THE
"REEL DEEL" ON COVER LETTERS, RESUMES, AND REELS
Students
looking for answers on the real deal on how to find a great job or internship
were advised in a Special Topics Seminar. Featured guest speakers were
Iti Sakharet, a Creative Director at Deepend, Jen Fish and Anne Hubben,
experienced recruiters in the computer graphics industry.
Here
is their advice on how to put your best foot forward:
Pinpoint
What You Really Like To Do
Define what you want to do and target the companies that
you want to work for.
Identify and research specific companies.
Apply for internships to gain market experience.
Find out about emerging technologies and master them
in order to gain a competitive edge.
Networking
Counts
Start establishing contacts within the industry.
Go to industry events and network.
Enjoy yourself and don't focus only on finding a job.
Don't count on getting through to a Human Resources Department,
they are swamped, so it is up to you to seek out the creative person in
a company who will be able to view your work.
Cover
Letter
Always attach samples of work with a cover letter.
Address your cover letter to the attention of the most
appropriate person.
Avoid using "To Whom It May Concern."
Always spell check your work to avoid typos.
Don't copy a cover letter out of a book.
Even if it is simply written, your own words are the
best self-promotional tool.
Resumes
Keep the length of your resume to one page.
Use a simple but consistent style for all of your portfolio
materials.
Send resumes as both a PDF and an MS Word file.
Send your resume to a creative director in a company.
Follow up in a few weeks by sending it to a senior designer,
this type of persistence can work. If you don't get a response to your
current resume try changing it to see if you have more success.
Portfolio
and Demo Reel
Your portfolio should be kept up to date and always growing
with you.
Use CDs and a web sites to show your work.
Your reel should be a 2-3 minute, well-edited overview
of approximately 7 of your best projects.
The reel can be on CD, DVD or VHS.
Include a wide range of your work.
Don't just show finished pieces, show how you got there
from point A to point B.
Give a log of what is on your reel and give credits to
collaborators.
Listen to advice about your work.
Bring your portfolio to the companies that interest you
in order to get feedback.
Have
More Than One Design Style
Figure out if you prefer the freedom of not conforming
to a house style or if you would rather tailor your work to fit in within
a particular company style.
Deepend, for example, does not have a house style, it
designs brands for other companies.
You may want to have two reels illustrating both purposes.
Interviews
Be yourself during interviews.
Don't try and force yourself to fit in a job that is
not right for you. Ultimately, that won't work.
Don't
Give Up
Getting the right internship or job takes dedication.
Stay creative and keep learning while you look for the
right position.
Be on time and excited about what you do.
Practice so you are able to talk your way through your
reel during your interview without even looking at it.
You should know the material on your reel inside and
out.
Leave the interviewer with something as a memory trigger.
If you are neat and don't have a very expensive portfolio
you can still make a great impression.
Don't misrepresent your skills, it will be discovered
if you don't have the skills you that need.
Offer to work for free when starting out to show what
you can do.
Keep
The Faith
Don't take rejections personally.
Sometimes it is because companies are afraid to take
a leap of faith and it does not reflect on you.
Don't give up, if you get knocked down then get back
up!
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