Cora's Blog: Presentation by Dashboard

Our guest speaker this week was Catherine Baird, Associate Creative Director from Dashboard. She is a Sheridan Web Design graduate and has currently worked with a graduate from the program every year since graduating here from 2001.

Her work history includes:

ecentricarts, Senior Designer
Henderson Bas, Senior Designer
Henderson Bas, Associate Creative Director
5emegauche, Paris France, Senior Art Director
Draft FCB, Senior Art Director
Dashboard, Associate Creative Director

Some of her advice includes:

Be prepared to change consistently throughout the business.
Micro sites are becoming less of a demand, instead the industry is moving towards Facebook, YouTube and other social media.
Bring your portfolio to the graduate show and industry events.

Some clients she has worked with includes:

Santa Claus parade (whole brand)
Joe
Kraft peanut butter
Capital One
Wagner
Hellmann’s
Ing Direct

About Dashboard:

They are a Digital, Engagement Agency. They are about engaging people online.
The personality of the designers is a mix of quirky and smart.
Creative team is 6 to 8 people, and there are around 30 employees in the shop.

Her advice on 5 things you should do to get a job:

1. Be prepared

Get your best work together in a simple easy to read format.
This could be a website or better, a PDF with your resume and samples of work with links to live websites.
Don’t make me work too hard.
Don’t fumble around in an interview.
No one will look at your resume if they don’t like your work.
Email PDF (6 pages of your best work and resume). Make all photos clickable to your website if they want to see more.
Want to see the work fast (1-2 minutes).
Your work and your personality is the only thing that will get you a job.
Just send your work, don’t ask if you can send a portfolio.

2. Do something unusual

I get 5 emails a day from people who want me to look at their work.
Do something different. Draw a sketch of the Creative Director, send a hand written card, brand yourself, and make a video. Even doing something unusual in your email is worth a try. Email is too easy.

3. Follow up and don’t write long emails

Creative Directors are busier and more stressed out that you could possibly imagine. If it’s long, no one is going to have the time to read it.
If you stalk someone you’re not going to get a job. If you send gentle reminders, you’ll better your chances.

4. Show Diversity

Show your paintings if you come from a fine art background. If you are musician, add some links to your songs. If you do anything other than design it shows you are well rounded, interesting, and creative. Show it. It’s also a conversation starter in an interview.

5. Network

The easiest way to get a job is to network and build up a group of people who respect your work and work ethic.
Be nice, work hard and don’t burn bridges. It’s a SMALL industry. Go to events, take people out for coffee, get out there!

Trick – If a Creative Director won’t get you in for an interview, ask him/her to do a “portfolio review.” They may hire you based off of your personality and “fit” with the company.

All about the Future: