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How to Get Past the Phone Screen, Every Time

With hundreds of applicants for each opening, the initial phone interview has become a crucial tool for professional recruiters. Expect a phone screen to be much shorter than an in-person meeting – 20 to 30 minutes at most – and to touch superficially on a large number of topics as rather than delving deeply into a few. Usually conducted by an HR or recruiting professional, it’s nearly guaranteed you’ll be asked these three key questions that are the pillars of every interview.

Read the full article here! (via hollaforthatdolla.com)

70+ Fresh and Creative Single Page Website Designs

As you’ve already seen in our previous posts about Single Page Website Designs that showcasing your work in single page design is a hot trend now days. It’s kind of ironic to see what designers can do with single pages as modern age designers love to experiment with things and observe how people interact with their work. Even though this is not a common trend to follow but still as the new design styles come up, and as more and more designers notice them and make use of them in their work, this kind of trends emerge.

In this presentation, you’ll find a variety of highly-creative, beautiful and most importantly inspirational designs which is following the same trend of single page designs.

Read the full article here! (via instantshift.com)

HOW TO: Jump-Start Your Career by Becoming an Online Influencer

For all the advice about how to approach and attract influencers, I haven’t seen much written about how to actually become an influencer. It’s important, because once you’re seen as an influencer, you’re seen as an industry equal and a resource. You’re no longer perceived as a nuisance constantly broadcasting your own agenda, hoping others will relay.

Being an influencer yourself is an often overlooked way to engage with other influencers. It takes time, but it is worth it. There is also financial benefit to becoming an influencer. People of influence have increased value, and can charge more for their services.

Always wanted to be an influencer but didn’t know where to start? Here are some effective techniques.

Read the full article here! (via mashable.com)

Quote of the Day

“Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.”

~Edgar Degas

7 Types of Power in the Workplace

There’s a quote by Margaret Thatcher that says, “Power is like being a lady…if you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”  Personally, I find the study of power fascinating.  Dictionary.com defines power as “a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence”.  So in essence when we use power; we’re utilizing our authority to get something.

Everyone has powerEveryone.  And, I don’t believe that power is a bad thing.  The issue becomes what kind of power a person has and how someone uses that power.  Here are some of the common types of power found in the workplace.

Read the full article here! (via hrbartender.com)

What is Copywriting and How is it Important for a Designer?

Copywriting refers to the use of written copy to promote a business or entity. The ultimate purpose of copywriting is to expand the client base of a business. Multinationals and businesses are now promoting themselves globally, with a worldwide audience at their disposal, which has led to an unprecedented rise in demand for copywriters. Advertising and marketing campaigns are increasingly web-based, further raising the demand for creative writers who can get the job done on a tight budget.

Copywriting has nothing to do with the legal term “copyrighting,” which refers ownership of intellectual property. In this article, we will explore copywriting from a designer’s point of view, with a focus on tips of the trade.

Read the full aticle here! (via instantshift.com)

Quote of the Day

You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job, and not be paid for it.

~Oprah Winfrey

How to Quit Your Job with Your Contacts, Credentials, and Class Intact

Quitting a job and transitioning to a new one is a serious career move. Keep the bridge to your job open and operational with these quitting time tips.

Compared to any other transitional stage in your career, quitting time is the one filled with the most landmines. Unlike when you start working at a company, a time when you’re fresh and full of energy and new ideas, quitting time often comes when you’re burned out and ready to snap. Check out the following tips to make sure you leave your current job gracefully and impress your new employer in the process.

Read the full article here! (via lifehacker.com)

9 Obvious Ways to Get Promoted

It would be safe to say you would have probably entertained the question of how to get promoted even before you graduated or left school. In my chats with juniors from my industry, I am often asked this question which I gladly answer. However, I sense they simply want short cuts to the next level.

These experiences pushed me to pen these 9 obvious but often not practiced tips on how to get promoted. Start internalizing these tips and make them part of your career management plan. Before you know it, you would have moved up to the next level.

Read the full article here! (via careerealism.com)

Quote of the Day

“It’s not what you achieve, it’s what you overcome. That’s what defines your career.”

~Carlton Fisk

Too Little Sleep: The New Performance Killer

As we all work longer and longer hours, take less vacation and work through the weekend, we may assume we’re being heroic, or virtuous. The truth is we’re not; new research shows we’re stupid. Quite literally.

Missing just one night’s sleep has a noticeable impact on the brain’s ability to function as Dardo Tomasi and his colleagues at the Brookhaven National Laboratory discovered when they took 14 healthy, non-smoking right-handed men and made half of them stay awake through the night. In the morning, both rested and groggy subjects were put through a serious of tests that involved tracking ten balls on a screen. As they completed the tests, an MRI scanner took pictures of their brains, to see how the rested brain differed from the one that was deprived of sleep. They found that the sleepier the subjects, the lower their accuracy in the tests.

Read the full article here! (via bnet.com)

How Brands Can Make the Most of Facebook’s New Pages

The new Facebook Pages are finally here, but what does it mean for brands that have struggled to make Pages a business tool on a personal network?

The first thing you’ll notice is that Facebook Pages are once again made to look like Facebook Profiles. You have little differentiation anymore between the publicly viewable, often more commercial page, and an individual’s private profile. This lack of distinction from an interface standpoint can be confusing to consumers.

Below is a breakdown of the changes in the order that Facebook presents them in their new Page tour.

Check out the full article here! (via mashable.com)

Quote of the Day

“The secret of all effective originality in advertising is not the creation of new and tricky words and pictures, but one of putting familiar words and pictures into new relationships.”

~ Leo Burnett

Things to Remember Before Launching a Website

Effective web-browsing experiences are absolutely necessary in this climate of competitive business and advancing technology. Finding a niche, making a good first impression and staying fresh are among the website owner’s goals. Maybe you’ve got a great concept, selected the perfect designer, brainstormed about design ideas, made decisions and worked hard to get great images and content onto a website.

Read the full article here! (via instantshift.com)

Enhancing Productivity By Communicating Effectively

Untold hours of productivity are lost every month due to simple misunderstandings and communication breakdowns. For some reason, many people seem to have a tough time organizing their thoughts and communicating their desires to their co-workers and employees.

I’m constantly amazed at the number of people who seem to have forgotten the basics of composing a written thought. Even some college grads have no grasp on how to speak/write in a way that moves a project forward.

If you are looking for a way to increase productivity and decrease stress, learning to communicate effectively can be the first step towards smoother workflows, faster turnaround times, and fatter bottom lines. Here are a handful of tips that will get you started.

Read the full article here! (via lifehack.org)

Quote of the Day

“Ability may take you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

~John Wooden

Chicago Event Tomorrow – AIGA – Friday Night Speaker Series

Friday, February 11, 2011 – Free Event

BILL ROSEN, Chicago Portfolio School

Bill oversees the entire Arc organization and is responsible for leading the evolution of the company’s strategy. As chief creative officer, Rosen is responsible for the creative product across all Arc disciplines-digital, direct, promotion and retail marketing. He oversees creative development, planning and execution for clients including McDonald’s, P&G, Coca-Cola, United Airlines, Nestle Purina, Whirlpool and MillerCoors. Join us for a presentation of Arc’s stellar work across all digital platforms.

Seattle Event Tonight- AIGA Shmooze on the Eastside

Thursday, February 10, 2011 – Stop by and make connections with other Eastside designers (of all kinds) at our casual get-togethers. We’ll swap ideas, vent about impossible deadlines, share inspiration, and have a laugh. This time we’ll meet at Lot N° 3 in Bellevue Towers. Enjoy their great menu, espresso, or something stronger to drink — with people who get what design is about.

Employment Background Checks: What They’re Really Looking For

Great article on the reality of background checks, it’s worth checking out!

I have heard rumors that employers somehow snag your IP address from emails and can use that to track online activities. I have also heard that Goggle, for a small fee, will disclose any information they have on your online presence, however the sources of my information are vague. I don’t know what is true nor how I should protect my identity. I do blog anonymously–no name, different email address. It is a blog that would likely cause an employer some concern since it discusses health issues. My Facebook is innocuous and under my maiden name, which is not used for job applications.What capabilities do employers really have to investigate online activities of potential employees?

Read the response here! (via www.bnet.com)

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