Job hunting the modern way

As a freelance graphic designer, I'm constantly on the search for new jobs. While I have a handful of clients that return to me regularly with design needs, I'm new to the design world and I've slowly been getting my bearings and one of the first thing I learned is that it's a lot of work.

Sure I check monster. com and other such search engines, but often times I find that these major job search sites are flooded which resumes and applicants. How many times have you responded to a job posting, and received a generic response email, telling you that they are overwhelmed with responses and they will only respond to those they will consider? While I'm sure that in our current economy it's true that these companies are being flooded with applications, these generic responses make you feel like there's no hope.

The bottom line is I'd rather feel like one in a million, than one of a million. It's because of that feeling that I go beyond the craigslist.com job ads and the elance.com bidding process to find my clients. That's not to say that I don't apply for those jobs, in fact I do, but with a high level of unemployment I don't hold my breathe. Instead, I keep on looking, and trying new and different techniques to branch out into new job opportunities.

So far I've explained to you that I don't think these generic large scale resume sites are the answer to my problem, even though I do participate in them. So, what is it I do then? The first thing I do is directly contact the companies I'm interested in working with, even if they do not have any jobs posted. Most importantly, I cater each resume and every cover letter specifically to the company I'm interested in working with. The bottom line is, I want to stand out, and so I strive to be original, and be what the company is looking for, and on occasion it works! When it does, I find that the jobs landed this way are more rewarding then the ones to which 700 other people have applied.

business card comp, Sense Salon. InDesign and hand cut. 

The second thing I do is make comps. There are multiple reasons for making comps, even if the potential client doesn't use them. Of course, the first reason is to get a job. When I see a design need and I have a good idea for it I'll make a comp. I then present it to the potential client and in many cases they are blown away and agree to use the design. Commonly, I find that the client is flattered by your ingenuity and even if the comp is what they had in mind, you've shown that you are a go-getter that works above and beyond and that alone will get you a job. Even if the client doesn't hire you, at least you got some practice and made something. Everything we make as designers is practice, and we get better with each design.

With all of this said, keep in mind that the design world never stops, and even if you don't have a job, neither should you! Happy job hunting!