Tag: creativity | Page 11 | Artisan Creative

Revive Your Creativity

Monday, September 19th, 2011|

If you follow Artisan Creative on Twitter or like us on Facebook (and if you don’t, click on the links!), you probably noticed that this week’s theme is Creativity.

I spent some time getting inspired by finding quotations about creativity and ended up thinking about the ways I get inspired–get my creative juices flowing.

Whether it’s the 4:00 Wednesday afternoon slump or you just feel stuck looking at that blank screen, there are lots of ways to inspire and enhance your creativity:

Learn something new. Picking up a new skill makes you think differently about the skill sets you already have and especially ways to make them work together.
Get out and get moving. Changing your environment can definitely inspire new ways of thinking about old problems, especially if you’re feeling stuck.
Start by fixing something small that’s broken. You may not know how you want your entire design concept to look, but you can fix that header and maybe that will tell you what you want to do with the next element. And the next.
Keep a notepad and pencil in every room. Don’t let those fleeting moments of brilliance getaway!

Me? I’m a fiber artist in my free time and I love to surround myself with color, riotous, crazy, vibrant color. Color makes me happy, wakes me up, and inspires me to make something new—create.

Recently CEOs were asked what is themost important leadership quality they need but have trouble finding and the winner: creativity.

“The creative person is both more primitive and more cultivated, more destructive, a lot madder and a lot saner, than the average person.” Frank Barron

What inspires and enhances your creativity? We would love to hear about it in the comments!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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6 Ways to Beat Burnout & Improve your Work Life Balance

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011|

In recent years, with a number of cutbacks and layoffs, many employees have felt overworked, struggling to balance the demands of their careers and personal lives. Afraid they, too, could be out of a job, they are putting in more hours at work and leaving their health, families and personal enjoyment to suffer.

If you find yourself sharing this frustration – you are not alone!

The good news is that with just a few small changes, you’ll find yourself not only more effective at work but also happier when you’re not working.

Here’s what we recommend to better juggle all that work and life have to throw your way:

Schedule it. Whether it’s work or play – plan your time and protect it. If you won’t be available certain nights and/or weekends due to family commitments or you need an hour each evening to complete work engagements, communicate these times to both managers and loved ones so they know when they can reach you and when you will respond. With little ones at home, Jess & Jamie G. couldn’t agree more.

Can you Telecommute? In many industries, working from home is both realistic and possible. With no commute, limited office chit-chat, and fewer meetings, you can get more done at work and use the extra time to meet household or personal responsibilities.

Get out and get moving! Everyone on our team agrees that getting out of the office and doing something active is the best way to help them unwind. Jamie D’s article in Business Week discusses how he uses fencing to reduce stress. Maggie is a certified Pilates instructor and loves how Pilates exercises both her body and mind. Carol creates balance, literally, with Yoga. For Laura, it’s spinning and walks on the beach! Ana, our Controller, agrees that walking on the beach is a great exercise with the bonus of calming waters and relaxing ocean waves!

Be creative! Even if you work in the creative industry – by pursuing a creative outlet that you don’t utilize every day at work, you create separation from your work life and allow yourself to do something you’re truly passionate about. Stephanie in Accounting loves to draw and play music after work. It’s the perfect distraction from all the numbers she deals with during the day.

Switch off. Without technology, we could never keep our work or personal life running smoothly. But it shouldn’t rule your life either. It’s important to make technology-free time to spend with those who are important to you. Set aside rules – and stick to them.

Treat yourself! Doing something special for yourself on occasion isn’t a luxury, but a must. We all work very hard and deserve to be rewarded. Margaret plans a number of short weekend trips to literally get away from her work and personal commitments. It allows her to return to her routine rested and more focused. Kevin prefers an evening of cigars and fine liquor with friends. The perfect escape from a normal evening at home.

Still not sure how to keep everything in check? Try CNN’s Work-Life Balance Calculator to help you strike a balance in your work and personal life.

What do you do to beat burnout?

Jess Bedford for Artisan Creative

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Should you be blogging?

Thursday, September 8th, 2011|

Why Blog for your Business?

Your website is a great place for people to go to find out information about your company. What you do, what you sell, where you are, what jobs are available, who partners with you.

All of that is important.

Your business blog, however, is important, too, and worth spending time on. Your blog gives people a sense of who you are and what is important to you as a company. It lets them know what’s going on at your company that is exciting. It gives you a place to show your appreciation for your employees’ hard work and commitment. It’s also a place to show off your expertise in your field and be helpful.

Is your company culture like a family? Here’s where you can show that. Is it more like a think tank? Here’s where you can show off your analytical skills. Is it a place where creative people collaborate? Here’s where you can showcase all that creativity.

The real benefit of business blogging is in the relationships you can build. If you are out there talking about what you do and asking questions, you will start relationships with your readers. Relationships are everything in today’s business world and are vital to take your business to a whole new level.

Why Blog for your Job Search?

Funny thing is, Job Seekers should be blogging for the same reasons Businesses should. Whether you are a freelancer or employed full time, your business expertise is what makes you relevant in your field.

Blogs offer a way for you to illustrate not only your knowledge of a particular industry or skill but also show your appreciation for your network. You can also talk longer and more specifically than you ever would in an interview about your mission. You can talk about what is important to you, what inspires you, and what gets you excited. You can even showcase your creativity. You can give a potential employer a sense of who you are and how you might fit into their culture.

And again, the real benefit is relationships. Starting conversations, finding people with things in common, getting and giving support all help in your job search.

Check out WordPress.com or Blogger .com to get started. They are free!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Top 8 Traits Employers are Looking For: Creative and Marketing

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011|

I was reading an article on 8 traits employers are looking for on BioSpace.com the other day and although some of them were right on target, others missed the mark in terms of Creative and Marketing roles. And of course, the hard part is making sure you show them all off in your interview.

So here you go, à la David Letterman, my Top 8 Traits Creative Employers are Looking For (and how to work them into your interview):

[DRUM ROLL, PLEASE]

8. Engagement. Direct eye contact and listening skills are just as important as being articulate. Show how well you collaborate right from the start.

7. Confidence. A classic, but still so important. You are creative and skilled and talented. You ARE!

6. Dress. Whatever your style, be clean and put together. Hiring managers expect you to be professional, but still want to see a bit of that personality shine through. Check out our blog for more tips on what to wear to your creative interview.

5. Do your research. Know as much as you can about the company culture and the person you are meeting. Prepare a couple of interesting questions to ask your interviewer. LinkedIn is a great place for finding inspiration!

4. Adaptability. I agree on this one. If there is any chance to express that you’re ready for anything, do so.

3. Curiosity. Creative people are interested in learning new skills and coming up with new angles on old problems.

2. Stories. A great story is gold. Have a few stories prepared to illustrate how you accomplished something challenging, delivered a project with unexpected results or learned a valuable lesson. Come on, you must have some stories to share!

And 1. Energy. Be a bright shiny penny. There are a lot of people out there who are tired, overworked, and underpaid. You might be interviewing with one of them. Remember – you may be between roles and stressed, but you are NOT tired!

Did you notice anything that was missed from the lists? What traits do you think are important? We’d love to hear your favorites!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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What type of creative talent does Artisan actually recruit?

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011|

We’re often asked by both prospective clients and job seekers – what exactly the “Creative” in our company name really means. After all, the creative industry can encompass so many areas of expertise. So where does Artisan focus our core recruiting, networking, and talent development efforts?

You can see a comprehensive list of the types of roles we place.

Still have questions? We’re happy to help.

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Dressing for Success: How to dress for an interview with Creatives

Thursday, August 25th, 2011|

A colleague of mine in Accounting recalls how she arrived at an interview for a large financial corporation wearing black suit pants, a dressy black sweater, silver flats and a matching silver purse. After a great interview, she was told by HR that her “casual attire” was evidence that she didn’t understand their corporate culture and they would not be hiring her.

A few weeks later she wore the same outfit when she interviewed with our company – a Creative and Marketing Recruiting agency. Her outfit (which hinted at her creative personality) paired with her great accounting skills, helped us realize she was the perfect fit for us. We made the hire and she’s been here for years now!

Moral of the story: What you wear to an interview can be a big factor in the impression you leave behind; make sure you leave the right one.

Whether we like it or not, research suggests that more than half of another person’s perception of you is based on how you look. Therefore, if you don’t fit that “look” a company subconsciously expects of its employees, you will have to work much harder to prove that you are still the best person for the job.

This is why researching the company culture is vital before an interview. If after conducting your research you are still not sure of the best attire, check with the Hiring Manager, Human Resources Representative, or Recruiter who scheduled your interview.

In the Marketing & Creative world, client environments can run the gamut. In some organizations suits are still the rule, in others, it’s business casual. And while in most agencies jeans and graphic tees are the uniforms of choice, there are still a few shops where board shorts and flips flops prevail.

With every creative company being so different – is there any way to appease the masses?

As a general rule, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. A safe bet when interviewing with a creative company is to don a slightly more conservative version of the typical “everyday attire” in your target company’s office.

A few tips:

Solid colors are usually better than busy patterns; Same goes for darker colors over lighter ones.
Jewelry should be limited to one or two key pieces
Make-up, hair, and nails should be neat and well-maintained
Go easy on the perfume, cologne, and aftershave

We also recommend that you find a way to show a bit of your personality – be it with a fabulous fashion accessory (shoes, glasses, purse or jewelry) or stylish haircut.

Jess Bedford, for Artisan Creative

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Is there a UX Supply and Demand Imbalance?

Friday, July 29th, 2011|

Since late 2009, nearly every Web Design job posting we’ve seen has mentioned “usability” or “user experience.” Over time, the requests have become even more specific. Companies no longer request a Digital Design; rather, now it’s specifically a User Experience Designer, UX researcher, IA/UI or Visual Designer.

Now, more than ever, the importance of User Experience is everywhere, as companies try to connect and engage with their customers in the best ways possible.

On jobs boards everywhere (ours included) we have seen a significant increase for User Experience experts. Some of those requests take weeks to fill; others can’t be filled at all.

Are we experiencing a UX supply and demand imbalance?

Yes! The demand for top usability talent is becoming greater than the supply of qualified and immediately available talent. And, with the demand now shifting from web UX to mobile and Apps, the pool of talent is shrinking even more!

It’s not the first time we’ve seen this happen. In fact, we’re often reminded of the market for Flash Developers a few years back. Jobs took weeks to fill. Salaries were at a peak and good talent was definitely hard to come by.

As recruiters, we had to quickly adapt new avenues for meeting qualified talent to introduce them to newly available opportunities.

What does this mean for employers? There are some options:

1. Be specific about your needs. Do you need a generalist? Or a specialist? The UX world can have multi-pronged discipline. Know what you actually need – UX / UI / IA?
2. Be competitive with your overall compensation package. Both in dollars as well as benefits, flex-time or telecommuting
3. Be open to Relo. Look at national and international talent. Additional fees and quite a bit of paperwork could result – but it might be worth the additional effort.
4. Hire a UX consultant. Utilize the expertise of a specialist for the short term. Ensure they have a team of your internal staff with which to work and knowledge share.
5. Invest in more training. Chances are your current team of designers who would love to learn more about the growing HCI field. Invest in their education. Pay for courses. Hire an expert to train them. You get more knowledge and your employees might just ignite a new passion.

But it’s not up to employers alone to fix the problem. Talent and Recruiters have responsibilities too.

Interactive Design Talent – Perfect your art. Especially freelancers! Invest in classes, seminars, and software needed to grow.

Recruiters – We, too, must continue doing our part to seek out new talent. We must work closely with Universities and other Education Programs to connect with recent grads in the space, attend MeetUp groups and networking events to meet new talent, and continue to educate our talent and clients about the market to manage expectations correctly.

Jessica Bedford and Katty Douraghy for Artisan Creative

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Portfolio DOs and DONTs

Friday, July 22nd, 2011|

Over the years we’ve seen our fair share of creative portfolios. Some AMAZING portfolios. Others…well, not so much.

So what makes a portfolio really stand out? Here are just a few tips to consider when sending your work out to potential employers!

Creative Portfolio DOs
DO Showcase your best/most impressive piece first. Remember that your portfolio is how potential employers first judge your creativity, skills and potential. Therefore, be sure to put your best work forward… start off with your proudest piece.

DO Go digital. Online Portfolios are the quickest and easiest way to market yourself. Even if you have no online work to present, the online portfolio can help creatives reach a whole new audience. There are a number of great portfolio sites out there that enable you to upload your work for a nominal fee, and sometimes at no cost. We see talent work from Behance, Krop, and Coroflot almost as much as we see unique URLs.

DO Stay Organized. Make sure to establish some order by organizing your book or website into sections (advertising, logos/identity, brochures, etc.) or group by company or campaign depending on what’s appropriate.

DO Check the quality. Photo quality, that is. Make sure images are optimized and printed at the best resolution possible.
Explain your work. Including a brief synopsis of project details- outlining the client, project objective, your role, and programs used is always appreciated.

DO Test those links. For online portfolios, make sure that your URL links are working and the work is still yours and hasn’t changed.

DO Assume everyone heading to your site is technically challenged and impatient. Create a site that is easy to navigate and quick to load. A simple CSS style is a great way to go.

Creative Portfolio DONTs
DON’T Overload your site with every bit of work you’ve done over the years. Keep your portfolio concise. A well-organized portfolio with 10-15 pieces of your best samples will always shine.

DON’T Be outdated. Keep your website up to date with fresh and relevant work. If the work is more than 5 years old, it’s probably a good idea to leave it out.

DON’T Be generic. Let some of your personal styles shine through. Brand yourself by creating a logo, color palette, and look and feel that represents you and carry it throughout.

DON’T Forget your credentials. Make sure to include a copy of your up to date resume.

DON’T Forget your contact details. What good is an amazing portfolio if potential employers have no way of contacting you? For online portfolios especially, make sure there is an active email and/or phone number to ensure interested parties can connect with you.

Need more help putting together a killer portfolio? We’re always happy to review talent portfolios and provide feedback. Who knows – we might even have an opportunity that could be a good fit. Get in touch with us!

Jamie Grossman, for Artisan Creative

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Designer? I thought you said you were a Developer? | Becoming an Expert in your chosen field

Thursday, July 14th, 2011|

Q. What do you do for a living?
A. I’m a Web content copywriter. A writer/producer, really. I do some screenwriting. But I’m sort of a writer/print designer hybrid. I have an art gallery opening this weekend. And I know CS5 really well. Also, I’m an artist/electrician. A plumber/horse-wrangler. I can pretty much do whatever you need! Find me a job!

In the creative services industry, recruiters and hiring managers view and review hundreds of resumes each week. Some resumes are clean and coupled with bold portfolios. Other resumes are all over the place.

So, let’s get right to the point: If you’re looking for work, pick your top two areas of expertise, and stick with them. Wear them on your sleeve. In your cover letter/email, state exactly what you do best. In your resume, do the same. On a phone call, tell them exactly what you do best and NOT what you’re CAPABLE of doing well.

In delivering your message succinctly and repetitively, a recruiter will be able to know what you do and consider you (possibly hire you!) again and again – as long as your work history is solvent. If the position a hiring manager looking at is not for you this time, they’ll know it right away…But, if our conversation is good, they’ll remember you in the future.

So, when you looking for work – remember: we don’t need to know everything you’ve ever done. We need to know precisely what you’re best at doing.

Thanks,
Kevin Kahn for Artisan Creative

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9 Tips to a More Organized Work space

Thursday, July 7th, 2011|

I sit back for a moment and look around my desk. It’s covered in paperwork, files, pens, business cards, industry trades and several remnants of my lunch – consumed (once again) at my desk. I know where everything is. But why does it look so unorganized? Is this what they call creative clutter or am I just plain messy?

In speaking with friends and colleagues, I realize there really are common elements that make for a more productive, organized workspace:

Think green. Before you hit “Print” on that email or document, ask yourself, “Do I really need to print this? Or will it just lie in a pile on my desk and collect dust?” If you do have to print it – use recycled paper.
Stay organized. For the paperwork you do need to action/review frequently – create a filing system on your desk. In our office we prefer stackable letter trays for certain action items and desk sorters for others. Keep blank file folders nearby so you never have an excuse not to file something properly. Remember, if you use something daily – it should be closer to you than the items you use less frequently.
Avoid Post-its. Prevent those sticky notes from getting buried on your monitor, desk and wall. Try using your email calendar or mobile phone to store important notes. If you’re like me and can’t quite give up the paper and pen – try using a spiral notebook instead. This keeps all of your important notes in one place.
Throw out all those extra pens. Keep only 3 or 4. General rule – if it’s leaking, chewed or missing a cap – it’s time to go!
Keep personal items to a minimum. Pictures of or personal tokens from family and friends help keep us motivated and remind us of what’s important. However, any more than 3 items becomes a distraction.
Eat away from your desk. This one is tough for me. I can’t remember the last time I ate lunch at an actual table! When we eat at our desk it encourages trash to collect. An empty cup. A take out bag. Extra utensils. Salt & pepper packets. More napkins than you could use in a lifetime. Prevent the trash (and crumbs) by eating away from your desk (and preferably out of the office). We all need a daily break from work to keep us at our best!
Keep phone and computer cords to a minimum – Go Wireless. Move freely by investing in a stylish wireless mouse and bluetooth headset. You can even upgrade to a wireless pen tablet.
Keep electronics off your desk. Even if you have the room, items like printers, routers, batteries, etc take up space and just add to the clutter. Move them to another piece of furniture or the floor (if appropriate)
Cleaning supplies. By keeping cleaning supplies nearby, you’ll be encouraged to wipe down your surface more often.

Well, I know my marching orders tomorrow: take an actual lunch break, spending 30 minutes outside (away from my desk eating lunch) and the other 30 minutes inside (at my desk) getting organized! Cheers to a more productive week ahead!

Jess Bedford for Artisan Creative

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