Comments for SVC Seattle Thought of the Hour

Comment on Getting hired: The new design and advertising portfolio by Mike

Mike — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:49:04 +0000

I have been in graphic design and advertising for 17 years and I disagree with some of this. Portfolios are the first thing you should look at. It shows how the designer or art director (or even copywriter) think. That is why you send samples of your work along with your resume. If they both look good, then you talk to them and get a feel for their personality and insight. A far as presenting or writing a creative brief, that is for the senior positions. Many firms will send a talented designer, that lacks communication skills, to classes for presentation or public speaking. The presentation skills can always be honed and will develop in time.

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by jKat

jKat — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:45:51 +0000

I was thinking of starting a new portfolio site as I plan on moving to greener pastures. My last portfolio site was 100% custom and HARD TO MAINTAIN. Thanks for the blogging idea! I think it’s smart, efficient, and a big PLUS if you want to get your foot in the door of a Web 2.0 firm.

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by kcmc07

kcmc07 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:40:34 +0000

I have a WordPress site for my Fine art work, I find it easy to use and friendly for the end viewer. Blogs are about communicating, about your artwork or design and about your process. It is much more informal and casual format, I think it is a great replacement for the ubiquitous “about us” link. It also allows visitors to your site to be involved by posting comments. This fosters a passive level of interaction that can lead to a more active relationship.

Comment on Getting hired: The new design and advertising portfolio by Benny

Benny — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:48:31 +0000

I actually found this book really useful…

http://wildandwoolley.com.au/bookshop?2598

Comment on Got work? Staffing firms do and they’re looking for freelancers. by reipt

reipt — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:02:35 +0000

hmmmm…very interesting!
Thanks google

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by Julie Wickstrom

Julie Wickstrom — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:44:14 +0000

Even if you don’t agree wouldn’t it be a good idea to blog a website update or the latest company news? Free publicity never hurts. I’m considering starting a blog-site to spread the word about art, tips, and ideas that interest designers.

Comment on Got work? Staffing firms do and they’re looking for freelancers. by Permanent Staffing

Permanent Staffing — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:57:34 +0000

Interesting article. I’ve worked some freelance jobs, and I have to agree with the importance of being punctual. Nothing leaves a bad impression on an employer like being late. I think it’s key to do the best job wherever you go (if you wish to maintain a steady flow of freelance work), so staffing companies will keep recommending you.

Comment on How to get a design firm to hire you. by DK

DK — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:47:58 +0000

One more piece of advice from the creative directors at Design Kompany–Be open to other people’s points of view. There are 256,709 ways to describe the color “black.”

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by Idetrorce

Idetrorce — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:51:21 +0000

very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce

Comment on Eating, sleeping, and breathing typography by Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 05:39:57 +0000

Great to see Uncle Carl doing what he loves to do. As a young child in the early 1970’s he had this monstrous contraption (or so it seemed to me at the time)in his basement in Wichita, Ks. He was never too busy to show me how it worked or the almost magical things it was capable of producing. The Montford Press has remained with me all these years, and with it, the awe of a child transfixed with the inner workings of a machine (any machine) that seemed so simple yet produced work so complex and beautiful. Thanks Uncle Carl, Your Nephew Kyle

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by About this blog « Kofein

About this blog « Kofein — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:34:21 +0000

[...] portfolio. I do a lot of work in flash and I was working on a flash portfolio when I stumbled upon this article that made me have second thoughts about having a flashy blingy animated portfolio that will take me [...]

Comment on Got work? Staffing firms do and they’re looking for freelancers. by Bill

Bill — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:54:30 +0000

Great Article. I just wanted to let your readers know about a Freelancewar.com. It is a site for freelance professionals to bid and post projects for free. Visit http://www.freelancewar.com , It’s free to browse, bid and post. There is about 40+ freelancers looking for work and more signing up daily.

Comment on Blog your portfolio? It’s free, easy, and, smart. by lifecreativitycoach

lifecreativitycoach — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 01:33:20 +0000

I like wordpress and find it easy to use. I would love to see more portfolios.

Terri

Comment on Ted Leonhardt’s Guest Essay: Don’t waste acquired talent. by Sarah Henderson

Sarah Henderson — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:29:45 +0000

I worked for Rodney Fitch years ago at Hanway Place in London - days of CDG, Ryman Conran, Burtons and the rest. Fun to read your essay and thanks.

Comment on Ted Leonhardt’s Guest Essay: Don’t waste acquired talent. by Tierra DelFuego

Tierra DelFuego — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:05:35 +0000

My guest essay is entitled, “let water flow under the bridge.”

I’m surprised and disappointed that Mr. Leonhardt has chosen a public forum to question the management decisions of those who came after him. It seems extremely bad form to me.

Once a management team takes control, it is indeed now their team to do with as they please. If they find an entrenched layer of management that doesn’t see a bigger picture, it is their right to make changes. Or nurture them. Their call. For a person who sold their interest in that team long ago to then publicly lambaste his successors is confusing at best. What’s to be gained?

I’ve had agency successors whose tactics I didn’t agree with. Oh well! Not my call anymore. Bigger and better fish to fry.

Let go, sir. Move on. Focus your precious time on wrapping your head and dreams around another venture instead of looking backward and questioning the decisions of others. If they succeed, they succeed. If they fail, they fail. This tsk-tsking serves no good purpose…it certainly doesn’t make you look like the kind of leader I’d want to work for.

Rather than not wasting acquired talent, my advice is not wasting your reputation and time focusing on the past.

Comment on Got work? Staffing firms do and they’re looking for freelancers. by annette

annette — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 03:40:54 +0000

Great article. A friend sent it to me and it was very insightful. I read every word. Tyopography is also a weak point with me. I will remedy that now.
I’ve read books on this topic but with the change of time comes changes in technology and software hot two years ago isn’t what everyone is using this year, so good accurate up to date articles like this are a HUGE help!

Comment on Ted Leonhardt’s Guest Essay: Don’t waste acquired talent. by rachel

rachel — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:49:49 +0000

hey, i agree 100%. good idea\’r!

Comment on How to get a design firm to hire you. by Designers who Blog: Design, Illustration, Photography, Web, Advertising, Branding …

Sat, 23 Sep 2006 02:05:02 +0000

[...] Check out: How to get a design firm to hire you and RFP faux pas: How to take your design or ad firm out of the running. [...]

Comment on Got work? Staffing firms do and they’re looking for freelancers. by Melissa

Melissa — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:50:46 +0000

Excellent panel discussion. I was able to cull a lot more info with so many people asking questions that I would not have come up with on my own. It reinforces my decision that talent staffing firms are the way to get back into the workforce.

Comment on Managing creative people: How to deal with the problem child. by Nan

Nan — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 18:26:48 +0000

This assumes the complaint about the employee is accurate and that you have all the information. It skips the crucial step of inviting the employee into dialogue and jumps right into correction mode. You may not have the full facts. Give the person a chance to speak on their own behalf. For instance, maybe the person who complained about the employee is the company’s best management suck-up but laziest designer, who always manages to get others to do the shit work while he/she collects the credit. Maybe the “problem child” just isn’t willing to be a door mat. Or maybe his/her parent just got a terminal diagnosis. In short, there can be many reasons for “problem behavior” that they didn’t feel were appropriate to bring up, or not know how to. So add these steps: Invite dialogue. Yes, state the expectations, but use a team approach by asking, “How can we improve the situation together?” “Is there anything I/we can do to support you?” “Let’s meet again in a week to see how things are going.” Employers who invest in their employees this way are often rewarded by seeing the problem child transform into a loyal and valued performer.