be the odds of this designer meeting your criteria? Would you still expect him to?

Believe it or not, I’ve encountered such a situation recently.

So here’s what I think:

Issue one, yes, software and new technology usually come with manuals, and yes, there are forums on the web where a person can post his questions and get some guidance. Would this be enough?

Would it be reasonable to ask one of the designers on the team (one that knows how to work the technology) to help the young bright designer? Would it be reasonable for you to spend some time with the designer, explaining the basics of the technology? Would this help him reach the performance level quicker? I would say so, wouldn’t you?

Issue two, could the new designer guess what you expect? Let’s say he’s so brave, he went straight to you and asked about it and you ignored him because you thought explaining that would just take too much time. Would you still expect him to know how the job needs to be presented?

Again, would it be reasonable to enlist the help of another designer on the team or to perhaps spend some of your time explaining the standards that need to be met? Would this help the designer present the job according to the expectations? I would say so, wouldn’t you?

Issue three, would the designer be able to guess how long would be a reasonable time to reach the expected level of performance? Would anybody in this situation be? Would it help to inform him clearly when you expect to see results? Would it help him if you gave him a schedule of steps or small goals he needs to reach and their timeframe? I would say so, wouldn’t you?

So by now I’m guessing you’ve gotten my point. You cannot expect someone who’s new on a job to guess how things need to be done. Especially if this young bright designer is also fresh-out-of-college.

You need to give this person the tools, all the tools available, for him to learn as soon as possible. You need to inform the standards that the job has to meet and you need to be clear on deadlines, schedules and expectations. Period.

Let’s avoid the “quick-fix” mentality and let’s start building a real design team. Let’s spend time training our people so that they can be more productive now and in the long run and so that we can deliver better work.

If our schedule is so tight, let’s delegate! Other designers would be more than willing to guide the new guy! Don’t you agree? Wouldn’t you go as far as calling the attitude of the manager I’ve described as “negligent”?

I’d love to receive some comments and know what other people think. Are there people out there who can “guess” how a job needs to be done? Would they be successful if they put more “effort” into it? Am I missing something here?

All the best!

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: Your portfolio.

In my last blog I presented 10 tips on designer resumes. Continuing with my series on designers getting a job in Latin America (and just about anywhere I think), this time I will be covering your portfolio. To make it in the design business, all designers must have a portfolio. A portfolio is anything that will allow you to show your past work. It can be a physical printed portfolio, or an electronic one. Either way, consider the tips in this article to get the most out of it.

I personally think that it’s best to have both a printed and an electronic portfolio. I’d even go as far as saying that you should have two electronic portfolios: An online one and a PDF one.

Think of the people who are going to be reviewing your portfolio… is it a human resources person? Is it a designer? A creative director? A marketing manager? You should be able to effectively provide samples of your work to each audience.

If they request you send your portfolio, make sure you send what they expect. This will give you an advantage over those designers that reply with “oh, but I only have a printed one”. Granted, offering to show your portfolio in person can be taken as a proactive and positive move, it’s still no excuse not to send the requested materials in the preferred media of the interviewer. Ask in advance.


Before putting together your portfolio…

Pick a theme. This may sound a bit corny and it may not apply to everybody, but the best portfolios I’ve seen have had a “theme” to group and present information. A theme will force you to think creatively of a way to show your work inside a frame or topic. I once saw a graphic designer’s portfolio who’s theme was the seven deadly sins. He made it so that his work was divided into each sin, depending on the subject matter of the projects. The portfolio itself was very interesting and I could tell that he had put a lot of thought and effort into it. It also showed how far his creativity could go. That guy landed the job.

Pick your work. Plan it carefully. Organize it in a way that will be coherent to most people. Test this with people who can give you an honest opinion. Figure out how you want to present information. For a graphic designer, for example, it could be something like: branding, illustration, advertisement, typography. You could also sub-divide into academic and real projects.

Pick your media. And design accordingly to make the different versions of your portfolio, consistent. Choose being neat over being flashy.

Plan your page. Think of how each project page will look, what information it will contain. Remember that you may not be present when the interviewer sees your portfolio, so ask yourself, how are you going to convey your message? How will the viewer get what each project was about?


If you go for a printed portfolio…

Make it portable. Find or make a folder that will make it easy to carry around. It could even not be a folder! Be creative and do something unique, but avoid being cumbersome.

Make it neat and polished. Show that you care about the details. Make sure your portfolio is always in a perfect state."

Make it leavable. That’s right, if there’s something you can leave behind as a reminder of your work, that is a big plus. A good self promotion piece that will remind the interviewer of that cool designer that had that fabulous portfolio.


If you go for electronic, online or animated…

Make it simple and stylish. Avoid unnecessary animations and distractions. Cut to the chase and present information in a clear and organized way. Divide by categories, as I explained earlier in this article.

Make it work. Make sure that all the clickable objects work and that they take the viewer where they’re supposed to go. Test it on different platforms and test its compliance with IP standards (Idiot Proof standards, that is, meaning that anybody should be able to use it without a need for a manual).

Make it quiet. Unless you’re applying for a position as multimedia designer, I’d advise against adding music to your portfolio. It’s distracting and since you don’t know your viewer’s taste in music, this could actually play against you. Furthermore, avoid having different music for different sections. If you do choose to use music, make sure there are controls to shut it off and control volume.


If you go for electronic, PDF…

Make it complete. Be certain that the file does include all the pages you intended. This may sound obvious, but I have received a single page with no information on it. What this says is that you didn’t make the effort to check your file before sending it.

Make it printable. When I receive portfolios in PDF I like to print them out. Sometimes I receive PDFs with printing restrictions which I find annoying, because I have several printed portfolios to review. If I can’t print one, I most likely will forget about it.

Make it yours. Name your file with your name and add the word “portfolio”. This will make it easier for the recruiter to find your information. Be consistent with your resume. i.e. carolina_ayerbe_resume.pdf and carolina_ayerbe_portfolio.pdf.


Last but not least, have some fun! Show your creativity and your personality, your portfolio is your best referral. Show how passionate you are about your projects and about the way you present them, this will come through and will show how professional you are. Being neat and organized doesn’t clash with being a bit wacky and adventurous!

If you’re a young, fresh-out-of-college designer, being so doesn’t excuse you for not having a great portfolio. Include your best academic projects. If you’re a freshman, start now, collect all the info you can about all the projects you do and start putting together your portfolio!

If you're already an experienced designer and have a lot of pieces, consider your audience and present the projects that apply to the position you want to fill.

I hope these tips help some designers.
Do let me know what you think and if this article helped at all.
All comments will be most appreciated!
All the best!


More resources:
Top 10 Portfolio Faux Pas
10 Portfolio Commandments
How to Present Your Creative Portfolio

Designers beware: 10 tips on designer resumes.

Looking for a job? Yes, a very daunting and stressful experience, especially if you’re a fresh-out-of-college designer applying for your first job.

I’ve had the opportunity to interview many designers for in-house positions and I’ve found that most designers would benefit from some guidance on how to promote themselves. This is particularly relevant to designers in South America and Colombia where design is a relatively new profession.

The times, they are a’ changing, and designers need to rise to the level of most professionals. Design is a business. It’s not just about the perfect decoration in the pretty resume. It has to convey a message of professionalism, a message that you can actually do the job. Even if you’re a designer with experience, here are ten tips for designers writing their resume:


Tip 1: Do some research.
Even if you think you know everything there is to know about designing a document, find out about effective ways to present a resume. There are tons of websites with information about it like Rita Sue Siegel Resources and even this here article may help you. Now, being a designer, you are 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 in the whole page.


Tip 2: Customize your resume to match the position.
Designers work in different areas of design. I’ve seen this especially with graphic designers. So when 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. 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.


Tip 3: A one page resume.
Yes, all the 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. 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. 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. Here's an example of a one page resume. Granted, this was a fresh-out-of-college designer and didn't have a lot of information to include, but you get the idea.


Tip 4: Your name and contact information are the most important thing.
Follow what you learned in school and make your name and contact information 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 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 Photoshop. If you’re applying for a job as an illustrator, this could be a good highlight for your resume.


Tip 5: Your profile.
Include a brief paragraph expressing what your profile as a designer is, or what your major 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.


Tip 6: Now for the work information.
Include your work experience, listing jobs in reverse chronological order. For each job include:

a. The time period you had that job, including year and month.
b. The responsibilities of the position.
c. The achievements of the position, and how they translated into either an increase in sales or the reduction of costs for the firm. Include 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 current information.


Tip 7: Academic information.
Include the qualifications you have and filter them to be pertinent to the position you’re applying to. List them in reverse chronological order too. Be sure to include the year in which you graduated and the title you received.


Tip 8: Is it the right file?
When sending your resume file through email, take into consideration:

a. Check that your file is complete. Yes, I have received resumes of one page, where it only lists the jobs, with no name or contact info, because they forgot to include the previous pages.

b. Name your file with your name. i.e. carolina_ayerbe_CV.pdf; make the work of the recruiter easier, and make your resume easy to find among all the files she’s downloaded that are called “CV.doc”, “resume.pdf”, “current_resume.doc” and every other combination that doesn’t provide any information as to what the file contains.

c. Include your name, title and the position you’re applying to in the subject line of the email. It makes it easier to find you in the long list of emails the recruiter received every day.

d. Open some doors by writing a short, warm and assertive email message to go with your attachment. Don’t just send the attachment alone; some people might take this gesture to be rude. Say hello, at least. 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 cover letter.


Tip 9: 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 this designer that presented himself as a “brand creator”. Hmm, interesting, I thought.

When I interviewed him I 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. It’s much more effective.


Tip 10: 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 complete portfolio. Don’t send twelve pages, though. Still keep it short, two or three pages maximum.


I hope these tips help out a few designers out there.
I look forward to receiving some comments!

All the best, Carolina Ayerbe.

Designers beware of… production lines.

Once you've completed your design process, it goes to production. Whether it's printing, packaging or product design, you need to be knowledgeable about the production process, in detail.

Suppliers are more than happy to help most of the time, they will explain technical specifications (they will even share molds or keylines) and suggest better ways to handle the design in order to make the most of the process. Knowing about it will give you more authority to assess design issues with clients as well as avoid potential problems during production. If you can, spend a few days in the factory or production line, so that you understand the process thoroughly. Ask many questions.

Take a look into products that have been made using the same production techniques and evaluate how much you can push the boundaries of your design. Learn about the quantity of items to be produced and the budget to do it. These factors may play a key role in how the design should be tackled, for instance, can you produce two different designs at the same time? Is there a limited number of colors available according to the price? What's the minimum/maximum quantity that can be produced in a predefined time?

It's also a very good idea to create mock-ups, specially in product or package design.

Despite all of the above, clarify responsibilities with your client and suppliers. While I'm saying you need to be knowledgeable in the production process, take into consideration that specifications, legal requirements and other production issues should be addressed by them.

All the best!