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: Is the design manager or leader the one that is “better” than the rest?

I recently held a discussion with someone who told me in order to lead a team of designers, the design leader had to be better than the other designers. I don’t agree with such statement.

As I’ve mentioned before I’m very interested in learning and growing as a leader. I’ve read a lot about leadership and I keep up with design publications so I can feed off the experience of others, as well as my own.

So I thought I’d bring the subject up and see what people think!

What would be my answer to such a question? No.

But before I expand on my opinion, let’s just ask ourselves what “better” means. The person to whom I had this conversation was indicating the design leader must produce better logos than the rest, better visual systems, or the best brochures.

So for this person, being 'better' in the "technical” sense of the craft, meant a good designer would naturally become a good design manager. In other words, somebody who is better has the natural ability to supervise other designer's work, on account of their ability. On the other hand, someone with less ability would be unable to judge the quality of the other designer’s work.

Let’s stop for a moment and ask this question, “Would any really good designer necesarily want to become a design manager? I’ve known a fair share of designers that would decline such an invitation, at least feel uncomfortable with such a possibility. Why? For some being a design leader is “boring” and cuts into the one thing they enjoy most... designing! Managers have to start worrying about clients, deadlines, paperwork, tedious tasks and more importantly, the growth of their staff. I don’t know many, if any designers that would trade their art of designing for a higher position. Designers love designing!

Another question... what qualities does a great leader have to posess? Think of the great leaders of the world; those who have moved the masses, that have created a positive impact in history. In fact, why not consider that great boss you once had? What did he/she have in common with those other great leaders? I would say the ability to bring the best out of those they lead... in the case of the design manager, not the ability to draw better nor apply a more exhilirating color.

I once had a great boss who knew a bit about doing the tasks I normally did, however I surpassed him in many aspects of the work, chief of which was technical ability. But I could never have led the team the way he did. He’s still remembered by many as to how he pushed the team in all the right directions. What was so great about his leadership? He trusted and guided us... he encouraged us to learn on our own... he pushed us to try new heights, always keeping his word as he held the reigns. Was he “better”, in this sense of the word? No. But he was certainly wiser, with more experiences, able to see in us abilities we never saw in ourselves.

In closing here’s my thought: A good design manager is one who hires designers “better” than he or she is able to design. This way they’re able to feed off the knowledge of those they lead which will in turn bring out the best in their designing ability. If I were such a leader I would hire those passionate about their work... designers always learning more, always pushing themselves to new heights. In the final analysis, it’s not who’s better, it’s who forms the most diverse team, where the team feels supported to each bring their best to the table. This, to me, is what makes for a successful design team.

I look forward to receiving some comments! I’d sure love to know what the community thinks.
All the best!

*A special thanks to Mr. Green who kindly helped me proof read this article.

Designers beware: 10 tips on writing emails.

If there’s one thing a designer cannot afford to be is sloppy. Ever. And we designers tend to be a bit sloppy about communication and we tend to believe that whoever doesn’t speak “design tongue” is kind of dumb.

But think again, as I’ve exposed before, it is we, the designers, that need to start expressing in the language of the people we serve.

One of the most used tools of communication for designers is of course, email. Numerous versions of blueprints and projects are sent every day, iterations, discussions about budgets, deadlines, look and feel, corrections, revisions…

It is crucial that we manage email effectively in order to not drown in our own sea of email and communicate a clear message that will help design processes run smoothly. So here are ten tips to effectively handle email:


Tip 1: Be smart about subject lines.
The subject line should provide as much information as possible about the content of the email. Be descriptive and avoid laziness. Include if applicable, the name of the customer, the project, the specific part of the project, the version, if any action needs to be taken. For example:
Nike Running Shoes Ad blueprint, version 04. Comments are expected by tomorrow noon.

I’ve literally received emails with “design” or “strawberry” in the subject line.
Another thing is to update the subject line every time you reply. As the message evolves, so should the subject line.

If there are emails that you constantly send, that have the same structure, come up with a nomenclature for them. For instance, if you send a budget update every two weeks, your subject line could be: "Nike Campaign, Budget Update for February 20th, 2007", where you would only change the date every time you send it. This makes it easier for you and your readers to archive.

You could even come up with some abbreviations to add at the end of the subject line, inside the organization. For example: AR=action required; EOM=end of message; CE=comments expected. This will help other people know up front if there’s something they need to do about it.


Tip 2: Be brief and to the point.
Bottom line up front, state the purpose of the email and the actions required in the first paragraph. This will allow the reader to decide whether they need to continue reading or not. If the emails is more than three paragraphs long, it’s better to call and follow up with a summary email.


Tip 3: Be clear on what the next step is.
And include this information in the subject line or first paragraph if possible. Tell the reader if an action is required of them and state a deadline for that action to be taken. If no action is required, inform that also. You could start the message with “fyi” which means that the email is sent only as information.


Tip 4: There are no urgent emails.
If something is urgent and needs immediate attention, call, and then follow up with an email.


Tip 5: Present ideas in a simple, easy to understand way.
As I said in a previous post:

“This is particularly important when sending emails and explaining design issues in writing. It is very easy for a customer to get confused when he receives an email and it’s not well written. Revise how much detail you want to go into when discussing matters with your clients. Little detail and you won’t be able to convey your message, too much detail and it’s likely that your counterpart will get confused.”

Also help the reader with visual aids whenever needed. Highlight issues with different colors if you need to draw attention to them. Use bullets to list things. Another thing I like to do is take a picture (JPG or PDF) of a given design and use Photoshop to circle the areas I want to discuss. I assign a number to each area and then I explain each of the numbers in writing.

Make sure your emails comply with IP Standards (Idiot Proof Standards, that is, meaning that anything that needs a manual to be understood, is not well designed).


Tip 6: Mind your spelling and grammar.
As I said in a previous post:

“Grammar and spelling do speak about your professionalism, so be aware of the image you’re presenting. Check emails for errors or typos before sending them and make sure your staff does the same.”

Tip 7: Never forward junk or chain emails.
It’s plain unprofessional and goes against the trust customers and people in general, have in you.


Tip 8: Use a signature.
One that includes your name, position and contact details. If you’re part of a design organization, standardize it and make sure everybody uses the same. This reinforces your brand and it looks professional.


Tip 9: Be professional about email.
Do not use email to solve disputes. It is always better to use personal communication first.
Don’t use email to tell on other people.
Don’t use it as a mechanism to track actions.


Tip 10: Archive your email.
In a business where there are so many subjective issues, it’s a good idea to follow up discussions and agreements with something in writing. Come up with a good archiving system to file your email and make sure you can locate it easily afterwards. Use email client rules to help you file more quickly. I’ve talked about filing systems before. Some of this principles apply to archiving email.

I look forward to receiving some comments!
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!

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.