Group Tutorial Prep 2

What is a CV?
+ A summary of your academic and work history.
+ A document that contains a summary or listing of relevant job experience and education.
+ It is a personal history of one’s education, professional history and job qualifications with a strong emphasis on specific skills relating to the position being applied for.
+ A short account of one's career and qualifications prepared typically by an applicant for a position.
+ It is your own personal marketing tool.
+ It is a summarised reflection of you.
+ It gives you the chance to 'sell' your skills and experiences to the potential employer.

What should a CV contain?
+ Your name
+ Contact details
+ A link to a portfolio
+ Education and training
+ Strengths/Skills
+ Career profile
+ Carrer and achievements to date
+ No spelling errors!

What is a portfolio?
+ A portfolio is a showcase of the talent and creativity that you have to offer to who ever is looking at it.
+ a set of pieces of creative work collected to be shown to potential customers or employers.
+ Graphic design portfolios are graphical résumés. They show real examples of the type of work you have done in the past. It is an indication of the type of work you can do in the future.
+ There are 3 main kinds of graphic design portfolios that students generally create. One that is printed, one that is online, and one that is on a DVD or CD.
+ A well-prepared portfolio provides "evidence" to an employer of your accomplishments, skills, abilities and it documents the scope and quality of your experience and training.
+ It is an organized collection of documentation that presents both your personal and professional achievements in a concrete way.
+ Portfolios can range in from something as simple as an online version of your resume to a web site full of materials.
+ An online portfolio provides a way to reveal your credentials to the world. It allows you to package the best evidence of your candidacy for employment.


What should a Portfolio contain?
+ Consistency
+ Two of the strong examples first and last
+ A variety of media (online portfolio)
+ Quality not quantity
+ Add a case study (brief description) under each project
+ Keep your portfolio current
+ customisable appeal (if you want to work for print, put in print examples) (printed portfolio)
+ Contact details
+ Your name

CV tips taken from David Airey.com

CV tips for graphic designers

99% of CVs are poorly designed. It’s a struggle.

If your CV is good, and relevant to me, you have a higher chance of getting a response.

The creative director often isn’t the person to contact. Many times senior designers are the first port of call for interviews. There is no harm in sending a CV to more than one person at an agency.

Be creative, but don’t be pushy. Agencies find it very difficult to enlist good staff. That’s why most use expensive recruitment agencies.

Here’s my advice to graphic designers trying to get their CV to the top of the pile:

1. Brand yourself. Make yourself memorable. I know that some people may disagree with this, which seems to be a USA thing, but your CV is seen by a creative, not the accountants. ‘Wow’ them.
2. Be more than a sheet of paper. Most CVs are now sent by email. What can you do to differentiate yourself?
3. Don’t include things I don’t care about, like ’I once worked as a waiter’ or ’I got a qualification in chemistry’. I don’t care if you like swimming. I do care, however, if you saw the last lecture by Paul Rand before he died and what your thoughts were. Make it relevant.
4. Ensure everything is beautifully presented. Consider your kerning and double-check there are no silly mistakes — we all want to employ a safe pair of hands.
5. Follow-up anything you send with a phone call, but remember, don’t hassle, be polite. Ask them what they thought of your CV and how it could be improved.
6. Don’t try too hard. One student sent a mailer that was a fake bomb (with the tag line ’dynamite designer’. The bomb squad were called and the designer was contacted — by the police. He didn’t get the job. This raises another point — don’t boast, no-one wants to employ an arrogant designer. Never say you are the best. Leave that to Mohammed Ali.

Further reading:
http://www.graphic-design-employment.com/graphic-design-resumes.html

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/Workandcareers/Gettingyourfirstjob/DG_066151