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Creative Staffing Tips

Read these 130 Creative Staffing Tips in 14 categories ranging from Art and Creative Director Careers to Writing and Editing Careers. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Creative Staffing tips and hundreds of other topics. Become a Guru or Become an Advertiser.

Creating A Web Based Training Program: Step 4

The final step in creating a Web based training program is the review and revision process. Once people have gone through the training you can begin to address any issues that arose as the program was used. Sometimes these may simply not be apparent until the training is underway--or finished. Once identified, these issues can be adjusted and it will strengthen the training program overall. It can help to think of any revisions as a positive step.

There are many ways to review a Web based training program. User feedback is one tool that you can use to uncover any problems that may have come up along the way. You may also want to sit down and have a discussion with the web design training professional that set up the system to see what their thoughts are. They can often pinpoint any issues or see any potential problems that may be coming up down the line.

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The Mobile Web

Freelance Web design jobs come in many packages, and one of the latest buzzwords is "mobile." Mobile technology is booming, and with it comes the need for designers to understand how to include mobile-friendly features in their approach to page design. The iPad, iPhone, and Blackberry are a way of life for many people these days, and they want to be able to read their favorite content on the go. Some features, such as Flash, won't work well for mobile design, so many professionals are adjusting their approach to include things that will be more "mobile-friendly."

Mobile technology is not only here to stay, but it will probably continue to increase in importance as more people are able to afford these devices. Keeping up with the latest direction in Web design is crucial for any freelancer. In order to stay competitive, you have to be able to show potential clients that they're getting value by hiring you to do the job. If you can include a mobile strategy in your initial discussion or your proposal, it just may help seal the deal.

Creating A Web Based Training Program: Step 3

Once you have come up with an idea for a Web based training program and created the design for it, it's time to roll it out for people to use. If you have done all of the preparation, this step should be a fairly smooth one.

Based on the information you came up with in step two, you'll know if everyone will be doing the training at the same time, or if you will do so in stages. You can split people up by department, do it alphabetically, or in any other way that is convenient. If possible, try to choose a slow time for the training so that it won't overload anyone with extra work.

Sometimes not everyone in the company may need to complete the particular training program you have created. For example, Web developer training will probably not be extended to those in the sales department, unless it relates to their job as well. This type of specialized training may be a bit easier to implement, as it won't require a large-scale effort.

What Does Your Client Need?

Whether you're one of the top Chicago designers or a brand new freelancer, there's one rule that applies to all levels of experience: you need to listen to your client. In order to create the visual design your client is looking (and paying you) for, you'll have to get some specifics. Things such as color, illustration, font, and photography all play crucial roles in the creation of a layout for visual appeal. Spend time with your client discussing their tastes, the impact they would like to make, and who the target audience is.

Once you have an understanding of your client's needs, the next step begins: communicating the brand to the customer. Whether this means creating a magazine ad that will appeal to 20-year-olds or working on packaging that stands out in the supermarket, it takes time and skill to get this part right. Matching all of this up together—the things your client wants and the things that will reach the audience—is the foundation for everything a graphic designer does. It all begins with listening to your client.

Creating A Web Based Training Program: Step 2

The second step in creating a Web based training program is to actually create the material as it will be used on-line. This step will be implemented by your Web professional, although you will undoubtedly want to review and approve the final content. It is during this portion of the process that you will need to address issues such as bandwidth demand, ease of access to the material and storage.

At the beginning of the Web programming training issues may arise, such as overall speed and loading times. You may need to adjust the materials to fix these problems, and the best time to do it is during this phase. Once the training program is live, it will be more difficult to change.

Be sure and communicate with your Web professional and make any tweaks to the overall picture before you begin using it with employees. You may want to run through the finished program yourself to review it, or have a few select employees test it before you sign off on the final product.

Graphic Design: Getting Your First Job

If you're fresh out of school and looking for graphic design jobs, it can be a little intimidating at first. After all, the job market these days is tight, and you'll likely be going up against other people who have quite a bit more job experience. Do what you can to prepare yourself for the job search so you can interview with confidence.

One step in the process is preparing your design portfolio. Many schools will provide some help in this regard, be it a teacher who's willing to advise you or a more structured program for portfolio review. You'll want to be sure to get plenty of input on the work you include so that you feel secure that it's your best work. Once you have the portfolio assembled and your resume ready to go, you can begin searching for places to interview.

Having your paperwork in order prior to starting the job hunt will make you feel more confident. If you take a little time to prepare, you can concentrate on the actual interview process instead of trying to do both things at once.

Creating A Web Based Training Program: Step 1

If you are thinking about using some type of Web based training for your employees, the very first step is to come up with any information that you will want to include. This step is the same regardless of whether you are working on a Web page design training program or a grammar review for writers. It can help to write out the idea and your objectives for the training as well.

Once you have an idea and direction, you will need content for the training program. You may choose to hire a content writer to pull this all together, or you can always have someone in-house write the material. Content writers generally have expertise in writing for the Web, which can be an advantage in this type of situation. They may be able to package the material in a way that is more user-friendly than someone who hasn't done much writing for the Web.

Once this step is complete, it is time to talk to your Web designer about where to put the information and how to present it to your employees.

Art Directors: Diverse Work Responsibilities

If you are an art director looking for creative director work, chances are you will be well prepared. Most art directors have numerous responsibilities, which often overlap with those expected of creative directors. Art direction has to do with creative concepts, layout and style. This can mean many different things—from working with copywriters to implementing the ideas set forth by those setting the direction of the company.

Layout work requires a savvy technical side. Art directors will often work with programs such as In Design or Photoshop to create pages or imagery for a particular catalogue or campaign. They also need to be able to work well with people, as fine-tuning pages often means revisions are being asked of the copywriters. The art director must wear many hats in order to get the job done, but doing this type of work can open the doors for a move up to a creative director position if done well. Both are "big picture" jobs.

Hiring A Content Writer

A content writer is someone you may want to consider bringing on board if you are putting together a Web based training program. These writing professionals are experts in packaging writing for the Web and can help make the process of developing a training program on-line much easier.

The content writer may be willing to sit down with the Web developer and talk about design. They can help in areas such as phrasing questions well, keeping a consistent pattern or theme and making sure instructions are easy to understand. They can also help keep things concise by using bullet points, numbered items and other "Web friendly" tools.

There are many different types of content writers out there, so when hiring, make sure the person you select is right for the job. Ask if they have had any prior experience writing training materials, and see if they are willing to work with you on revisions down the line if needed.

Quality Training

If you're going through the time and trouble to set up a Web based training program, you'll want to be sure it is a quality offering. There are some factors that you can take into consideration that will help you stay on-target for this. Here are some questions you can ask about the program to see if it measures up:

  • Is the program centered on the learner and not the content?
  • Is the material interesting?
  • Is the training interactive?
  • Does the training address different learning styles?
  • Is the training easy to access?
  • Is the material that is being presented organized well?
  • Does the material help people apply what they have learned?
  • Is the training user-friendly?
These are just some examples of the questions you can ask about any Web based training program. It doesn't matter if you are trying to come up with a new Web development training program or simply see if a current refresher program is meeting your needs; assessing the quality is a good idea.





 
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