Creative Websites For Creative People

By Alyssa Choiniere

For a creative, a website is known to be one of the cheapest, simplest forms of advertisement. It is also the easiest way to showcase your personality, style, and creativity. Yet, the majority of websites for creative people appear to be built from a template designed by a 95 year old stock analyst. They scream for a dash of color, some stylish language, or even just a jagged edge. The most significant problem with creative websites is not professionalism, but, ironically, creativity.

Striking the balance between a professional, intelligible website may be challenging, but in this occupation, ere on the side of intrigue. Use color, personality, and display your work. The easiest way to show your skills and remain in the minds of your viewers is to highlight your best art. 

One way to accomplish this is by rewriting your resume in a presentable prose style, which links each job to examples on alternate pages. Make the writing concise and professional, but not overtly pretentious. 

Also include a brief biography about how you entered your field and what made you so passionate. But remember, keep it brief. Your bio will make your website personal, and make your customers feel like they know you. This establishes an element of trust. A photograph also establishes the personal feeling of the site. A professional photograph may be necessary, but be sure to use your artistic mindset to provide the best style. If you are a musician, take a picture playing your instrument, or a painter can be photographed painting. Keep it classy, but do not drown your creativity.

If you are not technologically inclined, you may need to use a web designer. But there are many hosts which provide resources for you, without taking advantage of your checkbook. Doteasy charges only $40 per year, and also includes instructions and additional features for purchase, such as anti-virus protection. 

Most importantly, provide reliable contact information on your website, and prepare yourself for numerous ecstatic but demanding customers!

10 Biggest Pitfalls Creatives Face When Interviewing for Their First Job...and How to Resolve Them

By Alyssa Choiniere

So, you landed the interview for the perfect job. Congratulations! What's next? Polish up your resume and your new shoes, read over this list, and you're off to take over the creative world.

1. Pitfall: I've never held a creative job.

Resolution: Focus on the assets you do have, not your prior employment. If you won an award, made a CD, toured with your band, won a contest, or anything identifying your merit as an artist, you will gain notoriety with your employers.

2. Pitfall: I don't know how to dress professionally.

Resolution: You can look dapper without burying your personality in pocket squares. Pick up a suit, but add some details that showcase your creativity, like a funky tie, a quirky necklace, or an eye-catching color. Go for the “polished but precocious” look if you feel like a mannequin wearing a suit.

3. Pitfall: I don't know how to play a professional role.

Resolution: Be impressive in the interview, but be yourself, too. Focus on articulating your ideas honestly, and being respectful, but don't be afraid to let your true creative nature shine through.

4. Pitfall: I'm worried they might think I'm too eccentric.

Resolution: There's nothing wrong with adding a little flavor to the workplace. And creatives are allowed to be a little odd sometimes. Look at Quentin Tarantino, and Tom Cruise! They made it far, even from left field.

5. Pitfall: How can I prove myself at the interview?

Resolution: Focus on the positives. If you were just fired from McDonald's, don't worry about it. What did you do in your time out of employment? Create a new clothing line? Dabble with impressionism? Place the focal point of the interviewer on the aspects of the job that relate directly to the position.

6. Pitfall: I don't have any professional work experience.

Resolution: Don't be discouraged by a blank “employment” section on your resume. Find things to fill the other sections, such as volunteer work, awards, achievements, education, extracurriculars, etc.

7. Pitfall: My prior experience has been unpaid.

Resolution: Good! A perfect filler for your volunteer section. This is not negative. It shows that you are passionate about your work, and that you value your abilities and are now moving up in the world.

8. Pitfall: I'm just really nervous.

Resolution: First times are often nerve wracking. But, just believe in your own success, and fake some confidence, if you have to. They will know you are worth their time if you show them, by displaying some charisma and sincerity.

9. Pitfall: I don't know how to answer all those questions.

Resolution: The classic and most daunting interview question: “Tell me a little bit about yourself,” is really not a trick question. This is your platform, they gave you the stage. Say every single good thing you can possibly think of for yourself, and back it up with fact. Make a list before the interview.

10. Pitfall: I don't have a degree.

Resolution: So, in the four years that they spent in school, you were out expressing your creativity, right? You have a head start. If they are willing to interview you without a degree, then it should not be a concern.

Finding a Product Design Internship

By Amanda Brandon

Interested in product design? Looking for an internship? Here are some tips for finding an internship in the product design field.

1. Check with your school. They usually have a bank of companies with annual internship programs. These are often very industry-specific and very competitive. Be sure your skills meet the requirements of the internship before applying.

2. Product design encompasses many different industries. Focus on the industries you want to work in and compile a list of companies who produce the products you want to design.

3. Once you have your list, start researching the companies to see if they offer internships. If you cannot find formal information, find a contact in the company to propose an internship. You may not get paid, but you will get valuable experience.

4. Connect with industry professionals through tradeshows and conferences. These networking events are great avenues for making contacts. Contact these people about internships. Remind them of where you met them and what you discussed. You’re much more likely to get an interview this way.

5. You may have to leave your college or hometown to complete an internship, so be prepared financially to make a move for the short-term to another city (possibly long-term should the internship turn into a real job).

Five Tips for Your Online Presence as a Creative Professional

By Amanda Brandon

So much of a creative professional’s work is done in the online arena. As media budgets are cut to the bones, businesses are seeking solutions via the cost-effective World Wide Web. What can you do to establish yourself online? Here are five tips:

1. Get a website. It doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Work through one of the many web hosting companies such as GoDaddy.com or Yahoo! Small Business. These online services offer you great tools at a minimal charge. They even have very simple site building tools to help you set it up in an afternoon or less.

2. Sell yourself via your website. Your website is going to be your number one marketing tool. Make sure your links work. Use clear, crisp copy. Be sure your contact information is prevalent.

3. Online samples are must. Every creative professional knows prospects want to see their work before they offer a job or project. Make it easy by creating an online portfolio via your website. You can upload documents to your site in PDF format.

4. Keep your site up-to-date and error-free. Be sure to review your web site at least a couple of times a month. You may have new samples to add. Read your copy from time to time to make sure you don’t have typos. These little errors speak a thousand words about your quality of work. Make sure you don’t shoot yourself in the foot with typos or poor spelling.

5. Keep your message simple online. Whether in an e-mail to a prospective employer or client, your qualifications have to be clearly stated in writing. Writing must be simple to communicate your message. Tailor your messages to the job or project you are seeking. Prospective employers or clients get tons of email. Make your stand out from the crowd with to-the-point messaging.

6. Join Online Artist Networks. A good way to get your name out there is to join creative websites like DeviantArt or CreativeContact.com to collaborate with artists, display your work, and get your name out in the community. Work together with other artists, and getting to know them can really help when you go to sell your work, find a job, or hold an event.

Establishing your online presence takes some time, but just like your resume or portfolio, it’s important to your success. Take the time now to reap the benefits later.

Is Music School Right For You?

By Amanda Brandon

So, you love music. You want to make a career of it. How do you do this? Well, there’s the old-fashioned grassroots “get out and tour” route. And then there’s the go to school route. Only you can decide which is right for you, but here are some tips for picking a music school.

Decide what you want to do in music. If you have dreams of being a concert pianist, it’s probably a good idea to get classical training at a top-notch music school. If you want to work on video game soundtracks, you’ll want to find a program that offers this specific type of education.

Find someone who does what you want to do. Interview that person. Find out how they got their start. Ask them what school they attended. Get real advice on what the wish they had done differently when it came to choosing a music school.

The program has to match your desired job. It’s fine to go to music school, but if you want to make a career of it, you’ll have to go get specific instruction in your chosen discipline.

Don’t just choose a school based on reputation. Choose one based on what you want to do. Let’s say you want to be a music teacher. You’ll need to get an education certification in addition to formal music training. Find out what tools they offer to get you certified before entering the workforce.

Think about cost. It costs money to go to music school. Not only are you shopping for a fantastic program, but you’re looking for something you can afford. Be sure to check out what scholarships and other aid are available.

What are the admission requirements? Do you have to audition? Do you have to have a portfolio? Certain prerequisites? Recommendations? Minimum requirements such as GPA, test scores, etc?

Visit the school. Set up an interview with key people at the school, so you get a real look at what the school will offer you. Be sure it’s an environment you can be creative in. Talk to other students in similar disciplines.

With these tips, you should be able to start your music school search. Remember, choose the school based on how it can enhance your career.

First Impressions Part One: The Professional Resume

You may have wondered where part one went. Well here it is:
(Part Two is here: Creative Resumes)

This is part one of a two-part series on resumes. There are countless different ways you can format your resume, depending on who you are and what you do. Remember: when applying for a job, your resume is often the first impression that the employer will have about you.

Today's entry by Neal F. Litherland


With the job market the way it is today, everyone's feeling the squeeze. Those whose work depends on their creativity to stand out though may feel as if they've been hit particularly hard. Whether you're looking for work as a freelancer, or you're trying to grab one of the spots as a regular employee in your craft, the first thing your prospective employers are going to measure you by is your resume'. For many of us, that's a good thing, but for the rest, here's a few tips about cleaning up your first impression.


First and foremost, make sure that you're using proper format. All your contact information at the top, then your education, and finish up with your work experience, no more than two pages, but aim for one. It should be obvious, but it's worth mentioning here... do not get fancy with your resume'. Whether you're a graphic artist or a novelist, keep your resume' straight and to the point. Given that creativity and imagination can't be measured, part of what your job rides on is how professional the impression you give is... no non-standard fonts, colored texts, or pink paper.


Now for the other half of the equation... content. Do not include anything that doesn't seem relevant. If you attended multiple colleges to get your degree, just put where you graduated from to streamline things. For your work experience, first list everything you've done. Then look at the job you're applying for. Cut out everything that doesn't seem relevant. With what's left, pick and choose what to include. Things to keep in mind might be the past employer's opinion of you and your work, how recently that experience is, and whether or not the work was paid.


Of course, what this might mean is re-tooling your resume' every time you apply for a job. With exceptions, that is usually true. If you keep applying for similar jobs with similar requirements, then you're fine. However, taking a little extra time to make sure you look like solid gold to your next prospective boss is probably a good idea, no matter the circumstances.

First Impressions Part Two: The Creative Resume

This is part one of a two-part series on resumes. There are countless different ways you can format your resume, depending on who you are and what you do. Remember: when applying for a job, your resume is often the first impression that the employer will have about you. Today's entry by Ria Ranka

We all know about 'The Perfect Job'. But what about 'The Perfect Resume'? A resume is so much more than your accomplishments styled in nice font and placed in chronological, functional or a combination of these orders upon a sheet of paper. A resume is your personality and your achievements-it's the armor you need before going into the interview that will remodel your life for the better. But where to start?

There are a few paths that will lead you to the completion of a successful resume. But if creativity is your characteristic, there's only one way to go: The Creative Resume. The Creative Resume is the only resume that acquires incandescence, ingenuity, and most importantly, creativity. Keep in mind, the quintessence of your objective will be like any other. However the heart of a creative resume will be incomparable. Who You Are is very important, and becomes the scenery of your listed qualifications. Most times it becomes what the interviewer hones in on-your creative style. So how can you enhance your chances of standing out?

You've spotted your dream job. Only problem is, so have about three hundred highly qualified candidates. How can you get your resume to pop out of the crowd? Literally make it pop. 3D resumes will set you apart from everyone else. Interviewers won't ever lose sight of their main goal: finding the most qualified candidate. If you have what the company is looking for, adding your flavor won't make you appear underdeveloped. It shows not only do you have great work experience, you have great personality, too.

How to be remembered: Color. Because success considerably depends on color, in a creative resume, color can be just as important as your objective. It influences the interviewers memory, so always make sure to keep it bright. Also adding a picture can never hurt. A face behind the words illustrates your achievements.

You're all set. Time to land that job!