Professional Portfolio Essentials

Professional Portfolio EssentialsProfessional Portfolio EssentialsCreating and maintaining a professional portfolio is part of the price of admission to the creative industry whether youre seeking an in-house role, agency job or running a freelance business. But what exactly do you need, and what format is right for you? Heres a quick QA.What is a professional portfolio?Whether its digital or print, your professional portfolio is essentially a collection of work samples that demonstrate your creative skills. Think of it as a visual resume that communicates the message I have done great creative work for others and I can do the same for you.Who needs a professional portfolio?Anyone who wants to work as a creative professional, including graphic designers, web designers, UX designers, copywriters, marketing communications professionals and multimedia experts.Should I have a digital portfolio?Yes Every creative professional should at least have a digital portfolio of some kind. Agency o wners and hiring managers often surf online portfolios as their first step when determining which candidates to contact for interviews. If you want to be on their radar, youll need a digital portfolio. You can post one on your website or use sites like Behance, Coroflot or Carbonmade to get up and running quickly.A well-optimized digital portfolio lets you share samples with anyone, anywhere, which can be a great time-saver when youre talking to potential clients or employers. It also helps you to pre-qualify prospects so you waste less time talking to people who arent a good fit for you. Some portfolio apps and websites also let you tailor what you show depending on the situation or the prospects needs.SEARCH OPEN JOBSDo I also need a printed portfolio?While digital portfolios are versatile and inexpensive, its sometimes easier to communicate your skills by sharing a tangible item that the would-be client or employer can hold in their hands. Consider having a printed portfolio in a ddition to your digital presence if one or mora of the following apply to youYou frequently present samples to more than one person during face-to-face meetingsYou regularly work in a larger format than the size of a laptop or iPad screenYou want to show fine photographic detailYour work is three-dimensional, such as packagingYour samples feature specialty folding, die-cutting, pop-ups or other custom paper treatmentsYour samples use elements that dont display well on computer screens, such as metallic or neon colors, reflective surfaces and varnishes.How many pieces should I include in my professional portfolio?A safe range is eight to 12 samples. Aim to show the breadth of your abilities with as few samples as possible, so choose carefully from the best pieces you have. If there is something in your portfolio you dont love, leave it out. Its important to self-audit and be sure that your professional portfolio represents your best work and clearly demonstrates the type of skill the client or employer is looking for. Some creatives maintain a larger secondary portfolio in Evernote or a similar tool. That way you can quickly access two or three appropriate selections when a client says, We like what we see in your portfolio, but have you ever done X?And heres a quick bonus tip for copywriters Be sure to include work samples that your design colleagues have done an excellent job with. A little visual appeal makes your work more than just a wall of words. If possible, use pieces featuring a variety of design styles to reinforce your versatility as a copywriter.How often should I update my professional portfolio?Whether its digital or physical, youll want to update your portfolio regularly to keep it fresh. Theres no hard and fast rule, but looking things over at least once a quarter is a good general practice. Any time you complete a project that youre really proud of, consider adding it to your portfolio sooner rather than later. Youll also want to rotate out an y samples that are becoming stale or dated. Looking for creative work? You can create your own digital portfolio on The Creative Group website. If youre not yet a TCG candidate, simply submit your resume to get started.

ASMEs New President Said Jahanmir Discusses Goals for FY19 at...

ASMEs New President Said Jahanmir Discusses Goals for FY19 at... ASMEs New President Said Jahanmir Discusses Goals for FY19 at... ASMEs New President Said Jahanmir Discusses Goals for FY19 at Presidents DinnerJune 15, 2018 Said Jahanmir, ASMEs new president, outlined his goals for his term as ASMEs 137th president during the Presidents Dinner on June 5 at the ASME Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.During his inaugural address at the ASME Annual Meeting Presidents Dinner on June 5 in Vancouver, Canada, ASMEs new President Said Jahanmir discussed his goals for his yearlong term, which include increasing the number of active members, especially early career engineers and students, and motivating staff and volunteers to develop genuine collaboration and partnerships. Cultivating an active and motivated membership base is essential to ensure the continued success of the Society and appealing to the rising generation of engineers is necessary for that to happen, Dr. Jahanmir said. We must attract and retain students and early career engineers and capture their energy, creativity and passion, he said. In order to do this, he continued, we need to have a clear value proposition that includes new programs and services. We should provide what members, and particularly younger members, need for their professional growth, for example professional development and leadership training. ASMEs immediate Past President Charla Wise passed the presidential gavel to ASME President Said Jahanmir during the Presidents Dinner.In addition, Jahanmir said, it is also imperative that we strive for increased diversity and inclusion, notlage only in ASME, but also in our profession keeping in mind that diversity is a major contributor to our success as engineers and to finding innovative solutions.On the subject of volunteer and staff collaboration, Jahanmir noted that the ASME structure and culture have always been based on a close partnership between staff and volunteers. We need to nurture this relationship and make it more seamless. Charla Wise, ASMEs immediate past president, reflected on the past year during her speech at the Presidents Dinner.As his address drew to a close, Jahanmir expressed optimism for ASMEs future. I am convinced that we have a great path for future, he said. I look forward to the opportunity of serving as your president and setting the stage for this great Society to achieve its true potential and serve humanity by improving the quality of life worldwide.Earlier in the program, ASMEs new Immediate Past President Charla Wise reflected on high points of the term over which she had just presided, including the continued implementation of ASMEs new strategy, the creation of the new Group Engagement Committee, the selection of Thomas Costabile as ASMEs new executive director, and the annahme an kindes statt of the new Integrated Operating Plan, which set budgets and targets for ASME staff and volunteers of the segments, divisio ns, councils and sections. (Left to right) ASME Executive Director Thomas Costabile, ASME President-Nominee Richard Laudenat, ASME President Said Jahanmir, and ASME immediate Past President Charla Wise at the Presidents Dinner in Vancouver. We have just begun the evolution of ASME, Wise said. A year ago, I said that my theme for this year would be Continuity, as we move forward, together. I have said it many times and continue to believe it. This is the answer to ensuring a healthy and robust organization. Thats the beauty of ASMEs strategy that the Board has been working on for several years. It brings us continuity as we look to the future. It helps us move forward toward achieving our mission by having clear goals. It brings us all together.Wise challenged the ASME members in the audience to DARE to create the future D Disseminate ASMEs technical knowledge and solutions A Advance and apply engineering knowledge for improving the quality of life R Recognize each others accom plishments and achievements and E Excite the next generation engineers. We must DARE to create the future because we are leading the charge and we have the knowledge, expertise and commitment to make this world a better place, Wise said.

Bookstore Basics - Marketing and Merchandising

Bookstore Basics - Marketing and MerchandisingBookstore Basics - Marketing and MerchandisingLike any other bricks-and-mortar retailer in this increasingly digital world, bookstores need to need to aggressively market themselves as well as their wares. From bags to blogs to book signings, these promotional tactics can work effectively to attract and maintain a loyal clientele. Bags Bookstore bags, printed with the stores personenname and/or logo and location are pretty much retail 101.When a consumer leaves with a bag, it becomes a promotional vehicle for the store - which is something to keep that in mind when it commissioning a design. Bags dont need to be expensive, but as they do cost money, they should work to appropriately present and remind folks of the store and its image. Bookmarks Like bags, bookmarks serve a business card-like purpose for their stores, listing address, store hours, website, etc. every time a customer uses one and print readers still do, very much it reminds him of the store. Also, like bags, bookmarks should reflect the stores brand with not only its logo but with its ambiance of the store. For example, quirky Bienville Books bookmark shows an alligator swamped in the foreground with the city buildings of Mobile, Ala. in the background. Website Stores need websites, period. At the very least, the site should list all the pertinent retail information location (with a link to directions), hours, email address, and phone number. The best websites make sure this information is on every page so that a potential customer doesnt have to work to find it. The website may or may not include a blog (landsee below). A facebook inc page is a good secondary web presence, but you should have a website with a store-specific URL, to ensure you show up in Google and other search engines and maps. There are a lot of easy-to-use publishing platforms out there now, but it might be worth hiring a designer to give the site an appealing look thats also user-friendly. Blog Blog posts are great for announcing events (and posting pictures afterward), arrivals of new titles or merchandise, or any other news. However, blogs are a commitment - one without constantly new content or with outdated content (seriously still hawking holiday books in March?) makes a store seem dull, dusty and amateurish. Luckily, blog software is pretty simple nowadays, make refreshing content pretty simple. But if you dont want to do it, make one of your employees responsible for the blog. Newsletter Newsletters are a good vehicle to alert customers about author readings and signings and other store events and to highlight recommended books in various categories, like general fiction or specific genres (mystery, romance, cooking, kids, etc.) Store newsletters can appear in a number of formats a one-sheet piece or a multi-page, newspaper-like publication. Like blogs, newsletters need content and tend to become their animals, so its advisa ble for a bookseller starting a newsletter to create a template, format, and schedule, then assign staff adequate time and deadlines to help fill the piece. Email newsletters should be mora newsy Short and sweet, serving as event reminders rather than substituting for hard-copy pieces for in-store use. Book Display In-store visual merchandising is critical for any retailer, of course. Book placement, seasonal book promotions, book displays by subject or category, placing impulse buys at the cash register or along the check-out lines - all this can help upsell the book buyer. Even whether a book is displayed face-up or spine out can have an impact. Signings and In-Store Events Geared to sell a particular book or books by one author, readings and signings bring people in the door- and more people mean more book (and cappuccino) sales. They also create a festive atmosphere, often attracting casual browsers and passers-by. Besides specific evens, participation in events like In dependent Bookstore Day help promotes the overall store. Shelf-Talkers These pieces of cardboard that hang off the shelf can call attention to books for a variety of reasons. Whether theyre allowing the staff to wax poetic in a favorite reading experience (see Staff Picks, below), or alert a consumer to a regional bestseller or a good reading group pick, shelf-talkers are inexpensive, but ingratiating, ways to highlight book choices. Staff Picks Where hand-selling meets word-of-mouth a thoughtfully-written, heartfelt, and sincere Staff Recommends or Staff Pick can entice a prospective reader to look twice - and maybe buy - a recommended book. These can come in the form of a shelf-talker positioned near the book, or grouped regularly in a monthly or seasonal newsletter. Store-Branded Merchandise T-shirts, mugs, re-useable book totes These items serve the dual purpose of promoting the store while bringing in a bit of revenue. Design counts something unique and a book- o r reader-centric sells better than a generic store-branded item. Pricing the merchandise depends on which side of the merchandise /promotional line you see the items falling. Bookstores with a large and avid fan base or that attract a lot of visitors or tourists areas might want to price the items more in line with the souvenirs in the area for maximum profit, while other stores might want to price the merchandise more as a loss leader, to maximize the local promotional value.