Advice For Design Students... From A Few Years Out

advice for student designers
…from a few years out

john hanawalt
comma-stop.com
john@comma-stop.com
johnheartstype
johnhearts

My time at stonehill
• Graphic Design Major, '10
• In-House Design
Designer, Creative Director Bl
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• Rolling Stonehill
Creative Director

Advice…From a few years out comma-stop.com @johnheartstype

Since stonehill
• Prompt Communications
Boutique PR

• Small Army for a Cause
Nonprofit Project Manager

• Freelance
• And Now…


• Started November, 2010
As a Print Graphic Designer

• Creative Services
& Social Media Manager
Art direction and design for web and print,
social media, supervise web & print associate


54% OF ALL CASES OF HIV 89% OF TRANSGENDER
INFECTION OR AIDS AMONG STUDENTS HAVE BEEN

86.2% OF LGBT
YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 13-24 VERBALLY HARASSED IN THE
DURING 2003–2006 WERE PAST YEAR AT SCHOOL BECAUSE
FROM MALE-TO-MALE OF THEIR GENDER EXPRESSION

STUDENTS
SEXUAL CONTACT. AND/OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
86.2% of LGBT Drug and alcohol use 89% of transgender 40% of homeless 86.2% of LGBT Drug and alcohol use 54% of all cases 40 % of homeless
students experience is 340% greater among students have been youth identify as students experience is 340% greater among of HIV infection or youth identify as

EXPERIENCE
abuse or harassment bisexual teens than verbally harassed gay or transgender. abuse or harassment bisexual teens than AIDS among young gay or transgender.
at school. their straight peers; in the past year at school. their straight peers; people aged 13-24
it’s 400% greater at school because it’s 400% greater during 2003–2006
among lesbian teens. of their gender among lesbian teens. were from male-to-
expression and/or male sexual contact.
sexual orientation.

ABUSE OR DRUG AND ALCOHOL

HARASSMENT
USE IS 340% GREATER
40% OF HOMELESS AMONG BISEXUAL TEENS
THAN THEIR STRAIGHT
YOUTH IDENTIFY AS

AT SCHOOL.
PEERS; IT’S 400% GREATER
GAY OR TRANSGENDER. AMONG LESBIAN TEENS.
Drug and alcohol 54% of all cases 89% of transgender 86.2% of LGBT 86.2% of LGBT 54% of all cases 89% of transgender 40% of homeless
use is 340% greater of HIV infection or students have been students experience students experience of HIV infection or students have been youth identify as
among bisexual teens AIDS among young verbally harassed abuse or harassment abuse or harassment AIDS among young verbally harassed gay or transgender.
than their straight people aged 13-24 in the past year at school. at school. people aged 13-24 in the past year
peers; it’s 400% during 2003–2006 at school because during 2003–2006 at school because
greater among were from male-to- of their gender were from male-to- of their gender
lesbian teens. male sexual contact. expression and/or male sexual contact expression and/or

89% of transgender Drug and alcohol use 54% of all cases 40 % of homeless sexual orientation. sexual orientation.

students have been is 340% greater among of HIV infection or youth identify as
verbally harassed bisexual teens than AIDS among young gay or transgender.
in the past year their straight peers; people aged 13-24
at school because it’s 400% greater during 2003–2006
of their gender among lesbian teens. were from male-to-
expression and/or male sexual contact.
sexual orientation.


Beginning Your search


• Start Early
• Be Focused, But Keep An Open Mind
Opportunity can present itself unexpectedly

• Be Realistic
Know your strengths & limitations

• Be Prepared
Have resume and work samples ready


Know Where to look
• Design-Specific Job Boards
AIGA, Behance, Coroflot, Creative Hotlist
• Set Up Alerts on "Usual Suspects"
• Industry-Specific Job Boards
Idealist.org for nonprofit industry
• Follow Agencies' Websites,
Social Media Presences

Applying for the job
resume, coverletter, work samples,
online and presentation portfolio


your resume
• Clean, Well-Designed
Show you know how to structure information

• Beware The Infographic Resume
Not everyone who views your resume is a designer

• Tailor Your Resume For Each Job
Highlight relevant skills & experience. Edit less
relevant information, fluff.


John Hanawalt November 2010–Present
john@comma-stop.com COMMUNICATIONS & DESIGN ASSOCIATE FENWAY HEALTH
857.234.0177 PRINT Conceive and execute concepts with internal clients under
Somerville, MA the supervision of the Associate Director of Communications. Solely
responsible for all print advertising, branding, and publication designs.
PORTFOLIO
WEB Direct artwork for new web projects including fenwayfocus.org,
comma-stop.com
sidneyborum.org, and a redesign of fenwayhealth.org for 2012. Create
graphic assets for web properties, including web sites, mobile devices, and
SOFTWARE social networks. Assist with development as necessary.
Adobe Photoshop
SOCIAL MEDIA Manage Fenway Health’s social networks, including
Adobe Illustrator
multiple Twitter and Facebook pages, Foursquare, and Yelp. Launched
Adobe InDesign
and manage content for the Fenway Health blog. Track key metrics to
Adobe Acrobat Pro
measure effectiveness of the social program.
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Fireworks
Adobe Flash June–October 2010
Adobe Bridge NON-PROFIT PROJECT COORDINATOR SMALL ARMY FOR A CAUSE
WordPress
Managed the 501c3 founded by Boston advertising agency Small Army.
Microsoft Office
Coordinated all aspects of the non-profit’s annual fundraising event,
Powerpoint
which raised over $100,000 for national cancer charities. Responsibilities
included development, direct communications, marketing, and social
ADDITIONAL SKILLS media. Crafted creative briefs for design team as well as assisting in the
HTML & CSS execution of concepts and delivery of final production files to vendors.
Social Media Planning
Blog Management
Event Planning & Support 2008–Present

Writing INDEPENDENT CREATIVE

Public Speaking Apply design acuity and communication skills to diverse roster of
Studio Art clients including Boston Medical Center, Prompt Communications
public relations, Stonehill College, and artists in various media.
Past and current projects include web design, branding and identity,
corporate communications, and publication design.

Education
STONEHILL COLLEGE, EASTON MA
Bachelor of Arts: Visual and Performing Arts, Graphic Design concentration

ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS
Philip L. Hemingway, Sr. Award, Valedictorian Honors
Summa Cum Laude
Class Speaker, Graduation 2010
Lambda Epsilon Sigma, Liberal Arts Honor Society
Fellow in the Arts—Martin Institute for Law & Society, 2009


Your Coverletter
• First (And Maybe Last) Impression
Write a concise and compelling introduction

• It's A Coverletter Not A Form Letter
Target it to the company, position for which
you are applying

• Know Your Value Proposition
"I want a job" is not a reason to hire you


your work sample
• Always Include, As A Link Or PDF
• 5–8 Pieces, If Not Specified
• Target To Company's Field & Aesthetic
Show them you can design for them from Day One.

• Provide Some Context


5 ONE LESS
INFECTION
I created the One Less Infection
pieces to infuse my portfolio
with a stronger social message.
I envisioned One Less Infection
as a campaign, starting with the
poster (left) and flash banner
(right, frames). 

© JOHN HANAWALT // JWHANAWALT@GMAIL.COM // 857.234.0177 // COMMA-STOP.COM


Portfolio site
• About, Resume, Categories Of Work
• Site Itself Demonstrates Qualifications
• Show Your Point Of View, Personality
• Consider The Visitor
Shouldn't have to look for what they're looking
for. Make sure it's easy to navigate, functional.


The Interview


• DUH
Show up on time, dressed professionally,
with resume & portfolio

• Are You A Good Fit?
Looking not only at your work but how you
would be as an employee, coworker, etc.


Q&A
• "So, Tell Me About Yourself."
Have a 1–2 minute boilerplate ready that
summarizes your experience, qualifications

• "Why Do You Want To Work Here?"
• "What Is Your Weakness?"
You are not a perfectionist. Frame as
problem/solution


Be Prepared to ASK Questions
• Come Prepared With Questions
• Specific To The Job
• Company Culture
• Flip The Script
Ask your interviewer what they see as the
company's biggest challenges, opportunities


Presenting your portfolio
• Consider Format
Loose or bound, big or small, how will you present?

• Tailored To The Job
• 5–10 Pieces
First and last should be the strongest

• Let Interview Set The Pace


Follow Up
• Consider Leaving Behind Work Samples
• A Note Lets Interviewers Know
You're Still Interested
• Adjust For Round 2
Keep what Round 1 interviewer likes, swap out
less well-received work for something new


Congratulations!
(or, your congratulations are in
the mail, don't get discouraged)


Sharpen Your Edge
• Keep Learning
Trends, technology

• Build Your Portfolio
Pro Bono, Self-Promotion, Blog, Online Store

• Build Your Brand
Social media, Networking


People WHo DIDn'T HIRE ME
Hill Holiday, Warren Group,
Conover Tuttle Pace, Korn Design,
TANK, Egg Design, Liberty Concepts,
Gearon Hoffman, Black Coffee


There’s a big difference, though,
between planning a life, drifting
through life, and designing a life.
—Tim Brown Change by Design


john hanawalt
comma-stop.com
john@comma-stop.com
johnheartstype
johnhearts

Advice For Design Students... From A Few Years Out

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