Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
In doing a general category search, you should
come up with several pages of possible company tar-
gets. If you're in the triple digits, you need to be more
selective. If you have only ten options, you've nar-
rowed your options too far and too fast.
Just like buying shoes, it's impor-
tant to buy the one that fits. Some
companies really push innovative
work. Others are set up for larger,
risk-averse clients and they know
how to service them. It's a different
business. One incredibly talented
guy we hired got frustrated because
it was difficult to sell his unique,
really edgy work. He wound up the
straw man—the solution that dem-
onstrated to the client that, yes, we
could push the envelope, but that
never got used.
But in the long run, I don't think he
had any regrets. By working in a
large place, he had the discipline of
a business and a branding program.
When he left, he had a very impres-
sive portfolio of large clients.
—Nancy Hoefig
3. Select specific companies.
Now you're homing in on companies that exem-
plify the type of work you'd like to do.
You may have found these companies initially
by exploring links from the general search or by
developing a separate list from directories maintained
by professional organizations. (See Appendix A,
“Resources.”) These companies will become the
target audience against which you will “test” your
portfolio concepts. You'll ask more specific questions
about this group:
• What do the companies I've short-listed have
in common?
• What do they have to say about their
process or client relationships?
• What types of clients do they specialize in?
• What is the range of work they do?
The more these companies have in common,
the easier it will be to create a digital portfolio that will be appropriate to the group,
yet feel individually crafted when you approach each one. Understanding the visual
language and work culture of the companies you admire will make it easier to winnow
your existing work and develop ideas for your presentation.
If you are in possession of this information, you can use it to answer a broad
range of vexing questions about your portfolio format, content, and design. Here are
some examples of questions that you can find answers to through networking, period-
icals, school contacts, websites, or other research sources:
• Should I put that group of photographs in my graphic design site?
• Will they appreciate my sense of humor?
• Which illustrations are likely to get me more book work?
• Will they be put off by the ad campaign work?
• How much new media work should I bring? How much print work?
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