General Job Tips
Date: Monday, February 1, 1999 18:55:04
From: spudart@hotmail.com
Subj: More job searching tips
(Additions to how to find that job posting from digest 11)
*Use the career office*
Browse the resources they have there.
Set up an appointment for someone at the career office to look at
your resume. Usually they'll have a student worker review it first. Then
after you fix it up, you can go see one of the older knowledgeable folks
there. When I was working on my resume, I didn't think they would have
much say. But much to my pleasant surprise, they suggested some really
good things.
*Send to places you think are freakin' cool*
Go ahead and go for it! Even if you don't know if a really cool
place is hiring, send 'em your resume anyway. You never know if they
might need some help. Plus, they will probably put your record on file.
Places to look for cool places: Look in design magazines for places
whose work looks like it's really your style. Communication Arts in
particular will have articles on individual design agencies.
*Make your resume stand out*
When I went to IWU, Sherri had this as one of the assignments, and
I found it helped tremendously. Make your resume fun.
Most other professions won't have a chance to do something spiffy with
their resume, because the employer will think it's a gimmick. But with
design (and some art fields) you are being hired to be creative, so show
'em that you are creative. The places you send it to will totally go
ga-ga over it and circulate it around the office.
How to make it more creative: Give it a theme. Check out the resumes in
the Career Center for examples. My resume has a map theme. It looks like
a map. I've got headings like "Work Experience Avenue" and "Ocean of
Skills." In one of my interviews, the interviewer said he received over
150 resumes from one want ad in the Chicago Tribune. He told me that
mine stood out from all of them and that he just had to give me a call.
So, spend the time on making it stand out, it will be worth it.
Does anyone have any more suggestions for finding a job?
Date: Friday, February 5, 1999 6:02:43
From: Erik Maldre '97 (Yikesmoose@aol.com)
Subj: More Job Tips, ...
job tips.
Matt is dead on with the creative resume. Though it is very true that a very creative resume will indeed scare off alot of places. but who wants to work for those stiffs any way. I used a very alternative material for my resume (details not to be disclosed) and it scared alot of people off. I received more responses from my plain, straight-forward resume. but the real good jobs responded from the alternative resume (the opening for creative director at Navy Pier for one. I was one of the three finalists thanks to my funky resume, not bad for being right out of college and receiving a D in Graphic Design Five.)
My greatest regret is not sending to more great places.
Go ahead and send to places you want. You'd be surprised at what places are "sort of" looking but don't want to commit to advertising for an open position. Do what you damn well please while you got the chance damnit.
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 1999 6:19:58
From: Naoko Harada '97 (NAOKO.HARADA@hakuhodo.co.jp)
Subj: some job tips
i think i might be able to add to your job tip discussion.
here it is:
lesson 1.
don't listen to what your parents want you to do or tell you what to do.
just do what you REALLY want to do.
that way even if you didn't get the results you wanted to get, at least you
gave a shot at whatever you did.
lesson 2.
if you can get a full-time job right away, that's great.
but starting off w/ part-time job and get some experience first will help
you get a better full-time job.
you have more freedom and it's less stressful at part-time job than at
full-time job, i think.
lesson 3.
i'm not so hot on computers either, but it's something you must be able to
use. really, you need it to do work!
lesson 4.
once you get a job, being able to managing time well will be really
important.
i'm on 9:30 to 6:30 daily schedule, and i'm living on my own now too.
so, i would have to cook for myself and all that, then wow! do i have time
to be creative???? uuuh, so far i haven't been able to do that at all.
but i've been thinking about going to museums and shows once it gets little
worm. even if i don't make stuff, i can always think about it in my head!
uuuum, i guess that's about it for now!
