A Brief Unemployment Survival Guide for Creatives

In January of this year, I was let go from my position as a web/graphic designer at an auto dealership due to budget cuts. Hardly surprising, given the state of the economy and factoring in that two of the Big Three were contemplating bankruptcy. With profits shrinking and costs continuing to rise, cuts were being made everywhere to keep the business alive.

Unfortunately, as is the case across the country, cuts usually come in the form of layoffs forcing thousands into unemployment lines and job banks across the country. Also unfortunate is that many businesses see the creative department as an ideal place to make those job cuts. While creatives - including myself - can spend countless hours arguing the merits of design and why good design is especially important when every advertising dollar counts, this post is more about how to recover from a layoff and how to find a new job.

First things first: FILE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

Yes, I know this sounds obvious, but it’s important to make sure you have some income while you’re searching for a job. Also, it’ll be easier to concentrate on job hunting with this out of the way.

Update & reprint/repost your resume.

Again, fairly obvious, but having a current resume is vital. Invest in a decent paper stock to print your resumes & cover letters. I know it sounds trivial and unnecessary, but the paper says as much about you as your resume does.

Post your resume on as many job sites as you can (especially Monster & CareerBuilder). Maximize your exposure by placing your resume on networking sites such as LinkedIn and Coroflot. Put your resume in as many places as you can - the more people that can find and view your resume the better.

Treat job-hunting as a full-time job.

Expect to devote at least forty hours per week to sending out resumes, phone calls, searching, etc. Send out as many resumes as possible, even if you’re over/under qualified for the job - in a severely repressed economy any job is a good job.

In the nine months I was out of work, I sent out resumes for everything from office work to janitorial jobs, and worked a couple part-time contract positions while I kept looking for full-time work. I averaged around 25 resumes sent out per week, and kept that pace up for the nine months I was out of work. It wasn’t easy, but it did get results.

Put your portfolio online.

Behance is one of the most-well known portfolio sites, and it’s (currently) free to use. They operate on an invite-only basis; you’ll need to request an invitation from the site - use their form, say what creative field you’re in, and they’ll send an invite/activation to your email. If you have your own domain, definitely use that; however, there’s nothing wrong with displaying your work through sites like Behance or Coroflot. Wherever your work is online, make sure to include the URL on your resume, cover letter, and email signature.


Another good idea is to make mention of your online portfolio in your cover letter, stating something along the lines of “...examples of my work can be found in my portfolio at [URL].”

Be polite and professional be it over the phone, through email or in person.

Email will most likely be your first contact with quite a few potential employers; therefore, it is imperative that you use proper grammar, punctuation and sentence structure. Avoid slang and colloquialisms, and never use “textspeak” abbreviations (i.e. OMG, IIRC, etc.). This is your first opportunity to grab their attention, and professional language will go a long way in keeping you in the hunt. Also, while you can and should describe your qualifications in a cover letter, bear in mind that the person reviewing your information may not be a fellow creative. Be descriptive, but try to keep the technical terms to a minimum.


Because companies are receiving hundreds of applications for the same job, many of them are using phone interviews to “thin the herd”. Usually these interviews are with an HR representative who asks a couple questions, then uses your answers and their impressions to decide whether or not to continue the process. Speak eloquently - no slang - and remember that the person on the other end of the line may or may not have a similar background. Detail your qualifications, but be prepared to simplify your answer if needed.


Once you get an in-person interview, take the time to prepare. Print extra copies of your resume; organize your portfolio; make sure you know where you’re going and plan to arrive a bit early for the interview. Your resume and portfolio may get your foot in the door, but how you dress and carry yourself will ultimately decide how far through the door you get. Business casual at the least - even if it’s a casual environment, you don’t work there yet. Presenting yourself professionally in the way you dress and how your present yourself and your work will go a long way in making yourself a likely hire.

Follow up after the interview.

Remember when your parents would make you write a thank-you note to show your appreciation for a gift? You hated doing it then, but now it may help you land a job.

After your interview, send an email to the interviewer(s) thanking them for their time. This is also a perfect time to restate your interest in the position as well as your qualifications. Again, professionalism counts.

I was out of work for nine months, in Michigan, a state with an unemployment rate continually higher than the national average. Through an incredible amount of work, I was able to find another job in what is now considered to be a short period of time. It can be done. Jobs are out there. All you have to do is work for it.

My Thoughts Exactly

I came across this quote, and found it quite apropos:

"Rage against the machine. The almighty computer has made every housewife and hobbyist a 'designer', bringing mediocrity to the masses. We predict a backlash sparking a throwback era of design in which designers are craftsmen performing a craft. The phrases 'Make it pop' and 'It's got to be more sexy' will be dead to us."

This is from a design firm - Ames Design, a design firm from Seattle.

Is "Newer" Always "Better"?

Several months ago I had the pleasure of having dinner with Chip Kidd, the celebrated book cover designer. Also there were my wife, several art students from the University of Michigan and a rather intoxicated Canadian gentleman. At one point, the conversation turned - as it inevitably does with designers - to which software was used to produce the work. The canuck was disheartened to hear that Kidd used Quark XPress instead of Adobe's InDesign to create the book covers.

"You really should use InDesign. It's got all these amazing features," said the Canadian, staring muzzily in Kidd's direction. Politely, Kidd explained that Quark was what his employer had and that it worked well for him. His position was remarkably similar to mine: I have something that works; it's effective and allows me the creativity to give the client exactly what they're looking for.

I consider myself an oddity in the design world. While I use and understand the technology, I'd prefer not to use it. I love the look and feel of type-set lettering; computer-set type always looks too sterile. I also believe that technology results in advertising losing individuality; everything has a slick homogeneous look to it. Years ago you could tell who designed the ad based on the look (type treatment; art style). Now, you need to study the ad to differentiate the milk ad from an ad for the GAP.

Yes, technology has allowed graphic designers to produce work faster and more efficiently, but it has come at a cost. There's no stylistic individuality in the work; everything has a sterile mass-produced feel. Very few designers have integrated the technological world of design while retaining the ability to creatively merge image and type.

Efficiently using the technological tools at your disposal is paramount in the field, but why should this come at the cost of individual creativity?

(re)Design #1

My wife and I subscribe to Vegetarian Times, a magazine dedicated to providing health news and recipes to the vegetarian community.

Recently they revealed a redesign of their magazine and masthead:


The creative director stated she wanted a "modern, contemporary look", which is fine - but shouldn't the logo in some way be in harmony with the product? As I see it, there are several issues with the new look:

1. The font. Angular and pointed, this sans-serif font - while "contemporary" - would look more at home on a catalogue of high-end housewares than on a magazine extolling healthful advice on a vegetarian lifestyle.


2. The "leaf" element. Again, "contemporary", but hard to tell what exactly it's doing there or what it is. Is it a random graphic element? A stylized dot over the "i" in "times"? Perhaps a random apostrophe or foot mark?

Redesigning an old logo is a valid method to re-invigorate a brand and create a renewed interest, but care needs to be taken so the new design meshes with the underlying message of the magazine/business/person. As I stated in my first post, I will provide a better designed solution, seen here:


Why is this a better solution? First, the font. It's still a sans-serif, but unlike the font Vegetarian Times' creative director chose, it's organic. Not angular or pointed, it's more in tune with the magazine's overall aesthetic. Secondly, the leaf element. While stylized, it is recognizable as a leaf; a part of a plant, and won't be confused for some random element. Third, the colours. Green and a warm brown; earthtones.
Is this a perfect solution? No. Is it a better solution? Definately.
Too much graphic design focuses on being slick or modern or contemporary, with no real concern given to what the design is for. A little research into whatever you're designing for (company, individual, product, etc.) will give better insight into how the final design should look, and results in a much better finished product.

Here, There, Everywhere...

I've been busy updating my professional networking. Here's where I (and my work) can be found online:
Coroflot

JobFox

BrightFuse

Behance

LinkedIn

Introduction

It is my firm belief that there is too much bad design in the world today. Some of it is produced by people with no formal training; some of it is produced by designers who either don't know better or simply do not care; some of it is produced by talented people but are burdened by micromanagers and clients who simply refuse to let designers design.

I fall into the last category. My last position was with an automotive dealership as a graphic & web designer. Dealership ads are, as I have heard everywhere, are the worst forms of design. While I tried to bring a classic, organized look to the advertising I produced (which fit with the look of the dealership) I was hindered by my boss' incessant need to eliminate white space, fill areas with wide swashes of bright yellows and reds and use only one typeface - Arial - for all advertising.

My goal with this blog - without sounding pompous or harsh - is to examine graphic design from a variety of sources and, where possible, present a better designed result along with an exploration into the process.

I feel this will generate a two-fold result: first, to educate and inform; second - and most important - it will sharpen my skills and improve my abilities, both in critical thinking and technical proficiency.