the lost manual for web design graduates

The lost manual fordesign graduates

By Zheng LiFounder of Zing Design

1. Why I am here

2. Truth about working in the web industry

3. The ideal designer

4. What you need to stop doing

5. How to increase your chances of being hired

Topics

Any time isquestion time

Why am I here?

100 applications. 5 interviews. 0 hire.

Problem with the education system

Best/Ideal hire

Bad hire

Average hire

Don’t hire!

High conceptual skills

Lowconceptual

skills

High technical skills

Low technical skills

50%40%

8%2%

Best/Ideal hire Average hire Bad hire Don’t hire!2% 8% 40% 50%

Too many applicants are bad/don’t hires

Best/Ideal hire

Bad hire

Average hire

Don’t hire!


Lowconceptual

skills



5 ways to improve your technical skills

1. Read Smashing Magazine & A List Apart

2. Read online tutorial sites like Tut+

3. Do a course (polytech, uni or online)

4. Design a website for a personal project

5. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

Crucial for getting a job! No technical skills = no job

5 ways to improve your conceptual skills

1. Read up on Design Thinking (IDEO)

2. Become Designer/Researcher

3. Seek more training in creative thinking

4. Seek more training in problem solving

5. Seeing the forest for the trees (the bigger picture)

Crucial for conceiving new ideas & driving innovation

Truth about workingin the web industry

It is young & fun

Average age of web designers in NZ around 26

It is very competitive

Too many unqualified designers wanting tobreak into web design every year.

It is constantly changing

Be adaptable or be unemployable

Influenced heavily by other professions

Developers MarketersDesigners

Communication and team workare exceptionally important

Lone wolves need not apply

The ideal designer

T-shaped designer

Breadth of knowledge

Depth of knowledge

T-shaped designer


Depth of knowledgein your primary profession

Fork-shaped designer

Depth of knowledgein other professions


Depth of knowledgein your primary professionUX design

MeDevelopmentMarketingBusiness strategy

Breadth of knowledge = None

Depth of knowledgein your primary profession= Basic

What most design graduates are like


Depth of knowledge

How to write your own “T”

Know another skill set: Development, advertising, copywriting, business analysis...

Get better at what you do - more technical training, look at other people, read more, develop your personal style, become an expert.

OK, what about some practical advice?

Stop doing theseright now.

Stop using these wordsin your CV/on your website

(if you are looking for a full time, permanent job)


Freelance

Contracting



Freelance

Contracting


Somebody who is self-employed and is not committed to a particular employer long term.

A person or business which provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract.

Case in point - Freelancer/contractor

Zing DesignFreelancer/Contractor

Provides services for: Provides services for:

Web designWeb development Mobile/App designOnline marketing

Web designWeb development

Case in point - Freelancer/contractor

Zing DesignFreelancer/Contractor


Provides services for:



Conflict of interest

Case in point - Business

Zing DesignJoe Blogg’s Inc





Conflict of interest

Direct competitor (it means war!)

It’s not THAT bad is it?(Oh, it gets worse...)

I have to play my cards right in order to employ you? Eh?Eh? Something doesn’t feel right.

Having a job is like having a relationship

1. When an employer offers you full time job, they are asking for a commitment.

2. No one asking for a full commitment would be attracted to people who have casual encounters, ie a player (in this case a freelancer)

3. Freelancers don’t stop freelancing once they are hired (one of my ex-employees had 5 casual jobs while he was employed by me, he was fired)

4. Freelancers have no loyalty, it might already be too late for you, if you have done more than 6 months of freelancing.

5. Freelancers = STDs (Metaphorically speaking)

Moaning about not having any experience(I have no experience, but no one will hire me for me to get some!)

Stop being just a designer(a 6 year old can draw flowers on things, why should I hire you?)

How to increase your chances to being hired

Best/Ideal hire

Bad hire

Average hire

Don’t hire!


Lowconceptual

skills




Depth of knowledge

How to write your own “T”

Know another skill set: Development, advertising, copywriting, business analysis...

Get better at what you do - more technical training, look at other people, read more, develop your personal style, become an expert.

Understand what employer wants

Be strategic about your choice of jobs- think long term

Where you want to be in 5 yearsand work out how to get there.

Always be learning

Cannot rely just on one skill set/platform

Be proactive

Combine it with “know what the employer wants” for better and more targeted approaches

Get a mentor/adviser

Best if they are not in the same company or profession as you - objective advise.

Always ask for feedbackwhen you face rejection

Feedback is always good,you can do something with it.

That’s all folks,questions?

Get in touch

Slides will be on SlideShare.com

Twitter: @ZhengAtZing

Hashtag: #SoTdesign

Website: www.ZingDesign.co.nz

http://www.ZingDesign.com

http://www.ZingDesign.com