As part of this module we have to also start developing our employability materials specified for the creative industries; which consists of a portfolio, curriculum vitae and linked in account. I'm glad that we are doing this at the same time as my placement search since this will aid me in finding one, or to at least apply for the jobs I actually want. This page will show how I've worked on this over the next few weeks.
MONDAY 4TH
During the class discussion a few weeks ago I actually had a lot of answers thanks to my big sister, since she already encouraged me to do a lot of these employability tasks anyway, such as making my portfolio website and the LinkedIn account I had since 2022.
I also gave the same advice she did, by building up to 300+ connections to people in relative industries on that platform, even connecting with 5-10 random people a day, because that boosts the algorithm and now, with 300+ connection, I have people noticing me everyday without effort.
LinkedIn is like Instagram for work ethic, without the brainrot. Just as Instagram boomed in the mid-2010s, LinkedIn is experiencing a similar surge in the 2020s, making this the perfect time to seize the opportunity and be proactive; which is really exciting. It's more than just a digital resume – it's a dynamic platform for professionals to connect, learn, and grow. Whether you're looking for new job opportunities, building valuable industry relationships, enhancing your skills, or supporting others, LinkedIn is the place to be. It also offers great tools for researching companies, organising events, and sharing content that highlights your expertise and thought leadership.
MY CV DEVELOPMENT
The cv I started with is the one I used for finding retail work and it needed a LOT of work. I spent ages not knowing how to change it, just blank-ly looking at it. I reached out to the ADM department a few times, who by the way are amazing, and they gave me some good advice.
Look at upcoming Christmas temp jobs.
Include modules, current projects in experiences.
Prioritise creative skills and experiences more than retail, certification is less relevant.
Mention what you are exactly looking for in my intro. i.e. "a 70 hour unpaid placement"
Have backups, create variations of cv's tailored to specific jobs - small adjustments.
BEFORE
AFTER
MY PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT
I decided to develop the portfolio I used to apply for university corses 2 years ago, adjusting it with discernment so that is more professional and to date.
DELETE EXCESSIVE WORK
Storting off, I deleted all those excessive pages of sketches because it lacks intentionality and discernment which is a quality you what to show. This portfolio may have originally worked for university applications, but employability is a different situation. I must engage the viewers attention in a short amount of time, and not overstimulate their brain; be concise and organised to an extent whilst still translating who I am an artist in web form.
GOT RID OF ALL THIS
CHANGE TITLES
I adjusted the tites from my earlier work, such as " GCSE' or "Theme", to the just the dates and names of those projects. Because the achedemic connotations of those titles (like GCSEs or theme) can disengage a viewer or look a bit tacky. What you did in your in achademia as a child is somewhat irrelevant at this point, what matters is what you can do, so adjusting these titles retains my creative individuality.
SHOWCASE MY CURRENT UNIVERSITY WORK
To include all the work I did since the start of this course in September 2023 was a lot, and I didn't want to do it at first. I could have used a similar structure to my A-Level work where I spread images it out virtically, but I soon figured out how to embed presentations into my site through a live Canva link. This allows me to effectively showcase a lot of the work, progression and skills I developed throughout the years, in a short amount of space and time; it gives viewers the option easily invest or move on to the next thing. The result is very satisfying, and it synchronises any changes made on Canva live.
PROJECT 1
PROJECT 2
PROJECT 3
PROJECT 4
PROJECT 5
I wanted to format this like a collage, to engage people with all the different elements of my process while guiding them through the journey of short videos. I think it reflects my meticulous nature and I like how it organises everything into a single place. I will refine it down the line, but considering there was no frame of reference, I’m really proud of how it turned out.
HOW IT LOOKS ON SITE.
EMBED
Using the embed tool for my uni work inspired me to replace other areas of my previous work with reduced or embedded files, so that the website can run smoothly and that it has a more coherent structure. So instead of 50 videos of spinning heads simultaneously, I reduced it to 2 videos of those heads, and surprise, surprise the site doesn't crash anymore!
EXAMPLES
HOW I IMPROVED THE PREVIOUS ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE I REMOVED AT THE START
CONTACTS
I added my contacts.
CHECK LINKS
WHAT TO IMPROVE
I think what would make my portfolio better add description to my pieces ( e.g the text appears when you click or hover over an image) so that viewers have a better understanding of them; such as the meaning of the Mesopotamian designs on my performance lab jacket.
Ideally I want the images to expand when clicked, which on canva, would take a lot of effort to achieve.
I can subtract or add pieces. Bearing in mind my illustration section is constantly evolving.
