#11: Deep Dive into Freelance with Alaina Virag

#18: A Guide for Junior and Grad Designers - How to Land Your Big Break

Are you a recent graduate or a junior? In our latest podcast, we discuss our top tips and advice on how to land your big break as a junior designer. Applying for your first role can be a daunting experience, we’re here to help!

Tips for junior and graduate designers:

- Avoid templates / show your own creative aesthetic
- Think of producing your folio work as if your presenting to a client
 
How to get that big break and experience:

- Meet Up Dot Com – going to a meet up can lead to a mentor who can be your advocate
- The beginning of networking can lead to potential work

What can make you stand out?

- You don’t need to pretend you know everything, but be proactive, show that you put in that effort
- You only way to get better is through critique, take it graciously
- Show your ability to up-skill and keep learning
- Technology and programs may change over time, be proactive in learning new updates
- Have a good attitude – have a positive outlook

What to include in your portfolio?

- You can show your college work but having some commercial work in your folio is more likely going to get you hired
- Internships are really valuable
- Get permission for using work in your portfolio
- Free work: put value into that work. Work that’s going to add to your experience 

Final tips:

- Be articulate in talking through your work and design process
- Be proactive
- Ensure you are on LinkedIn as managers and directors are on LinkedIn and may be seeking junior designers to join their agency
- If you comment, make it worthwhile and people may start to notice

We hope this episode inspires you to be proactive in your job search. If you or a friend is a Junior Designer, please feel free to share this podcast with them. Tune into the full episode and visit www.becomerecruitment.com/podcast for more information and other great episodes.

#17: To Cover Letter or Not to Cover Letter?

In our latest podcast, we discuss whether or not to include a Cover Letter in your job application.  If you do include one, how do you create one that gets you noticed and hired?

To Cover Letter or Not to Cover Letter - That IS the question!

· When researching for this episode I asked the consultant in our business for an honest opinion on whether they read cover letters or not? It wasn’t as cut and dry as you might think - most answered- sometimes.

· However, digging a bit further I found that there is definitely value in a cover letter, if it is great!

Cover letter Vs email

· Your introductory email can actually be a good substitute for a cover letter.

· But I do see value in a really well structured and presented cover letter.

What to avoid

· Generic letter that adds no value

· Don’t make it too long.  Nobody likes a rambler

· Mistakes - grammar, spelling, incorrect names etc

Purpose of a cover letter

· With a recruiter - it’s to get you through the door.  We become the walking talking version of your cover letter.

If applying direct it can serve a number of purposes:

· You can tell them exactly why you are right for the role

· Gives you the opportunity to showcase your personality

· Can show that you really have researched and understand the company

How to make the cover letter count

· Address is specifically to the person advertising the role

· Tailor the cover letter for every role you are applying for

· Go beyond the platitudes and highlight exactly why you are right for the role

· You might want to play around with layout and design (don’t go crazy with this but make it look really presentable)

· Don’t be afraid to insert personality maybe even humour

We hope this episode inspires you to make your cover letter count! Tune into the full episode and visit www.becomerecruitment.com/podcast for more information and other great episodes.

#16: 15 Curly Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

This week, we dive deep into 15 of our trickiest interview questions. Here are the list of questions, a hiring manager may ask during the interview:

1. What is your biggest weakness?
2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
3. Why are you leaving your current role?
4. Tell me about yourself
5. How have you dealt with a difficult boss or co-worker?
6. What did you dislike about your previous role?
7. Tell me why we should give me a job here?
8. What are your lest appealing qualities or what would your worst enemy say about you?
9. Out of this interview panel, who would you most likely want to work with?"
10. If you were a song, what song would you be?
11. What is your USP (unique selling point)?
12. What are you earning in your current role?
13. What is more important in your work? Effectiveness or efficiency?
14. You seem very calm, what gets you stressed?
15. What is your greatest achievement?

How to best answer these curly questions at your next interview? Are there any illegal questions, the hiring manager can't ask you?

Preparing for your interview ahead of time is important, it shows that you are passionate about the role. Tune into the full episode and visit www.becomerecruitment.com/podcast for more information and more great episodes.

#15: How to Become a top candidate with Adele Leah - Career Coach (part 2)

Here is part 2 of our interview with Adele Leah Career Coach.  

You can find out more about Adele right here - https://www.adeleleah.com

Adele has been very kind and put together a PDF guide to accompany this episode.  You can download your own copy here.

More about Adele:

Adele Leah is a career transition strategist and career development coach with twenty years’ experience in the recruitment and coaching industry. 

With a gift for rescuing people from jobs they don’t fully enjoy, she’s a slayer of limiting beliefs, a champion of “I love my job” syndrome, and a believer in you deserving a better career.

She works with people feeling stuck, unhappy, or lost in their jobs to help them transform their wild career dreams into living, breathing REALITY.

Adele specialises in the UK, US and Australian job markets, where she’s placed thousands of candidates in positions that harness their unique skillsets, passions, and ambitions. 

When she’s not helping job seekers break into the careers of their dreams, she’s hiking in the Italian mountains, running the occasional marathon, and entertaining her energetic one-year-old daughter.

https://www.adeleleah.com/

#14: How to Become a top candidate with Adele Leah - Career Coach (part 1)

We are very lucky to have Adele Leah with us this week who is a career coach and mentor.

In part 1, of this 2 part interview, Adele breaks down her top 10 tips to become a top candidate.

There are some golden nuggets in here so I would suggest that you have a listen.

You can find out more about Adele right here - https://www.adeleleah.com

Adele has been very kind and put together a PDF guide to accompany this episode.  You can download your own copy here.

More about Adele:

Adele Leah is a career transition strategist and career development coach with twenty years’ experience in the recruitment and coaching industry. 

With a gift for rescuing people from jobs they don’t fully enjoy, she’s a slayer of limiting beliefs, a champion of “I love my job” syndrome, and a believer in you deserving a better career.

She works with people feeling stuck, unhappy, or lost in their jobs to help them transform their wild career dreams into living, breathing REALITY.

Adele specialises in the UK, US and Australian job markets, where she’s placed thousands of candidates in positions that harness their unique skillsets, passions, and ambitions. 

When she’s not helping job seekers break into the careers of their dreams, she’s hiking in the Italian mountains, running the occasional marathon, and entertaining her energetic one-year-old daughter.

https://www.adeleleah.com/