reading response #9

"How to Find a Job" from How to Be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy

I am finding this book to be one of the most helpful graphic design books I've bought. I really feel like I can return to it again at varying points in my career at get advice. I find this section especially helpful because I've been constantly fretting about what I'm going to do after graduation. I know I want to do packaging design, but how? Where do I go? How do I find these jobs? How do I make my portfolio awesome? Shaughnessy answered all my questions and so much more.

Gee, I only wish the world was so wide open to us. But, it's really more like this:

I feel like sometimes I need to present myself as some kind of packaged deal. My work does not matter unless I have some kind of experience to back it up, but I can't get experience when no one will hire me. I also feel like these folks here sometimes:

I'm constantly linking my website on all kinds of art and general networking sites (see right for my card with my URl, haha!). It gets a little repetitive, only to be drowned out by everyone else's constant linking of their websites and shameless self-promotion. I guess that's my problem with this chapter: if this is how everyone else is supposed to act, how to I stand out? 

I've always wanted to know what to do after an interview, and I'm glad Shaughnessy talks about this. I love the idea of leaving something behind for the person you interview with, and I've never really considered doing this but will certainly in the future. He also recommends creating a mailer for your work to send out to people and continue working on small projects for friends to expand your portfolio for another interview. 

I was also interested in how Shaughnessy describes what your portfolio should look like. I was surprised to learn he prefers loose-sheet, highest quality prints in acetate sleeves over portfolio books or binders; the smaller without being crowded the better, but it should be at least be housed in something that is professional and sleek. He recommends laying out the pieces in a grid and using some kind of underlying unifying element. In addition, he says print designers (like myself) should include finished printed specimens and hand them over immediately to the interviewer to look at and comment on. 

I feel that I do really well in interviews, and I know how to show the interviewers that I'm hard working and willing to do anything they'd ask me to. I just have to find that place that loves my personality and my designs, which I have yet to do.