Tag: job seekers | Page 9 | Artisan Creative

A Guide to Relocating to Los Angeles

Wednesday, October 22nd, 2014|

So you want to move to Los Angeles, but now what? LA is a place unlike any other. There’s the entertainment industry, the growing start-up area of Silicon Beach, the emerging creative world of downtown – it’s hard to know where to begin. As American poet and critic Dorothy Parker so eloquently put it, “LA is 72 suburbs in search of a city”. If you’ve yet to visit LA, it will all make sense when you arrive.

First of all, you will need to plan. Are you able to move without landing a job first? Do you need to find an apartment? If you’re outside of the US, can you legally work here? Careful planning and research will allow you to figure out budgets, timelines and scope. LA is an exciting city to live in and opportunities can be plentiful if you work at it.

Finding Work
Identify a few recruitment agencies you’re interested in working with. If you plan to make the move to LA after you find a job, be clear and concise with your timeline. Outline your availability for in-person interviews and communicate your travel arrangements. If you’re clear on these factors, it makes working together more seamless and cohesive.
If you’re planning to move here first, keep in mind that LA’s industry is very different to that of say, New York or London. It can take many people a few months to find work so be financially and mentally prepared.

Transport
Living in LA without a car is not impossible, but it is tough. LA is basically a series of towns connected by freeways. There’s a Metro system which can take you through Hollywood and as far as Long Beach and downtown but if you want to work on the westside, your options are buses or a ridesharing service such as SideCar or Uber. If you plan on using public transport, be clear to recruiters and companies you’re working with that you are without a car. That way they can look at their client base in your local area.

Accommodation
LA comes at a price. LA Times recently warned Angelenos to prepare for rent hikes over the next two years. Rent prices in areas such as Newport Beach where they’ve experienced a tech-boom average 2.5k per month. Renting rooms, sharing houses or renting studios are commonplace. Decide what will work for you with your budget but remember; LA salaries aren’t quite in line with New York or San Francisco. Use places like Glassdoor to find out the salaries of companies and positions you’re interested in and ask your recruiter to guide you on average market rates.

Making Friends
Rest assured that your friends and family will always want to visit the City of Angels. With the constant sunny weather and palm trees, it’s an inspiring city to explore. Use Meetup.com to find local events (and if you’re in the UX space, be sure to check out our friends over at LAUX MeetUp) and peruse our recent blog about co-working spaces which is a great place to start networking and making friends.

Have you made the move to LA and had similar experiences? Share your thoughts with us over on Twitter @ArtisanUpdates.

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8 Tips to Help Your Resume and Portfolio Stand Out

Wednesday, October 8th, 2014|

As agency recruiters and sources, our goal is to find amazing talent for the open positions our clients have and help make an impact for both. In order to successfully do so, we review 50+ resumes a day before we get to the interview phase. That makes over 250 a week, and more than 1,000 a month, conservatively guessing!

Below are 8 tips to help your resume and portfolio stand out.

INITIAL FACTORS

Every new search begins with the required elements of a position. We’re here to help by working with you to see how and why your background may be fit for a role. Here are a few things we take into consideration at the beginning of a search.

Job Title & Responsibilities. Your current job title & what your current responsibilities are. For example, if you are looking for a graphic designer role but have not held that position in a while, we’ll need your help to clarify why.
Industry/Vertical Experience. If you looking to change verticals or have an industry preference but haven’t been able to work professionally in it, consider taking on some freelance projects to gain exposure and industry experience.
Years of Experience. Let us know why you are open to a more junior position, or why you may be qualified for a more senior one.
Job Location. An important factor is commute-time. If you are open to a position outside your local area, please be specific in your submission letter.

RESUMES, PROFILES, AND PORTFOLIOS

Once we have identified a pool of candidates for a specific role, the fun begins! When looking for creative roles, we like to browse the portfolio first. We begin every search with a good understanding of the aesthetic and design style a talent has and whether it’s a match for what a client is looking for.

A clean, organized, and easy to navigate portfolio is a breath of fresh air! Give your portfolio an extra “oomph” by showcasing your most recent and relevant work samples. When selecting pieces to include, go for the projects that demonstrate your design strengths, add a little bit of diversity, and make sure images are high resolution. Don’t forget to include your favorite projects as well since your passion will shine through when talking about them. List your involvement on the project—whether it was creative direction, or production….let your online portfolio be clear and concise.

If you are unable to create your own website, there are many online portfolio sites such as Behance, Dribbble, and Coroflot to utilize. A comprehensive list can be found on our resources page.

A chronological resume is the easiest to browse, starting with the most recent work. If you’ve worked at agencies, make sure to include a brief list of accounts you’ve worked on. Descriptions of your roles and duties are essential, along with time spent in the company. List your Education, dates, degrees, software proficiencies, and expertise levels
Longevity. Clearly state if a role was freelance for a specific project. Otherwise, several short-term assignments at different companies can be considered a red flag. Help us understand the different career moves you’ve made and how you can be a stable and loyal addition to the team.
Typos are the first things to jump out on your resume and portfolio. Even if you’ve reviewed it a hundred times, let a friend with a critical eye take a look before you send it out. As Laszlo Bock, Senior VP of People Operations at Google, said, “Typos are deadly because employers interpret them as a lack of detail-orientation, as a failure to care about quality.” You don’t want that to be their first impression of you so take a few extra measures for peace of mind.

Of course, this is a general approach to how the initial process of sourcing goes. The depth of what we do as an agency and the core of how we take a different approach takes precedence during the interview stage where we dive deeper into your background and work with you on culture fit and career expectations.

At Artisan Creative, we are in the business of connecting you to the right role so help us understand your strengths, values, and career objectives. A clear understanding of these on our end, coupled with a well-written resume and beautifully designed portfolio on your end, can be the beginning of a great work relationship.

By Jen Huynh, Sourcer at Artisan Creative

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5 Apps to Make your Job Search Successful

Wednesday, August 20th, 2014|

Resume Designer
Have you ever had a recruiter call you for that perfect job while you’re away from your desk and you wished you could have sent your resume right away? Or perhaps you saw an ad for an immediate freelance need but you need to add in some extra details about your latest project? Resume Designer is an app that allows you to not only build and design your resume on mobile or tablet, it also allows you to edit and update it, too. It’s perfect for job seekers who are on the go, often away from their desk or for those already in jobs who prefer to edit with privacy.

Indeed Job Search
Indeed’s easy-to-use platform is a must-have for every job seeker. This comprehensive app allows you to search through a ton of job listings and apply directly from your mobile. You can even save and email your favorite listings to review at a later date. Easy peasy!

Simply Hired
Simply Hired reigns supreme when it comes to job searching. As a job search engine just for job seekers, you have access to an enormous amount of job listings. The great thing about Simply Hired’s mobile app is that you can sort job listings by date. It has a built-in location finder and an extensive list of highly-targeted and aggregated jobs. Available for both iOS and Android, once you save any jobs on your mobile, they’ll also be available when you login to your desktop.

Monster Interviews
You’ve landed an interview at that perfect company, now what? The Monster Interviews app is a step by step guide to help you prepare for an interview. It takes you through each process from interview questions, how to choose a killer outfit, through to the post-interview follow up. The app makes sure you’re fully prepared — you can also enter your interview info and any questions you have so you can seal the deal!

LinkedIn
No app guide would be complete without LinkedIn. If you haven’t already downloaded it, we urge you to do so right now! The slick interface operates in a similar fashion to the site except it’s more cohesive and easy to navigate. The invaluable app is a great way to stay in touch with contacts and recruiters while out and about, plus you can browse jobs, update your profile, post content to your homepage feed and add custom shortcuts. LinkedIn remains one of the most essential platforms for networking, plus their app is free!

Laura Pell | Talent Acquisition | Artisan Creative

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Personal Branding Tips for Twitter

Wednesday, July 30th, 2014|

Whether you are an individual or a brand, social media puts many challenges in our path. If you are having a bad day, your personal voice can easily lean toward the negative. A company brand voice can do the same.

When you are thinking about your personal brand, though, you want to be presenting yourself as professionally and positively as possible.

Do the links that attract your attention today tend to talk about potential mistakes or potential successes? Are you posting articles about bad news stories or good ones? If you are drawn to the negative, it might be a good idea to take a break, take a walk, get a fresh perspective.

There can be a fine line between good branding and not-so-good and at times it can be hard to tell where that line falls. Here are some of our tips for walking the line:

Universal truth–If that meme would make anyone with a heartbeat give you a high-five, you’re good to go.
Check the source–A great quote can still come from a controversial person. If you think your audience might object to the name at the bottom of the meme, you might want to find another one with a similar sentiment.
Timeliness–If something negative is actually taking place locally (like a fire) or it is a trending topic and you don’t mention it, you might sound out of touch. It is never out of place to wish a current event would work out as well as possible or express condolences.
Watch out for cleverness–You are a writer and a clever turn of phrase is probably your bread-and-butter, but how many times have we seen communications pros get caught in a clever–but tasteless–tweet? Too many. Use a scheduler like HootSuite to give you time to look at that 140 characters before it gets published. Or run it past a trusted colleague if you think it is worthy, but may go out of bounds.
Know your audience–What are they interested in? What do you have in common? What do they like that may not be your cup of tea? Your audience is not you necessarily. Put yourself in their shoes and offer them content they will want to click through to.

Sometimes personal social media communication can get difficult. We are all out there hoping like-minded folks are listening. Body language is no help. Take a breath. Your follower might be having a bad day, too.

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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Having an All-Star Job Search Team

Wednesday, July 16th, 2014|

We are on teams at work, collaborating on projects, and inspiring creativity in one another. Teams are becoming more and more important, even in academic subjects, at school. We are also on teams in our personal lives, whether we practice sports or do DIY projects at home.

Have you ever been on a job search team? We all need people to help us along, especially when we are looking for that perfect new role. Who should you be scouting?

A Pitcher

A friend who is not averse to getting in there and making big moves is a great motivator. She has great ideas and unafraid of risk. Brainstorm with this team member for new strategies and energy. And let her take the lead if she has great connections.

A Catcher

Good advice is always welcome and this colleague always knows when you are in need of a little pep talk, help handing a particular situation, and a calm voice. He can also throw the ball back to you when it’s time for you to be proactive.

First Base Umpire

When you are between interviews or waiting to hear, she can keep you steady on the road to landing your new job. Someone with great focus on your goals can help you stay focused as well. Is it time to take a breath or time to head for home?

Mascot

No matter what, your mascot thinks you are the best. Staying positive is one of the hardest things about looking for a job and you definitely need someone to cheer you on.

Coach

A recruiter can help you see the big picture, improve your resume and presentation skills and get you out there interviewing for the jobs you want.

Do you have everyone you need on your team? Don’t job search alone. Pull your team together and go for the win!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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A Summer Job Search

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014|

A persistent job search myth: No one hires in the summer.

The truth is most companies hire at about the same rate in summer as they do the rest of the year and summer can be the best time to look for a new role. If you spend your time wisely, you still might be able to fit a couple of beach days in.

Why is summer a good time to look for a new job?

Time for onboarding and training–While many companies may have fewer projects to work on in the summer, they can take the time to interview, hire and train new employees without a lot of the stress of deadlines that come around during the rest of the year.

Temporary work–While some permanent employees are on vacation, companies can bring in new people on a temporary basis to try them out before hiring. As a potential candidate, you can show them how you work and how you would fit into their culture on the spot.

Less competition–Because other job seekers will believe the no-one-hires-in-summer myth, there are fewer candidates with whom to compete.

More relaxed–We are well trained to change our mindset in the summer to a calmer, less worried one than in the fall. Being more relaxed–as long as you are still prepared–can only help you in your interview process.

Fall is coming–The busier season will soon be upon those potential employers and if they want to have new, trained, skilled workers at their desks in September, they have to start the process in July or August.

Summer is when quality time management comes into play in your job search. Don’t spend all day, every day sending out online applications–get some recreation time in, too. But equally don’t give up your job search for the warmer months. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for talent–help them find you.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Tips for Successful Video Meetings

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014|

When was the last time you had to conduct a Skype interview or had a FaceTime meeting? How was your experience?

In today’s global environment with multiple offices across numerous time zones, the virtual office space makes conducting video meetings and interviews a necessary daily activity.

In 2009, we at Artisan Creative decided that the benefits of a successful virtual environment outweighed the stress of the daily commute. We love it and firmly believe in the life/work integration that a virtual setting provides our team. From the business standpoint, we stay connected, have daily meetings, and conduct initial candidate interviews using a multitude of online collaboration tools such as zoom.us, join.me and Skype.

Over the years, we have developed best practices and would like to share some tips on how to conduct the best video meeting/interview.

Test your equipment beforehand: Nothing can take away from the quality of your meeting or impact the first impression negatively more than being unable to actually connect and have a clear conversation!

Technical issues are commonplace, so check your connection, video and audio quality the day before. Conduct a dry run with a friend or colleague to make sure no issues persist.

Have a back-up plan if on the day of the interview or meeting an unexpected issue arises.

Check the screen placement and height—What do they see? Watch the camera—Are you making eye contact? Are you talking to the person in front of you,or looking to the side? I have had interviews where I could only see the top half of someone’s head, or was looking up their nose…so practice ahead of time!

Clean up your surroundings: Whether you are conducting the meeting from your home office, or a conference room, check your surroundings to see what will be seen on-screen. Desk clutter, inappropriate wall hangings and artwork, a messy room… keep in mind that a video meeting should be treated the same as an in-person one.

Dress for Success: You have a precious few seconds to make a good first impression. A video interview is often the first step in the overall process. Dress appropriately as you would an in-person interview or meeting.

I once conducted a Saturday morning interview and my candidate showed up for the video interview in a bathrobe drinking a cup of morning coffee! Needless to say, that wasn’t quite in line with the qualification criteria I was aiming for with my client.

Smile and Focus!

Smile—You are on camera! Enough said.

Focus—Incoming calls/emails/IMs are all distractions–for both you and your interviewer. Turn everything off and focus on the task at hand. Be present and practice active listening skills.

If you need reference points about the company or a copy of your resume handy, place it at eye level so you do not have to take your eyes off the screen, which can come across as being distracted. If that is not possible, set the stage by letting the other person know you are referencing other material.

Practice as much as you can ahead of time. Call a friend and conduct a brief mock interview/meeting.

Follow-up: Finally, treat your online interview the same as an in-person one. Follow-up with a thank you note or email. Send any requested back-up documents as soon as possible. The goal here is to move to the next phase of the interview process, and get closer to the job you are looking for!

Katty Douraghy, President, Artisan Creative

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Your First "Real" Job Interview

Wednesday, May 14th, 2014|

Although you probably have had jobs during your high school and college years, if you are graduating from college in the next few weeks, you may be having your first “real” job interview in the near future. We hope our job search tips for graduates helped you land that interview. Here are our tips for your first time sitting across the desk from a hiring manager in your field:

Do some research–You might think you are done with research after you throw your mortarboard in the air, but all that work at school was preparing you for the research you need to do throughout your career. Look up that company you are interviewing with next week on LinkedIn and read everything on their website. Know their mission and everything you can learn about their culture.

Get a great outfit–You might be reading articles about how everyone these days has tattoos and wears jeans to work, but that hiring manager isn’t your friend yet. Dress up more than absolutely necessary and keep your individual style down to an accessory that shows your personality. You will have a better idea of what is acceptable at the company after your interview and may be able to be more casual at your second interview. Bide your time.

Practice–Can’t say it too many times! Don’t just think about your answers to typical interview questions, practice them out loud with a trusted friend. You need to know how to keep your answers to a good length, know your stories well enough to keep eye contact while you are talking, and get some feedback. If you have some options for “What is your greatest accomplishment?” or “Tell me about yourself,” a mock interview is the perfect place to give them each a tryout.

Everyone gets nervous before interviews, even those more experienced than you. If you know you are as prepared as possible, you will get into the zone quickly and be able to establish a real connection with the hiring manager and maybe it won’t take you too long to land the perfect first job after graduation.

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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5 Job Search Tips for Graduates

Wednesday, April 30th, 2014|

Getting graduation announcements in the mail these days? All of those newly-minted diploma holders are about to enter the workforce in droves and the job search environment is still in a tenuous recovery. Here are some of our tips for landing that first job after graduation:

Think long-term: Your short-term goal is to get a job, but don’t neglect to think about where you want to be next year, five or even ten years from now. You can’t make a solid plan, but you can figure out some routes and take your first steps along one or more of them.

Get in touch: Now is when you should be connecting with friends you made in classes ahead of yours in college or graduate students who have moved out of academia and adding them to your network, not to mention letting anyone you worked with as an intern during school know that you are ready for the job market.

Set up informational interviews: Ask your parents’ friends and colleagues and anyone else you can think of. They really are a way into the hidden job market.

Keep learning: Yes, you just finished school, but your education doesn’t end there. Read the latest books in your field, take a class. Whatever you learn now will make a great interview topic.

Practice interviewing: Most likely, you’ve never taken a course called Job Interviewing 101. Get together with other recent graduate friends and do some mock interviews, critique each other’s stories and get into the zone. Here are some great questions for practice.

If your job search takes longer than you would like, you’re not alone. Find a non-profit organization you are passionate about and offer your skills as a volunteer. Volunteering keeps you busy, keeps your skills up-to-date, gives you great networking opportunities, provides you with stories to tell about your summer, and may even lead to a paying job.

Congratulations on a great achievement! Now get out there!

Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative

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Spring Cleaning Your LinkedIn Profile

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014|

Spring is here even in colder climates and it’s time to clean out your LinkedIn Profile as well as your closet. You should be revising your resume every quarter, listing new accomplishments and adding job responsibilities, volunteer experience, and of course proofreading again. Your LinkedIn Profile could probably also use a fresh eye.

Summary

Make sure your summary reflects what you are passionate about now, not what you were doing last year. If your focus has changed, it’s time to rewrite.

Files

LinkedIn lets us add files, photos and videos so if you have some more current writing samples or other work product, post it now.

Experience

Freelancers have probably worked for new clients in the last few months. Make sure you add those clients to your experience on LinkedIn and your resume.

Skills

Added anything to your skillset this winter? Add it to your list. When you add skills to your list, your connections can give you new endorsements. And if you haven’t learned anything new lately, go do that!

Connections

Take a few minutes to send invitations to the people you’ve met over the winter. They will be happy to have some fresh faces in their connections, too.

Landing a new job isn’t the only time to revise your LinkedIn Profile, and it is easy to let it get stale. Open the windows and shake out the dust!

Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative

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