making a resume [Archive]

joethelion

02-07-2006, 12:00 PM

ok -

need some hints, pointers, and actually - a heads up on what I should include.

it's a job for a junior designer for a clothing / design / record label
..it's pretty small, and there weren't that many requirements

I don't have much 'design' experience, instead an absurd ammounts of experience in classical techniques (figure drawing, stone lithography, etc) but what I've done has usually had a 'modern angle' (oh, and many years experience w/ photography)

I've already been told I should definitely talk up my psych classes, especially ones like "Sensation and Perception" and maybe include a tagline/ short description

but what about the cover letter? - like what are you supposed to say

and... I've decided to include a 'portfolio' of my work - essentially just a cd-r with a few digital pictures and/or scans of my work... but how many do you think I should include? My g/f said no more than 20... which is going to be really hard ...

Kein

02-07-2006, 01:38 PM

viddy

02-07-2006, 02:45 PM

It's hard to help without actually sitting there looking at your resume, showing you things I've done to mine. I've had my resume looked at and examined by tons of people and I have really sharpened it a lot.

I always found this site helpful:

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/Category.aspx?categoryid=JS&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=71c1ea6d7342409a8a6fd74ea79dad82-192645910-XI-2

rayray

02-08-2006, 10:47 AM

including the porfolio is a good idea - but during my experiences hiring in design related industry (architecture) it was always the hard copy image, not the cd that caught my eye. my 2 cents, include one or two image pages of your strongest work with the cover letter ( at that point you can either include the cd or wait to show it to them in person).

it was, 90% of the time, the hard copy image that caught my attention and made me consider the person further....it took a really deep resume to make me load someone's cd. you have to consider the time constraint of the person doing the looking.

hope that helps - good luck, sounds interesting and don't let the "no experience" stand in your way. some of the best people I ever hired had
little or no experience.

gambit

02-08-2006, 10:14 PM

Generally, there are two routes for resumes: chronological or topical. Chronological will showcase your experience in, duh, chronological order, and topical will just showcase what's topical for the particular job. I'd recommend going with the topical format and play up what you've already mentioned here.

Start at the top and make your name large (but not too large because that will make it look like you're trying to fill up space) and follow it with all of your contact information (address, phone number(s), email, and website if you have one that showcases your work). Preferably you'll want to place this in the top right hand corner because as they're flipping through resumes, they'll be able to see your name easier. You can play with this, and if you find a nice design in Word, then you can move it around, but the top right hand corner is the best.

Then follow that with an "Objective:" line. This is easy; just say "To become a whatever at your place." Shows that you know what you want and also lets them know what job you're applying for in case they have multiple openings.

Then go with your experience or education. I'd probably go with education first, and I wouldn't suggest adding your high school education unless there was something there that would be relevant to the job you're applying for. From what you've told us, it sounds like the majority of your experience has come through classes, so I'd just skip splitting up education and experience and call it "Experience" and in chronological order list the classes you've been in and the other bits you've done over the years. Make sure to describe what you did in each thing you list, and use assertive action verbs to start your sentences (i.e. "Achieved This Degree," "Accomplished This Task," "Completed This Course").

Finally, add any relevant employment history and a list of references if you have space (and if you don't, just write "References available upon request"). If you need any help, just send me your resume, and I can help you with it. Same with your cover letter. I'm an English grad, so I know a thing or two about the written word. :)

gambit

02-08-2006, 10:18 PM

A cover letter I copied this from some resume writer software I have. Hope it helps.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

January 1, 2004

Glen Coleman
81559 Polaris Street
Worcester, MA 02375

Dear Mr. Coleman:

As a/an _______________, with experience in _______________, I feel my background may be of interest to you. My qualifications include:

· ___________________________
· ___________________________
· ___________________________

I have always had an interest in _______________, and believe that this enthusiasm shows in my work. I respond well to a challenge and enjoy the opportunity to enjoy the rewards of hard work and dedication.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future to schedule an interview at your convenience. I hope to learn more about your company's plans and goals, and how I can contribute to its success.

Sincerely,
Drew SterlingMore or less right. Be sure to add just your contact information above the date (which may or may not even need to be there) and leave three spaces in between "Sincerely," and your name so you can write your signature in between the two. And it's a good idea to add a sentence saying, "You can contact me at such-and-such to arrange a meeting at the best time for you," as the penultimate sentence.

chino

02-13-2006, 10:24 PM

. I'm an English grad, so I know a thing or two about the written word. :)

....WORD! :)

aNt

02-20-2006, 02:39 PM

best thing to do is to not do any work at all, if u do they get wayyyy to
long and out of control.. jst end up going to the bar having a few beers
and using them handy words "givz uh job m8"....

crank

02-20-2006, 06:33 PM

wow.
I'll make sure never to have aNt look at MY resume or give me career advice!

sloff

02-22-2006, 11:14 AM

I've found that creating a graphic identity or look on your cover letter, resume, business card, and follow up letters is very important. Make your whole set match and speak the whole of your creative identity.

I mostly hear that sending CDs (unless they're packaged in some ingenius and creative way) is a waste and therefore only include a link to my portfolio website and an indication that a CD is available. However since you are doing one, it was stressed to me in my entire time at design school to never have more than 15-20 images and always put the best first. Creative Directors have no time for you, so make the time they spend be special. Wow the fuck out of them before they get bored of looking.

Cover letter: Focus on you skills as an asset by being an outside of the field designer. For example "I have experience with <a variety of fine art media> that allows me to approach design problems in new and creative
ways." Make it concise and only a page.

sloff

02-22-2006, 11:15 AM

Oh and follow up relentlessly. That's how I got my job.

aNt

03-03-2006, 04:01 AM

keep the thing sort- dont forget a list the applictions/software u know (very
importent), people in the industy these days are looking for people
that understand how to make stuff... make the resz 1-2 pages... u can
goto 4 pages if u think the read is worth it (for a student i can tell u it
wont be)... layout of your resz is extremly importent... make it look amzing
but dont go to mad (dont bother with colour)- its got to be infomation u
think the job needs to know.. nice layout and u have top result...

cd-rom/dvd and all that- this depends of the job. i personaly cant be
botherd to look a cd-rom resz, there aways crap and a mess. dont bother
taking the risk, if u do one- just make folders of the title of your work, and
put images into the folders (jpg).. keep it simple.. a ppt style with the
same layout of the resz with work is also cool (use flash/director not ppt).

website resz- very very very handy, just convert your resz to a website
or forget the hassle of a website and put a pdf online so people can
download it... this is just handy if u want to get your resz to people all
over the world, it also shows your not a muppet...

there u go- hope that helps ;)

joethelion

03-03-2006, 09:49 AM

hey - thanks for the info... although I've got to tell you, some of it did come after I had already sent it..

I tried to include any course work from other fields that would tie into the job itself -> for example, I listed a courses where we did behavior modification and manipulation of visual stimuli to distort perception of the world

I also included stuff where like - I worked as a sound designer and that stuff too... just in case, you know?

and I did include a cd of art - but I kept it very simple. I just had 4 folders clearly labeled with jpg's within (and easy titles for everything). I used my own artwork for the case holding the cdr

so like - everything wasn't on a cd... it was like here's my resume and here's a bonus with some of my artwork

(edit)
and if I do follow-up letters... what should I include in them?