The dos & don’ts for career building, colleaguery and being awesome. (originally given to web/design/gfx students for ARTimation 11 at Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg, Illinois)

1. How to rock in general
The dos & don’ts for career building,
colleaguery and being awesome.
Aaron U. Salmon ARTimation 11 October 2010
Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg

2. How to rock in general
The dos & don’ts for career building,
colleagueryand being awesome.
...wait a sec, wha?
Aaron U. Salmon ARTimation 11 October 2010
Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg

3. Me.
Aaron U. Salmon
@aaronsalmon

4. Me.
Aaron U. Salmon
@aaronsalmon
abundance accessibilityacidargyle adobe aestheticsagenda architectart auraworksawesome
bikesblog brandingbuilding businesses captain changechicagocmscoffeecolleaguery
communicationcomply contact contentcontractor cooking copyright countryside created creationcreative
cssculturedeliver designdetail developmentdifferent direction
director discuss earn ecommerceenjoy enthusiast experienceexpression facial hair
fantasticfriendsfrisbeefront-end fun goalsgreengrow growth
hand-crafted hilariousness HTMLidealsideas
identityindependent information innovativeinsight
inspirationinterface internets joviallife logolovemanagement manifestomusic
natureoptimismpixel-perfectplanet poolprinciplesprojects redesign screenprintingskills
socialstandards strategystylingsuperstitious teamtechnicaltemplates together typography
usabilityvaluesversatilew3cwebsitewillingness wisconsinworkxhtml

5. Me.
Aaron U. Salmon
@aaronsalmon
Web Design & Front-End Development
UI design
Branding
HTML/CSS prowess
Built & Managed Teams
since 1999
Chicago rpr’snt

6. Agenda ...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

7. Agenda
! understanding who you are
...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

8. Agenda
! understanding who you are
! developing your brand
...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

9. Agenda
! understanding who you are
! developing your brand
! finding work
...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

10. Agenda
! understanding who you are
! developing your brand
! finding work
! being awesome
...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

11. Agenda
! understanding who you are
! developing your brand
! finding work
! being awesome
! questions!
...unless we get sidetracked
0/5 - Agenda

12. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are

13. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
1/5 - Understand who you are

14. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
1/5 - Understand who you are
We all probably have
some heroes out there.
People we admire or
aspire to be.
Bruce Mau
Edward Tufte
Henry David Thoreau
Bill Strickland
John Lennon
Thomas Paine
My parents (seriously they rule)
“Get to the chopper”
- Dutch

15. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
1/5 - Understand who you are

16. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
1/5 - Understand who you are
The fabric of what you’re
all about.

17. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
1/5 - Understand who you are
Adventure
Agility
Boldness
Certainty
Compassion
Discipline
Faith
Freedom
Hilariousness
Leadership
Openness
Passion
Resourcefulness
Trust
Value
The fabric of what you’re
all about.

18. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
1/5 - Understand who you are

19. Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
1/5 - Understand who you are
Your past, present and future.
What is your forecast?
Ever get asked, “tell me about yourself?
(your bio will help!)

20. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......

21. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......

22. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
You have to put your order in Son!
- Dad
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......

23. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
You have to put your order in Son!
- Dad
If someone was recording you
every day, would you be proud of
the story?
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......

24. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
You have to put your order in Son!
- Dad
If someone was recording you
every day, would you be proud of
the story?
Speak the language of the
person you'd like to become.
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......

25. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
You have to put your order in Son!
- Dad
If someone was recording you
every day, would you be proud of
the story?
Speak the language of the
person you'd like to become.
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......
You are the average of the FIVE
people you spend the most time
with.

26. Understand who you are
1/5 - Understand who you are
Spend time consciously thinking
about what you want out of life.
You have to put your order in Son!
- Dad
If someone was recording you
every day, would you be proud of
the story?
Speak the language of the
person you'd like to become.
! who are your heroes?
! what are your values?
! write a bio
! manifest your destiny.......
You are the average of the FIVE
people you spend the most time
with.

27. Develop your brand
2/5 - Develop your brand

28. Develop your brand
2/5 - Develop your brand
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

29. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

30. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
•! What is it?
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

31. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
•! What is it?
It’s where we get our power. It's an energy field
created by all living things. It surrounds us,
penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

32. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
•! What is it?
It’s where we get our power. It's an energy field
created by all living things. It surrounds us,
penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.“
- Old Ben Kenobi
“
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

33. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
•! What is it?
It’s where we get our power. It's an energy field
created by all living things. It surrounds us,
penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.“
- Old Ben Kenobi
“
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)

34. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
2/5 - Develop your brand
•! What is it?
It’s where we get our power. It's an energy field
created by all living things. It surrounds us,
penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.“
- Old Ben Kenobi
“
not what you think it is.... (although biz cards would be nice)
It’s the brand your name carries – the sum total of
your good name, the work you do and how you
deliver on your values.

35. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand

36. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand

37. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me

38. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr

39. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile

40. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)

41. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)
• Roll your own site (we’re web creatives right?)

42. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)
• Roll your own site (we’re web creatives right?)
• Avoid the trap...“noooooo, it must be perfect!” (it just needs to exist)

43. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)
• Roll your own site (we’re web creatives right?)
• Avoid the trap...“noooooo, it must be perfect!” (it just needs to exist)
- Not just your resume (be translucent, be open, be a real person)

44. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)
• Roll your own site (we’re web creatives right?)
• Avoid the trap...“noooooo, it must be perfect!” (it just needs to exist)
- Not just your resume (be translucent, be open, be a real person)
- Values. Bio. Skills.

45. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
2/5 - Develop your brand
• flavors.me / about.me
• Posterous/Tumblr
• Google Profile
•! Simply Flickr your portfolio & link to it. (or pull in feed)
• Roll your own site (we’re web creatives right?)
• Avoid the trap...“noooooo, it must be perfect!” (it just needs to exist)
- Not just your resume (be translucent, be open, be a real person)
- Values. Bio. Skills.
- Your “personal culture of one” is on display

46. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand

47. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
not in the slimey douchebag way.

48. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand

49. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.

50. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit

51. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter

52. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter

53. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter

54. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)

55. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)
• meetups, groups, tech conferences, art openings, product demos

56. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)
• meetups, groups, tech conferences, art openings, product demos
• be yourself!, develop & evolve your opinions on design & tech.

57. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)
• meetups, groups, tech conferences, art openings, product demos
• be yourself!, develop & evolve your opinions on design & tech.
• !o"er value / become an expert in your field

58. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)
• meetups, groups, tech conferences, art openings, product demos
• be yourself!, develop & evolve your opinions on design & tech.
• !o"er value / become an expert in your field
•! start a group /! organize an event

59. Develop your brand
! Reputation Capital
! Create your online home base
! Networking!
2/5 - Develop your brand
• Get out there and get involved in the community - fer’ real.
•! low hanging fruit
- twitter
- linkedin (forrst.com, dribbble.com, github.com etc..)
• meetups, groups, tech conferences, art openings, product demos
• be yourself!, develop & evolve your opinions on design & tech.
• !o"er value / become an expert in your field
•! start a group /! organize an event
•! lots of co"ee...

60. Finding work
! Referrals
3/5 - Finding work

61. Finding work
! Referrals
3/5 - Finding work
•! most work & job o"ers will come from referrals & colleagues

62. Finding work
! Referrals
3/5 - Finding work
•! most work & job o"ers will come from referrals & colleagues
• become a channel (even if you can’t do the work - refer someone!)

63. Finding work
! Referrals
3/5 - Finding work
•! most work & job o"ers will come from referrals & colleagues
• become a channel (even if you can’t do the work - refer someone!)
•! don’t see a job opening posted? That doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist

64. Finding work
! Referrals
3/5 - Finding work
•! most work & job o"ers will come from referrals & colleagues
• become a channel (even if you can’t do the work - refer someone!)
•! don’t see a job opening posted? That doesn’t mean one doesn’t exist
•! ask to work at places, ask for lunch, ask to grab co"ee.

65. Finding work
! Referrals
! Recruiters
3/5 - Finding work

66. Finding work
! Referrals
! Recruiters
3/5 - Finding work
Creative Circle
Artisan
smartdept.
Brooksource
Wunderland
etc...

67. Finding work
! Referrals
! Recruiters
3/5 - Finding work
•! They will start to seek you out (profile discovery)
Creative Circle
Artisan
smartdept.
Brooksource
Wunderland
etc...

68. Finding work
! Referrals
! Recruiters
! Job Boards
3/5 - Finding work

69. Finding work
! Referrals
! Recruiters
! Job Boards
3/5 - Finding work
•! craigslist (I’ve hired people from theCL)
•! jobs.37signals.com
•! authenticjobs.com
•! krop.com
•! etc.

70. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work

71. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
(what I look for)

72. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
(what I look for)

73. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
(what I look for)

74. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
(what I look for)

75. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
(what I look for)

76. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
- Job Seeker exchanges “time for money”
(what I look for)

77. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
- Job Seeker exchanges “time for money”
•! mindset = look to be part of the company, not an employee
(what I look for)

78. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
- Job Seeker exchanges “time for money”
•! mindset = look to be part of the company, not an employee
• there are no rules when it comes to your portfolio
(what I look for)

79. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
- Job Seeker exchanges “time for money”
•! mindset = look to be part of the company, not an employee
• there are no rules when it comes to your portfolio
• talent & drive are more important than # of portfolio pieces.
(what I look for)

80. Finding work
! Let’s talk interviewing
3/5 - Finding work
•! be yourself (well be a cleaned up version of yourself)
•! don’t overdress
• be a skill holder, not a job seeker
- Skill Holder exchanges “value for money”
- Job Seeker exchanges “time for money”
•! mindset = look to be part of the company, not an employee
• there are no rules when it comes to your portfolio
• talent & drive are more important than # of portfolio pieces.
• !attention too detaail!!!1 (on your resume & website)
(what I look for)

81. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome

82. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome
•! do or attend something each week relating to your career or field

83. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome
•! do or attend something each week relating to your career or field
• you have to do what you love and love what you do

84. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome
•! do or attend something each week relating to your career or field
• you have to do what you love and love what you do
•! carve out time for hobbies - be a complete person.

85. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome
•! do or attend something each week relating to your career or field
• you have to do what you love and love what you do
•! carve out time for hobbies - be a complete person.
•! continue to grow & learn new skillz

86. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
4/5 - Being awesome
•! do or attend something each week relating to your career or field
• you have to do what you love and love what you do
•! carve out time for hobbies - be a complete person.
•! continue to grow & learn new skillz
•! get out of your comfort zone / don’t get in a rut

87. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
4/5 - Being awesome

88. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
4/5 - Being awesome
•! communicate with at least one person every day

89. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
4/5 - Being awesome
•! communicate with at least one person every day
• help solve people’s problems

90. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
! Colleaguery
4/5 - Being awesome

91. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
! Colleaguery
4/5 - Being awesome
• the sum of all covered here.

92. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
! Colleaguery
4/5 - Being awesome
• the sum of all covered here.
• be awesome - be valuable - be a friend - collaborate

93. Being awesome
! Continue to grow
! Remember your reputation capital
! Colleaguery
4/5 - Being awesome
• the sum of all covered here.
• be awesome - be valuable - be a friend - collaborate
"Professionalism begets colleaguery, that spirit of mutual
support and collective identity that contributes so
potently to creative exchange and the sense of progress.
It's my responsibility to engender this spirit by setting an
amiable, stimulating, creative and professional example."
- Yuri Rasovsky

94. Questions?
! Aaron U. Salmon
twitter: @aaronsalmon
aaron@auraworks.com
auraworks.com
5/5 - Questions Typeface: Aller
"Professionalism begets colleaguery, that
spirit of mutual support and collective
identity that contributes so potently to
creative exchange and the sense of progress.
It's my responsibility to engender this spirit
by setting an amiable, stimulating, creative
and professional example."
- Yuri Rasovsky
(hey, let’s talk about it)