Creative CV's.

What is a CV?

The term 'CV' is short for 'Curriculum Vitae' and is "a short account of one's career and qualifications prepared typically by an applicant for a position." - Source.

What is a creative CV?

A creative CV is merely your standard curriculum vitae but with a creative twist, making it more aesthetically pleasing to look at. These types of CV's are more common in creative workers and are typically used to showcase the applicants creative style and skill to their potential employer.

EXAMPLES:

Graphic Design CV - Shows how a student can depict personal branding & self promotion into their CV whilst still maintaining a sense of professionalism in applying for jobs. (SOURCE)

Graphic Design CV - Shows how a CV can still be simplistic but effective with bold usage of colour and icons. (SOURCE)

Graphic Design CV - Another example of how a simplistic design can still be eye catching through use of colour, icons and layout. (SOURCE)

Illustration CV - Depicts both skill and style and gives the employer a sense of who the applicant is through  quirky & hand-drawn self portrait. (SOURCE)

Illustration CV - All hand-drawn and hand-lettered, shows that it doesn't always have to be digital and traditional media works just as well. (SOURCE)

Writing/Designing your CV:

Your CV is an important opportunity to market and sell yourself to a potential employer and applying for jobs within the creative industry means your CV could very well land on the desk of the employer who could give you the job rather than running through the hands of staff who shortlist the applications like in other industries. This means you essentially have seconds to not only stand out but impress.

It's important to acknowledge that when writing your CV it's down to you what you deem important to put in and leave out (other than the standard basics which are required) but it's vital that you reflect your own individual personality, creative flare, and your passion for the position you're applying for. Your employer needs a good sense of who you are before they hire you.

Developing several CV templates is an important start when applying for different positions as you should tailor yourself to each job specifically. For example as a student I find I personally dabble in both illustrative styles and more graphic, digital based styles. Both areas interest me and therefore I would apply for jobs in each. Since this is the case I would therefore have to develop one CV that caters to my more illustrative style should I wish to apply for somewhere illustration based and the other to a more graphic based standard should I opt for that route - the information would, of course, be the same to some degree but instead I'm showing my employer my appropriate style, skill and creative flare through two different CV's.

Before you develop and branch out your CV to cater to the different areas you potentially want to work in you first have to start with your base CV which contains all the facts and details about yourself, your education and past employment, your skills, and basically why the employer should hire you. When writing your base CV always be honest and positive - meaning don't oversell yourself but don't undersell yourself either. Connecting your experiences to the role you're applying for also shows you have knowledge and potential to your employer, which means you also have to research who you're targeting so you can cater what you're writing to them. Don't have a one size fits all CV.

Headers for your CV:

• Your name and contact details (address, phone number, or e-mail).
• Your personal profile (Keep it concise, punchy and positive - make your employer remember you).
• Qualifications (Most relevant first alongside where you studied).
• Interests (Only ones that are relevant to the work or position you're applying for. Your employer doesn't typically care if you like going to the cinema with friends unless it directly influences your work or the role you want).

What will employers be looking for in a CV?

• Basic information such as who you are and where you live and how you can be contacted.
• What you, as a creative worker, can do and provide for them as well as what fresh, new ideas you can bring to the table.
• Past experience and current skills that are relevant to the position you're applying for.
• Apparent evidence that you want to work for this particular employer and you're not just looking for work in general (this is where employer research steps in)

SOURCES:

1. http://bashooka.com/inspiration/creative-cv-resume-designs-inspiration-2014/

Marketing Plan.

What is a marketing plan?

A marketing plan is a comprehensive blueprint which outlines a organization's overall marketing efforts (Wikipedia)

Essentially a marketing plan sets out how you are going to put you marketing 'strategy' into physical practice and ensures that everyone within your creative business (if not freelance) understands your goal and their role in helping to achieve it.

What is a business strategy?

A business strategy is the means by which you set out to achieve your business objectives.

A business strategy often includes:

• What your business is about (your business 'mission')
• Your key business objectives which you desire to achieve
• Your broad strategy for physically achieving those objectives

PEST and SWOT

What is PEST Analysis?

A PEST analysis is a business measurement tool that is also an acronym for the different factors used to assess the market for a business or organizational unit:

• Political and legal changes (such as new regulations)
• Economic factors (such as interest rates, exchange rates and consumer confidence)
• Social factors (such as changing attitudes and lifestyles and the aging population)
• Technological factors (such as new materials and growing use of the internet)

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis, also another acronym, is a structured planning method that evaluates these four basic elements of a project or business venture:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

A SWOT analysis can be carried out for anything with regards to products, places, industries, or people.

Marketing Objectives

What are Marketing Objectives?

Marketing objectives are business goals set when promoting the likes of products or services to potential consumers/clients. These particular objectives should be achieved within an appropriate time frame.

Your objectives themselves should always be SMART:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-Bound

Once deciding upon your marketing objectives and setting the basis for your overall marketing plan it is important to then create a strategy for meeting them. Having this particular aspect planned out will help ensure you make your objectives are met and your plan becomes a reality.

Your marketing plan alone should do much more than just say what you want to achieve - it is essential that it also includes how you are going to achieve. A schedule of key tasks will not only set out in detail what will be done and when but it will also keep you on track and at a steady pace. Without such a schedule it becomes easy to dismiss certain tasks and risk your success. When writing a marketing plan you should always:

• Set clear, realistic and measurable targets
• Include details such as deadlines for meeting particular targets (to make sure you don't fall behind)
• Provide a budget for each marketing activity

Potential marketing strategies for freelancing creative workers:

1. Consider your audience. All of your communication must be directed towards your intended audience to ensure the effort you're putting in to reaching out to potential clients does not fall on deaf ears. To ensure this it's important to do up to date research of your audience and potential clients and maintain a list.
2. Contact Databases. These types of databases offer you potential clients and customers withou the research on your behalf but at a price. They can be useful but expensive and may not be a realistic option for newly graduated creative workers or those just starting out. They are, however, something to consider within a more stable future.
3. General research. Doing regular research on things such as industry developments and who is working where allows you to gain a vast knowledge of industry trends and broaden your client list. It can seem tedious and dull but in the long run doing your research is always worth it further down the line.
4. Mail shots. Printed promotional material such as postcards, business cards, brochures, stickers, pins, or any other general little freebie that fits in an envelope or packet and is your own work is a great way for branching out and giving potential clients a piece of what you have to offer for them to keep or even pass on - gaining you a wider audience. It also depicts you as a social and approachable creative worker.
5. E-mailing. Sending an e-mail with a link to your online portfolio or website is a simple yet effective way to promote yourself and again reflects you as a sociable worker within the creative industry - it's also a good way to get into contact with others. And remember, links are more polite than attachments as it gives your recipient their own choice to click the links or move on to the next e-mail.

SOURCES:

1. http://www.businessballs.com/pestanalysisfreetemplate.htm
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis

The Elevator Pitch.

What is an 'Elevator Pitch'?

ELEVATOR PITCH
                          noun:

a succinct and persuasive sales pitch - Google definition.

Usually on the spot, fast paced and punchy, and always to the point. Regarded as an increasingly effective way of describing and pitching your idea to an audience.

EXAMPLE:

Pros and cons of an elevator pitch:

PROS -

• Projective form of communication
• Straight to the point
• Gives your ideas flare and personality
• Engaging to the audience
• Shows confidence
• Gives stats and facts without being dull
• Memorable

CONS -

• Less formal
• Quick speech could be difficult to understand
• May only work on certain ideas

In its entirety the elevator pitch, despite its pros and cons, is an effective and crucial part within the design industry as it allows a creative to sell their idea quickly and confidently to a potential client or company. Often within this industry you have mere seconds to impress and as time is money, the elevator pitch is the appropriate way forward.

Graphic design elevator pitch (group task) -

Toni: Sick of carrying loads of exuipment around on a daily basis?

Brogan: Why not invest in our Graphic Gadget. Our small, compact, pocket-sized, all in one graphics essential. This product comes with several basic elements such as; a finer liner, drawing pencil, ruler, rubber, pencil sharpener, memory stick and a digital clock.

Helen: With additional space to clip extra supplies in that suits you, we offer additional extras including glue sticks, scissors, tape, scalpel, biro pens and permanent markets, each sold separately. Items are detachable and can be replaced.

Kurtis: Market research states that there is nothing in the market like out product. Based on buying high quality equipment separately, overall our product can save you up to £20.00. Our cost effective gadget will guarantee to save you money.

Ben: So, at the low price of £14.99 you will receive our high quality, basic kit which then you can customise and add to for your own needs, from the cost of £1.49 for any extra attachments.

David: So, you will always be ready steady Graphics.