So as I am not currently employeed in an Interior Design firm ( Booo, i know) I have decided that I still need to keep my design skills going at least some of them and the ones I am able to
So I have devised a plan or at least somethings that I can do.

• I am going to do a "chair study" where i essentially choose chairs that I like (i love chairs, love them :D) and I sketch and render them, in my sketch book.
• Secondly I am going to practise rendering spaces ( I already have four interiors ready to go) again I am going to do them in my sketch book (incase my future employer wants to see what I have been doing with my time)
• Lastly (so far anyway) I am going to finish my house design (yes I have been working on it forever and a day). I have the plans finalized but I have to do them over in good cuz there messy right now, after that I will work on interior sketches for the space which will be many.

Thats it so far but Im on the look out now for things that I can do to keep my skills in tip top shape.

contributed by James Ledoux [IT training consultant / travel enthusiast / dancing machine]

Like it or not, jobs usually end up going to someone that is known (directly or indirectly) to the person doing the hiring. It may not seem fair, but business sometimes boils down to "who you know." Skill, experience, personality, a dazzling résumé, platinum references, and a mind-blowing portfolio all matter a great deal, but when there is a tie, a personal connection tips the balance.

Recently I narrowly missed landing an amazing job in this manner. As the hiring manager said, "We know you could do a great job, but we wanted to go with someone we know." Turns out I was passed over for a friend of the HR Manager. I can't really be mad that a personal connection cost me this opportunity since the vast majority of jobs I have landed were based on personal referrals.

You can either be frustrated by this fact of business life or use it to your advantage. The weapon of choice to uncover hidden opportunities is networking. The term “networking” may conjure unsavory images of soap-pushing, get-rich-quick-promising, pie-in-the-sky hucksters, but there is a way to approach networking in the real world that won't make you feel ill.

1 Be Real

Don't pretend, promise things you can't deliver, or fake liking someone to earn favor. Be overt with your goals when talking with folks about networking.

Example: "I'm looking for design work in the Austin area. I would appreciate it if you pass along my name to anyone looking for a graphic designer. I will be happy to send folks looking for XYZ your way."

Above all be your self. Or at least a slightly more extroverted version that asks others what they are up to, looks for ways to help, and forms a loose collaborative relationship. Acting in a disingenuous way will set off a person's pyramid scheme/sleaze ball radar in a heartbeat.

If faking your way to success interests you more than the straightforward approach, then I suggest you explore Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People or the newer Get Anyone to Do Anything: Never Feel Powerless Again With Psychological Secrets to Control and Influence Every Situation by David J. Lieberman. I will not say these books are without merit, but take them with a large bag of salt. My opinion is that it is easier and more effective to be honest with folks. (So if you hate kids, don't fake a tremendous interest in them – just be polite when photos are shown. Ha!)

2 Be Excellent

At What You DoI get lots of requests for references and referrals, but, when it comes down to it, not everyone makes the cut. I will always connect up two people that are a possible need/skill fit when asked, but I won't put my stamp of approval on someone who doesn't do kick-ass work.

Even when I don't like a job, I do my best to under-promise and over-deliver. This level of effort always pays off in the long run because the next time someone asks that client if they know anyone they can recommend, I know my name will be near the top of the list.

3 Collaborate
I know it is counter-intuitive to work with your potential competition, but collaborate as much as you can. Share lead referrals for work you can't take or don't want, and ask your peers for feedback when you need an outside opinion.

Collaborative relationships cannot be developed with everyone, but it really helps to have a small sub-network of valued advisors. Collaboration will expose you to new ideas, provide a great source of referrals, and may lead to some rewarding long-term friendships.

Hyper-ambitious folks can use collaboration to take on much bigger projects. Two small firms can share the risk/reward of large jobs by pooling resources. Just be sure to get all agreements in writing. And, by all means, pad your budgets with a 20-30% cushion because projects always have a way of expanding

A related book on modern collaboration is Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams.

4 Give To Receive

Let's face it – helping others makes us feel good and (duh) HELPS OTHERS. Talk about a win-win. Volunteer organizations are an ideal place to meet new people and make important connections because you are exposed to individuals from all walks of life.

While volunteering during Hurricane Katrina, I met State Representatives, City Council members, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, designers, and a huge mix of people. What better way to get to know someone than rolling up your sleeves and working side by side for a great cause?

BONUS: I also hear that volunteering can be a potential way to expand your dating pool. Talk about a win-win-win!

5 Use Web Networking Tools In Moderation

There are a rapidly expanding number of social networks that can be a nice way to expand the circle of people you interact with on a casual basis. Join one or two and you won’t let networking become work. Trying to keep all of the major sites updated can be a lot of work that doesn't lead to real work. Focus on one or two online social networks and add to them with caution.

Personally I like LinkedIn for work related networking, Facebook for friends and family, and Twitter for occasional quick updates.

Web Networking Links:• LinkedIn – great professional networking site with job listings
• Facebook – over 100 million members worldwide; good for both personal and causal professional networking
• MySpace – not as cool as some of the others but still very big; popular with teens and musicians
• Twitter – allows quick 140-character text updates to tell others "what you are doing"; very popular with the tech set and used at conferences
• Plaxo – paid service for contact management service; good for synching across multiple computers
• Orkut – Google's social networking app; huge in Brazil; if you love Gmail or Google Docs, then try Orkut

6 Talk, Talk & Talk Some More

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news for the shy guys, but there is no substitute for talking to people. Serendipity and the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon phenomenon might just drop really amazing things into your lap.

For example: If no one knows that you paint murals for kid's rooms in your spare time, then they won't have a chance to mention this to their neighbor who happens to be looking for that service.

TIP: If you find it difficult to talk to people, try focusing on their interests and not your own. People love to talk about themselves and what they love, wind them up and watch them go.More

To ComeBut, wait – there’s more! Much, much more. Tune in next month when we discuss using contact organizing software, how not to annoy your network, and why surrounding
yourself with a little mystery is sometimes a good thing.

taken from http://www.plinthandchintz.com/mambo/content/view/695/35/

There are a few things that will help you in your job search. One of them is company research. There are three times (that I have read) that you need to do company reaserach, the first time to narrow down where you want to focus your job search, what companies, what type of work they do ie. residential, commerical. Once you've narrowed the field that you want to focus on you then focus on individual companies that you want to apply to and lastly when you have an interview.

There are certain things that you should look for.

• the company strategy
• goals
• special projects and new developments
• products and services
• corporate culture
• history
• locations
• Career paths and advancement  opportunites
• benefits
• diverstiy initatives

those are just a few things that you can look for when researching information, you should also look at the contact information, hiring manager/human resource or who else you should use as the contact person, when you send your cover letter or resume.

Information that i have gathered suggest that you
"Reserach details on the company products & services. Answer typical interview questions such as 'why should we employ you?' intelligently and thoroughly by emphasizing why the company's products and services ( relates this to an interior design firm) interest you and how you can add value to them"
"Note down the company mission, vision and value statements. This tells you about the company culture. Use this information to highlight why you are a good fit in your job interview" 

I am a bit past the college stage but I still plan on using some of the advise in my portfolio. I also wish that I had taken the time to prepare my portfolio and that I had kept stuff, because now when Im putting it together it sucks. Really, But that is life, you live and you learn.

Alright without furthr ado, Portfolio Problems? Relax its okay..


Contributed by Jennifer Thompson [exhausted senior at Virginia Commonwealth University / portfolio pro]

So what’s all the hype about portfolios, anyway? Do you – as an emerging interior designer – really need to have one? Absolutely, you need to have one! Your portfolio is the gateway to your dream job, and – in many cases – the deciding factor on whether or not a firm will even look at you twice. Assembling a portfolio can be an especially challenging and overwhelming task for budding designers, but I’m here to help. Having the experience of constructing my own has taught me many dos, don’ts, and everything in between. So read on and remember to have fun during this exacting, yet creative, process.

How Do I Start?

I know it can be painful at times, but you have to think first and act later. One of the most important things to ask yourself is who you are as a designer. In other words, what is your design philosophy? Not what colors you like, or what furnishings you think are cool, but what you strive for when you design a space: functionality, flexibility, sustainability, etc. – what matters to you most? You should also consider what makes you different from everyone else and then incorporate that viewpoint as well.

Only when you have figured all of this out can you can productively proceed. Always remember that your portfolio is a reflection of who you are and where you want to go, and not allowing that to show through can land you in the wrong firm, creating an unhappy situation all around.

OK, Now What?

Congratulations! So now you know who you are. You’ve completed the first step, and believe it or not, it can be the most difficult. Now it’s time to prepare your projects to go into your portfolio, and here are two simple rules:

• Rule #1: Always keep all of your work. (I found out the hard way about this one. I’m all for recycling everything that you don’t need and eliminating the unnecessary, but I can assure you that is a mistake when it comes to project work.)

• Rule #2: Keep it organized.

Project Organization 101

For those of you just starting out in design school, my advice is to make each project portfolio-ready as you complete it. If you don’t have the time while classes are in session, then this is a good project to tackle between semesters or quarters. Why? It is most helpful to do this while the project is fresh in your mind because you’d be amazed at how much the projects blur together after a while.

If you are a great procrastinator (like I was) and wait until your senior year to even consider a portfolio, there’s still hope. You just need to take some time to get organized. Here are some project organization tips that everyone can use:

• Make a folder on your computer for each project. Use subfolders to distinguish between final drawings, research, process work, and any other supporting documentation you may have. The more organized the information, the faster you can access it. This can be a great time-saver.

• Scan all of your hand-renderings and store them digitally. Always retain your originals in a safe place, but having all of your information together in one digital location makes everything run more smoothly.

• Always make a backup on a CD or memory stick just in case! Because you just never know…

Layout Is Critical

One of our class projects was to interview design firms across the country to determine what they were looking for in a portfolio. At the top of the list of many firms is graphic design and layout. Please, please, please do some research on this! Several firms admitted that, to them, this was more important than the projects themselves, so do yourself a favor and put this at the top of your priority list. But what are the key elements of layout design?

• Be creative. Make your portfolio a representation of you, but remember to keep it professional. Research some portfolios online and in books, and when you find something you like, adapt it to fit your style. Consider every detail: colors, size, binding, folds, and everything in between.

• Choose your fonts carefully. Fonts are just as important as graphics, so give them careful consideration. One firm even told us that Times New Roman = boring. (See how much this matters?) And, as far as text is concerned, be brief. Remember that your portfolio is the gateway to an interview, and if the firm wants to know more about a project, they’ll ask you.

• Be clear and concise. Don’t make the hiring manager struggle to find the information he or she is looking for. Make the information clear and legible. Choose colors that are easy to read and always make sure to label your drawings.

Assembly Time

YAY! This is the fun part. You have your layout ready, and you’re set to insert your project work. So how do you know how much or how little to include or even which projects to choose? When in doubt, ask someone. Your professors are a great resource, so make sure you take advantage of them. They should be happy to help you, but if they aren’t, then find another resource. Be persistent, and it will pay off.

To get you started, here are some general guidelines: Try to limit your portfolios to five or six projects and about 15 pages, always include a table of contents and a cover page, and choose a professional-looking binding solution.When inserting project work into your portfolio, show a variety of what you can do. Take photographs of models, highlight your drafting skills, and include both hand-renderings and computer renderings. Some people label each drawing according to software used to illustrate software proficiency. Particularly if you’re using a facing pages spread, be sure that when you organize your images and text on the page, your pages are visually balanced.

Extra Tips…

If you haven’t narrowed down a specialization and will be applying at a variety of firms, it may be a good idea to design your portfolio in such a way that projects can be inserted and removed easily, such as a pocket folder. This way, you can edit your project selections according to firm rather effortlessly. Always know your target audience and adjust your portfolio accordingly.

Proofread!!! I cannot emphasize this enough. Spell-check doesn’t catch everything, so proofread several times and have someone else scrutinize it for you as well. Because you are the designer and understand your projects inside and out, it can be very easy to leave things out that will help the audience understand your project. Having an objective person review your portfolio for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and overall clarity is a must.

Go Get ‘Em!

Now you’re on your own. Remember always to take pride in your work and others will find it in you. Best wishes in your emerging design career, and here are a few resources that you might find helpful:

• Representational Techniques by Lorraine Farrelly illustrates a variety of ways to present architectural drawings from sketches, to 3D modeling, to presentation layout.

• Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop by Scott Onstott is a tutorial type book with an accompanying CD that gives step-by-step instruction in rendering CAD drawings.

• Color Index by Jim Krause this small manual shows color scheme combinations, but more importantly gives both the CMYK and RGB numbers so that your work always appears the color you want when you print it out.•

Before & After Magazine is a wonderful resource for general graphic design techniques written in a brief and to-the-point format.

Here is a resource that I wish I had known about earlier, while I was still in school. The website is plinth and chintz and as wacky as the name sounds they have some very helpful articles.
For example the article on personal branding that I am about to post.
Enjoy.


contributed by Terri L. Maurer, FASID [President - Maurer Design Group and Maurer Consulting Group / keynote speaker / trainer / author / supporter of the interior design community]

If you happen to be a college student, you likely fall within the demographics of two market segments known as Generation X and the Millennials, sometimes referred to as Generation Y. This means that you were born between 1965 and 1980 (Gen Xers) or 1981 and 1999 (Millennials). This places you between 20 years of age if you are a traditional post-high school student, or up to 40 years old if you are a non-traditional student returning to school to pursue a second career. Falling within these demographic groups, you are members of the most brand conscious generations ever. But do you know your own brand? You should.

Brand Conscious Or Brand Unconscious?

For those in the earlier Baby Boomer generation, born shortly after the end of World War II, television was a relatively new thing. What commercials there were on our black and white sets were aimed at selling things like soap products, bread, toothpaste and cars to our parents. The Boomers had not yet been identified as a significant market for serious advertising, and were not bombarded from all sides on a daily basis with brands and commercials targeted directly at our age group.

Things certainly changed over the past few decades. Today’s students have grown up in a world surrounded by branded products: athletic shoes, jeans, t-shirts, backpacks; you name it, and today’s student can name half a dozen specific brand names for each category. Advertisers realized the buying power of your groups and invested heavily in branding and selling products directly to you.

Plan On A Personal Brand

Have you ever thought of yourself as a brand? If not, you should. Every individual has a personal brand. Yours can be a positive brand or a negative brand, but it exists all the same. It is yours and it is very definitely personal in nature. Those of you nearing graduation will find that your brand can help you, or hinder you, in your search for gainful employment in the field of interior design.

If you have a positive personal brand, you are in good shape and just need to identify it and learn how to use it to your advantage. If yours is a less than glowing personal brand, you definitely need to come to grips with it and figure out how to minimize the negative aspects and maximize the positive aspects before beginning your job search.

The Brand Is You

So, what is a personal brand? There are a number of definitions floating around that define this marketing tool. According to Peter Montoya, in his book, The Brand Called You:

Your Personal Brand is the powerful, clear, positive idea that comes to mind whenever other people think of you. It’s what you stand for—the values, abilities and actions that others associate with you. It’s a professional alter ego designed for the purpose of influencing how others perceive you, and turning that perception into opportunity.

Notice the key word in the second sentence of Montoya’s definition: “It’s what YOU stand for…” You are the essence of your personal brand. A personal brand is totally based on things related to you: your personal characteristics, your attributes, your skills, and your personal style. By assessing these key elements, you can easily determine what your personal brand is and use it to your advantage.

Build A Believable Brand

You need to approach your branding exercise from two directions. First you need to determine your own perception of what your personal brand is. This represents your perception set. You also need to do a reality check by finding out what others who know you and have worked with you think of you in terms of the elements that make up your brand. Their points of view represent your existing effect on those around you. Your personal brand is the sum total of those two view points added together: your own perception set plus the existing effect you have had on those who know you.

This is a relatively easy process to take on. Simply jot down what you feel are your three key personal characteristics, attributes, skills and personal style. Characteristics are things like your personality, interests, lifestyle, or accomplishments that are top of mind for you. Attributes come from the business side in terms of things of value that come to mind that relate the values you bring to a work situation. Being self-motivated, dedicated, detail-oriented, trustworthy, and a team player are all examples of business attributes.

Your skill set can begin with your design education, but can go beyond that basic four- or five-year college degree. Remember that you will be one of many entry-level interior designers entering the job market at the same time with the same level of education. What skills have you acquired along the way that you can add to this basic education? Did you work in a position where you were in charge of training other workers? Did you work your way up to a supervisor position at a job that put you through school? Did you take any seminars or programs that were over and above your basic college work? All of these extra skills will help you to rise above others in terms of value to an employer.

Your personal style is the way you work and deliver your services to others. Are you a highly creative person or a more quiet, reserved, detail person? How do you define the way you do things? It’s that simple.

Once you have arrived at your list of key characteristics, attributes, skills, and your personal style, try to write a sentence or two that combines all of those elements just to clarify your own perception set in your own mind. Then, to get the other half of the equation, your existing effect, just ask a number of family members, close friends and those who have worked with you to provide you with the same information. In the end, you will have two lists of characteristics, attributes, skills, and personal style, and two statements that sum up each half of the equation. Once you have completed both parts and compared the lists, write one or two sentences that combine the two statements. This last version will define for you what your personal brand statement is.

Take A Stand On Your Brand

So, now that you’ve got your personal brand statement, how do you put it to work for you? This statement represents who you are, what you do and what value you bring to clients or employers. Another way to put the value proposition is that it basically tells people why they should hire you over someone else.

ASID’s The Interior Design Profession: Facts and Figures revealed that as of December 2003, there were over sixteen thousand students enrolled in FIDER-accredited [now CIDA-accredited] interior design programs in the United States. Imagine all of those students graduating at the same time and entering the job market. Even if that number divides equally over a four-year program, and only one quarter of those students enter the job market at the same time, you would still be one of four thousand graduates looking for a limited number of jobs.

Branding Is Beautiful

By utilizing these exercises and determining what your personal brand is, you can place yourself ahead of other job applicants by focusing potential employers clearly on who you are, what you do, and what value you can bring to their firms. You can recreate yourself in this personal brand image so that your manner, your dress, your resume, your portfolio, and everything else you put before future employers will all reflect your personal brand.

As you put together your resume, the information you include, the paper stock, and font style you select should all reflect your personal brand. Likewise, your portfolio should reflect your personal brand elements. Use your personal brand statements as a prism through which you look at everything that you put out in the market place. Does each thing represent Brand You? Use your personal brand to show employers that you are different, you are superior and you are authentic. This brand is all about you!

Note: A version of this article first appeared in the Fall 2005 issue of ASID Access magazine.