For all the specific skills firm 'x' wants to have demonstrated to them in a simple email, attachments not exceeding 2mb HAS to be unrealistic.
I thought I did well to get the portfolio below 5mb.
For all the work that goes into putting layouts together its disappointing the option becomes to submit these 'fine-tuned' work samples in an awful 50 dpi to meet a size requirement.
Im confused as to what happens when I have even more to show.
I know there is surely a certain degree of flexibility in this but it bothers me.
Then put in a page to link them to a website, architizer profile (or archinect thread (*wink* paul)) or ftp site for more.
Unless you have an absolutely stunning portfolio (as in excellently designed or filled with excellent content), no one spends more than maybe 5 minutes looking at it.
You need something to give them a hard on.... but not enough for them to jack off to.
as the guy receiving them, anything over 2mb will get you disqualified on principle. (ok, not really, but...)
look, this first round is just to see if we're remotely interested. most of us can account for lost dpi or optimization right now - i'm looking at the big picture of you. if i like, we'll set up an interview. blow me away with that somehow.
reason the file size matters is that (1) i'm not storing 300 resumes on my server at 10mb each. (2) some email programs have limiters for that same reason. (3) what it shows is that you can meet a given requirement creatively. bitching about a constraint (to me at least) is a big indication of how creative you might be in my studio.
I'd try embedding a few images in the email, so they show up immediately. I never open pdfs that are sent to me (I don't know who they are from, no way will I open some file that requires another program to be seen).
You can send an email with several images and keep it around 1mb.
Then put a link to download the pdf, you could even have a "Small" and "Large" version, if you want (and put the mb, so people know what size they really are).
Website is a nice idea, but for applying probably not worth it. Plus, if someone actually likes your stuff, they'll want to save it (not a website that will change or not be there down the road).
As noted above, people will spend a max of a few minutes, and that's generous (I think).
Jobs posted on craigslist without a direct e-mail contact have a 150kb limit. I figured everyone has found a creative way to bypass that.
As trace mentioned, I embed images inside the e-mail. An image strip on the left (containing one shot of each of the 30 projects or so), and cover letter/resume on the right. You can find a place on the net to serve the images for free, or pay for a hosted service (if you run any kind of a website, you're all set).
I have found this method to be generally more effective, judging by an increase in responses (at least compared to zero). I'm still gainfully unemployed, so you can chalk that one to my poor closing skills, or to incredibly competitive market.
Interesting to hear the PDF issue. Every firm i applied to asked specifically for a PDF.
It's good to have several versions of your portfolio. i keep one at 2MB for those firms that requires it. it's possible to have a few pages of 150DPI. mostly it would be rendering, really nice models or painting/drawings. Would not bother with plans and sections unless it was a nice collage
just send 2 pages with a few images and if they want more you will be contacted. not sure what the issue is, really. with in-design it isn't such a hard job is it?
anyway, 5mb is ok for me. 10 bugs me. we are not hiring but still get portfolios every week. we keep the interesting ones and filesize is not really an issue, but then again my partners and i are pretty liberal and easy-going...
as far as it goes we send out information about our office in several formats for projects. it is normal in my experience to have to put together several versions depending on the work we are pursuing. so it isn't like reworking your portfolio to suit a different format is not going to be useful practice for later on....
jump, architects are flexible people. You can push and pull them into all kinds of weird positions. The problem is, it's a nasty recession. A lot of us have never committed this much time to job search ever before. Certain patterns in job listings start to emerge.
Some companies have seemingly random application requirements pulled out of their behinds. From specific page numbers, formats, to filling out equality employee surveys (I'm white. Surprise!!!). Then there are web form applications that require you retype all the information found in your resume. Then there are do-not-do-this list of conditions that can get you disqualified. I tend to write a custom cover letter for all of my job applications. All of this adds up to 95% of companies never even acknowledging the receipt of your application. It stops being charming after a while.
Even an auto-reply 'thanks' can make my day. It's a humbling position to be in. Grandpa was wrong. What doesn't kill you only makes you weaker.
hm. i don't know what the proper response is to that steelstuds.
bureaucracy in any form is a pain in the ass, agreed. some companies have problems with HR, agreed. This economy sucks and no one deserves the hardship it is causing i also agree.
but making a 2mb portfolio is not a hardship, its a requirement for an application. it seems such a small hoop to jump through in the scheme of things, at least to me. am i missing something?
Not missing a thing.
Put into perspective, its really nothing. Just another thing to complain about instead of actually DOING something about it (Im speaking for myself)
Sep 7, 10 9:57 am ·
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job applications and pdf size limits
For all the specific skills firm 'x' wants to have demonstrated to them in a simple email, attachments not exceeding 2mb HAS to be unrealistic.
I thought I did well to get the portfolio below 5mb.
For all the work that goes into putting layouts together its disappointing the option becomes to submit these 'fine-tuned' work samples in an awful 50 dpi to meet a size requirement.
Im confused as to what happens when I have even more to show.
I know there is surely a certain degree of flexibility in this but it bothers me.
vent complete.
Send them 7 or 8 images max.
Then put in a page to link them to a website, architizer profile (or archinect thread (*wink* paul)) or ftp site for more.
Unless you have an absolutely stunning portfolio (as in excellently designed or filled with excellent content), no one spends more than maybe 5 minutes looking at it.
You need something to give them a hard on.... but not enough for them to jack off to.
awkeytect -
as the guy receiving them, anything over 2mb will get you disqualified on principle. (ok, not really, but...)
look, this first round is just to see if we're remotely interested. most of us can account for lost dpi or optimization right now - i'm looking at the big picture of you. if i like, we'll set up an interview. blow me away with that somehow.
reason the file size matters is that (1) i'm not storing 300 resumes on my server at 10mb each. (2) some email programs have limiters for that same reason. (3) what it shows is that you can meet a given requirement creatively. bitching about a constraint (to me at least) is a big indication of how creative you might be in my studio.
I'd try embedding a few images in the email, so they show up immediately. I never open pdfs that are sent to me (I don't know who they are from, no way will I open some file that requires another program to be seen).
You can send an email with several images and keep it around 1mb.
Then put a link to download the pdf, you could even have a "Small" and "Large" version, if you want (and put the mb, so people know what size they really are).
Website is a nice idea, but for applying probably not worth it. Plus, if someone actually likes your stuff, they'll want to save it (not a website that will change or not be there down the road).
As noted above, people will spend a max of a few minutes, and that's generous (I think).
Jobs posted on craigslist without a direct e-mail contact have a 150kb limit. I figured everyone has found a creative way to bypass that.
As trace mentioned, I embed images inside the e-mail. An image strip on the left (containing one shot of each of the 30 projects or so), and cover letter/resume on the right. You can find a place on the net to serve the images for free, or pay for a hosted service (if you run any kind of a website, you're all set).
I have found this method to be generally more effective, judging by an increase in responses (at least compared to zero). I'm still gainfully unemployed, so you can chalk that one to my poor closing skills, or to incredibly competitive market.
It's brutal out there. Good luck Elmer Fud!
I just use Flickr to show samples of my work.
My flickr is nothing but things I've posted on archinect.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40559858@N08/
I;m not sure any of it is portfolio worthy. Plus, I'm not sure I could ever divulge that I am/was the unicorn of archinect.
Interesting to hear the PDF issue. Every firm i applied to asked specifically for a PDF.
It's good to have several versions of your portfolio. i keep one at 2MB for those firms that requires it. it's possible to have a few pages of 150DPI. mostly it would be rendering, really nice models or painting/drawings. Would not bother with plans and sections unless it was a nice collage
just send 2 pages with a few images and if they want more you will be contacted. not sure what the issue is, really. with in-design it isn't such a hard job is it?
anyway, 5mb is ok for me. 10 bugs me. we are not hiring but still get portfolios every week. we keep the interesting ones and filesize is not really an issue, but then again my partners and i are pretty liberal and easy-going...
as far as it goes we send out information about our office in several formats for projects. it is normal in my experience to have to put together several versions depending on the work we are pursuing. so it isn't like reworking your portfolio to suit a different format is not going to be useful practice for later on....
good luck. try to be flexible.
jump, architects are flexible people. You can push and pull them into all kinds of weird positions. The problem is, it's a nasty recession. A lot of us have never committed this much time to job search ever before. Certain patterns in job listings start to emerge.
Some companies have seemingly random application requirements pulled out of their behinds. From specific page numbers, formats, to filling out equality employee surveys (I'm white. Surprise!!!). Then there are web form applications that require you retype all the information found in your resume. Then there are do-not-do-this list of conditions that can get you disqualified. I tend to write a custom cover letter for all of my job applications. All of this adds up to 95% of companies never even acknowledging the receipt of your application. It stops being charming after a while.
Even an auto-reply 'thanks' can make my day. It's a humbling position to be in. Grandpa was wrong. What doesn't kill you only makes you weaker.
hm. i don't know what the proper response is to that steelstuds.
bureaucracy in any form is a pain in the ass, agreed. some companies have problems with HR, agreed. This economy sucks and no one deserves the hardship it is causing i also agree.
but making a 2mb portfolio is not a hardship, its a requirement for an application. it seems such a small hoop to jump through in the scheme of things, at least to me. am i missing something?
Not missing a thing.
Put into perspective, its really nothing. Just another thing to complain about instead of actually DOING something about it (Im speaking for myself)
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