Creative Staffing Tips
When it comes to Creative Staffing, we've been there, done that, now serving 130 tips in 14 categories ranging from Art and Creative Director Careers to Writing and Editing Careers.
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.
Freelance Writing Options
There's a wide variety of options if you want to work as a freelance writer. Besides print publications such as books and magazines, freelancers also have the opportunity to do things such as write press releases, do business writing, or even become a content writer for the Web.
- Business writers: These writers do things such as write copy for catalogs or create brochures and fliers.
- Technical writers: These writers do things like create manuals for products.
- Textbook writers: Textbook writers work on books for all levels of school, from elementary to college level.
- Press release writers: Writers who write press releases also typically write other marketing materials, including position statements, press kits, and other collateral.
- Content writers: Content writers often write for the internet, including content for websites and articles.
- Print writers. These writers pen pieces for magazines, newspapers, and books.
- Medical writers. This type of writer often works for a hospital or medical association.
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.
Interviewing an Agency
If you're thinking about using a talent agency to help you get one of the coveted Los Angeles design jobs or to find freelance work near where you live, it's smart to think about interviewing them. After all, not all career agencies are created equal, and you'll want to make sure you're aligning yourself with one that will work hard to get you a job. Instead of being nervous for that first meeting, remember that you're trying to determine whether they're a good fit for you.
In order to find out if it's a match, try asking some questions when you sit down with the agent. Some smart things to check into include:
- What type of clients they typically handle.
- Some examples of the companies they've placed talent with.
- How large their agency is and how many people they represent.
- How long they've been in business.
- What you can expect from them in terms of service.
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.
Finding Freelance Work
One of the most difficult things about making a living as a freelancer is actually finding the work. Once you have clients, keeping them happy is part of the job, but that task is often far easier than locating them in the first place. There are many ways to go about this process, but the savvy contractor will enlist the help of a talent agency to help them connect with work in the field. When large corporations are looking to hire a production artist or other creative, they often turn to these companies to give them a hand.
Talent agencies (or career agencies) are in the business of making a good match between a business client and freelance workers. They do much of the groundwork, such as finding those companies that are looking to hire contractors and setting up the actual interview. Many times, these positions can be more lucrative than those you might find in the paper or on job boards. Even though they take a cut of the payment, they also help negotiate the fee, and they work hard to get a good rate for their contractors.
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.
Creative Director Positions
Creative director positions are coveted, and there are many reasons for this. The job is typically seen at the top of the field, and it comes with considerable power, as well as a good salary. If you have been in advertising for a while, you may want to set your cap for this position and work your way toward it. Many creative directors have worked their way up through the ranks, working as art directors or designers in their early days.
Although it makes for a desirable career, there can also be a lot of pressure that comes along with this job. Creative directors are responsible for the direction that ad campaigns run in terms of vision. This can be quite the challenge, and the finished product will reflect directly on the creative director.
If you have been in the field for a while, chances are you may want to try for a creative director position. It may be worth it to sign on with a talent agency if you want to begin interviewing for this type of job. The agency can scout out any openings that are in your area and set up interviews for you.
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?
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