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.
Fast-Tracking Your Job Search
It doesn't matter if you're one of the top freelance creative directors in your field or a brand new web designer, finding a job can take time when you're working for yourself. If you want to fast-track your search for clients, try signing up with a career agency. These organizations already have connections in the field, which means you aren't starting a job search from scratch, as you would be if you did it all by yourself.
Trying to find work on your own means you'll have to spend a lot of time networking, marketing, and sending out proposals. This is not only time-consuming, but it can be expensive as well. Rather than taking this kind of "scatter-shot" approach, signing up with a talent agency means that you'll have someone else looking for you. This way, you can concentrate on things such as refining and polishing your portfolio so that you're ready to interview when the agency finds a promising contract job. It can also help increase your chances of finding work.
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.
Getting Feedback on Your Portfolio
It doesn't matter whether you're one of the top New York designers or are just getting started in your new career, there are some things that always will remain the same. For example, successful designers know that they have to keep their portfolios updated and fresh, and this means getting some feedback on what to include from time to time.
Feedback can come in many forms, such as:
- Professional feedback. This is extremely valuable and can help keep you up-to-date on the latest trends in terms of showcasing your work. Portfolio reviews and coworker feedback provide solid insight on your work from those who have their fingers on the pulse of what's happening in the field.
- Client feedback. Pay special attention to any feedback you receive from clients (or potential clients), as these are the people who will be hiring you—or who are already paying you.
- Talent agencies. Talent agencies can help you select some of your best work to highlight and give you some direction on what to include in your portfolio.
- Personal contacts. Although these are not "pro" opinions, sometimes you might be able to fine-tune a detail or two based on feedback from friends or family. Use this type of feedback carefully, though—if they aren't professionals, don't weigh it too heavily.
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: Freelance vs. Full-Time
Do you want to work in a graphic design agency or would you prefer to freelance? If you aren't sure, ask yourself some questions about your work style. Here are some to consider:
- Do you prefer to be told what to do most of the time, or do you like to schedule tasks as you have the time and energy? Freelance work allows you more flexibility than working for a company does, but you have to be a self-starter to ensure that you complete projects on time.
- Do you enjoy working from home or do you prefer interacting with people during the workday? Freelancers spend much of their time in the home office (unless they're contractors, in which case office hours may apply). If you enjoy the company of others in your field, working on-site as an employee may be more appealing.
- Do you want to have weekends off most of the time? Freelancers may wind up searching for work over the weekend and completing projects during the week. Full-time employees will typically have weekends off. For many freelancers, the flexible schedule makes this worth it.
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 Directors: Education Basics
If you are thinking about becoming a freelance creative director, you may wonder what type of education you'll need. This is actually not an easy question to answer. For the most part, creative directors move up to this type of position based on their experience and talent, not on schooling alone. That said, certain backgrounds in a variety of education programs can help build a solid foundation for this type of career.
For the advertising field, having a degree in fine arts or communication design is a great way to show you know the basics. Some creative directors have a background or degree in copywriting, and simply show an aptitude for design work in addition to their writing. Regardless of the actual degree you have, being able to display a wide range of technical skills is extremely desirable, so familiarity with a variety of graphic design software is also an advantage. If you are going to go freelance, it is a good idea to have already done some work at this level for an established company.
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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