Presented at Tech Jobs LA at Blankspaces, July 21, 2012
The growth of the Web and proliferation of mobile devices has created a huge opportunity for people who can design the look and behavior of digital products. This work spans single-person-single-device interactions through experiences that include multiple people, devices and locations. User Experience Designer (UXD), Interaction Designer (IxD), Information Architect (IA), Web Designer (WD)--whichever way you pitch your skill-set, this is truly a GREAT time be working in our field.
But--How do you showcase your talents succinctly and persuasively? What do recruiters and hiring managers look for in a great portfolio? This presentation shows you how
3. About
us*
Lane
Halley
Chris
Chandler
@thinknow
@chrischandler
*Shannon
O’Brien,
@Shannon_Obrien
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
3
4. OpportuniTes
abound
New
devices
Web-‐connected
world
Every
business
an
e-‐business
Social
media
revoluTon
Sounds
good,
how
do
I
get
started?
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
4
5. Interviewing
is
a
two-‐way
street
How
do
your
skills
match
their
needs?
What
kind
of
work
do
you
want
to
do?
A
good
por4olio
supports
this
conversa9on.
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
5
12. Hot
topics
HTML5,
CSS3
Web
Frameworks
(Ruby
on
Rails)
Responsive
design
NaTve
applicaTon
vs.
mobile
web
Cross
pla1orm
work
Web,
Android,
iPhone
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
12
13. Hiring
managers
say…
“We
don’t
hire
specifically
for
mobile
or
desktop.
We
have
some
clients
where
we
design
for
all
pla4orms-‐-‐
mobile,
Web,
Facebook.
Being
able
to
design
cross
pla4orm
is
very
important.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
13
14. Hiring
managers
say…
“We
don’t
have
mobile
specialists,
we
have
mobile
projects.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
14
15. Hiring
consideraTons
An
experienced
mobile
designer:
• ArTculates
pla1orm
choices
• Knows
common
convenTons
• Thinks
through
and
communicates
interacTons
and
transiTons
• Knows
the
device
resoluTon
landscape
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
15
16. Senior
and
junior
roles
Senior
Junior
Generate
ideas
Know
the
tools
Make
pla1orm
Domain
knowledge
choices
Show
that
you
can
Lead
projects
do
the
work
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
16
17. Don’t
put
yourself
in
a
box
Mobile
is
“hot”
Best
soluTons
are
not
pla1orm
driven
Design
for
mulT-‐pla1orm
experiences
AnTcipate
conTnued
tech.
changes
The
best
career
strategy?
Stay
balanced.
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
17
19. How
to
find
a
job
(YMMV)
Hiring
manager
Personal
referral
Recruiter
Job
posTng
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
19
20. The
interview
process
Small
company
Large
company
Direct
hire
HR
department
Either
may
use
a
recruiter
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
20
21. The
mulT-‐step
interview
ApplicaTon
Cover
leper,
resume,
links
to
work
Phone
screen(s)
ConversaTon
about
work,
process
In-‐person
interview(s)
AddiTonal
work
samples,
design
acTviTes
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
21
22. Hiring
managers
say…
[I
want
to
talk
to
a]
“designer
who
can
express
and
ar9culate
their
process,
the
problems
they
are
trying
to
solve
and
the
steps
they
took
along
the
way.
It’s
important,
and
rarely
seen.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
22
23. Hiring
managers
say…
“When
they
can
provide
sketches
early
on,
all
the
way
through
to
a
finished
product
it
gets
me
excited.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
23
24. Your
Web
presence
mapers
Hiring
managers
want
to
know:
Professionally
acTve?
InteresTng
side
projects?
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
24
26. Por1olio
formats
Web
site
Web
links
.pdf
Other
formats
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
26
27. Hiring
managers
say…
“We
expect
someone
to
have
a
por4olio
site.
They
can
send
a
.pdf,
but
you’re
working
for
screen-‐based
users,
it’s
essen9al
to
have
a
screen-‐based
por4olio.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
27
28. Hiring
managers
say…
“A
por4olio
is
a
showcase.
It
should
catch
the
eye
and
tell
the
story
that
you
can
do
the
work.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
28
29. What
goes
in
your
por1olio?
Who
you
are
3-‐7
pieces
of
client
work
Frame
the
deliverables
Show
your
process
Demonstrate
adaptability
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
29
30. Tricky
situaTons
Team
Projects
ConfidenTality
Explain
role
Anonymize
Credit
others
In-‐person
only
A
personal
project
or
two
can
help
round
out
your
por4olio
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
30
31. Por1olio
bloopers
Too
large,
work
too
similar
Fail
to
frame
the
work
Show
only
the
finished
product
Show
a
small
sliver
of
the
product
Show
work
that
is
not
yours
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
31
32. Hiring
managers
say…
“I’m
incredibly
busy,
I
want
to
get
a
good
first
impression,
not
slog
through
a
lot
of
stuff.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
32
33. Hiring
managers
say…
“We
see
a
lot
of
por4olios,
I
want
someone
to
tell
the
story
quickly
about
key
projects
they
are
proud
of.”
License:
CC
BY-‐NC-‐SA
www.lanehalley.com
33