Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Simple search
Googling a specific company, sometimes with some additional criteria, will get
you their website, as well as any other sites they maintain (like a separate blog), as
well as mentions of them and their principals in articles. Phrases such as “
working for
(target company here)
” or (
target company
) and “resume” will get you job listings
and contacts.
Remember to make bookmarks so you can return to them later and organize
your search results into categories, like “job directories” and “art schools.” Half of the
battle in research is knowing where you put things. If you have to reconstruct your
sources every time you have a problem to solve, the process will take much longer.
Googling by location
Imagine that you're a designer who has recently relocated to Montreal. You're
looking for design firms that do branding and are within easy driving distance of your
new home.
If you go to Google and type in “branding agency design” you may be surprised
to discover that Google knows a lot more about you than you think. The list will
probably be specific to your home area. Very close to the top of the list, you'll proba-
bly find a search result with a map that keys some of the companies that tag those
words on their home page. The initial list is short, but if you select the “More results”
option at the bottom of the listing snippet, you'll find every firm that fits your crite-
ria in the metropolitan area.
If Google brings up results
in your former home
location, just click the
“Change location” link to
input your new city.
Google and directories
Sometimes what you need is a list of lists. If you type in your creative area
and the word
directory
as a search, you'll locate a mountain of already-researched
associations, job listings, and fellow travelers in your profession. An excellent resource
that is indicative of what you can find this way is BusinessWeek affiliate Core 77
(
www.designdirectory.com),
which is a well-organized database of professionals and
firms in all the major design fields. (See Appendix A for a list of some good directo-
ries to use as starting points.)
One gem hidden deep inside Google's many tools is Google Directory (directory.
google.com). Select Arts, and a list of relevant categories appears. Are you an illustra-
tor or web designer? Select the Design category and drill through the options.
