I am preparing to start looking for a job (after taking a 3 month sabbatical, haha) but am curious about the best method for including a portfolio in an email. I will be sending many cold-contact emails in the following weeks and want to include my portfolio, obviously. My portfolio will be published on Issuu in the coming days and therefore I can just copy/paste the Issuu link into the email. However, I have also thought that it might be prudent to include a condensed .PDF version that can be attached to the email in case any potential employer wants to download, save and print. Although I am also nervous about sending a .PDF version since it will have to be condensed and very low-res to be emailed, which might distract or turn-off any viewer. Should I use the link with NO .PDF or include the .PDF along with the link?
I think the notion of not including an entire portfolio came during the days when emailing a .PDF was the only practical way of providing digital documents (which of course limited size and scope). However, now with Issuu, and other publishing websites, why not provide an entire portfolio? My intuition tells me to send everything I got to best convince someone I am worth it.
I think you are best making a work sample set that extracts a few projects from the portfolio to send with the email, and then either retaining the entire portfolio for the interview OR sending the link to the portfolio in addition to the sample set. Not all offices except weblinks for portfolio and work samples and require them to be sent via pdf with your resume and cover letter.
The notion of not including an entire portfolio comes from the acknowledgment that the person you are sending the resume to has a finite amount of time to review candidates and it is your job to convince them they need to see more.
wrought: with respect, you may want to rethink the 'blast e-mail' approach. Unless you have some reason to think a particular firm is hiring, you may be setting yourself up for extreme disappointment and frustration - not to mention wasting the time of the people at the other end.
I know it feels like action = progress, but it's probably not unless you just happen to get lucky. A better use of your time probably would be networking and making personal contact with people who actually might be able to connect you to real opportunities.
As for the type of portfolio to attach, I subscribe to tagalong's recommendation.
quizzical,
When I moved to LA 3 years ago, I used this same approach and it paid off enormously. Not only did I get several interviews this way (and eventually offers) I was also able to arrange several informal meetings which broadened my contact base. My belief is that it never hurts to put yourself out there, even if most of the outcomes are disappointing. Most employers are not going to be mad or resentful for you contacting them, if anything, they would just dismiss it. However, I believe that employers are opportunistic, just like potential employees, and are eager to jump on something good when it contacts them.
Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm sure you're aware that January 2011 is a very different hiring environment than existed in January 2008. Our firm kept hiring until summer 2008 - since then we've lost 2/3 of our staff and haven't replaced a single one.
Nevertheless, you know your own community. Hope it works out as you want.
"A better use of your time probably would be networking and making personal contact with people who actually might be able to connect you to real opportunities."
Which would be fine assuming you already lived in the city/state you are hoping to work.
"but I'm sure you're aware that January 2011 is a very different hiring environment than existed in January 2008. " - understatement of the decade....
quizz is dead on- firm owners get blast emails by the dozens everyday, be they from consultants looking for work, product reps touting their wares, networking groups we actually want to belong to, some that we don't, clients,... the list goes on and on. making yourself stand out is going to take more than just showing off how brilliant you are.
my advice on projects - getting back to the original post - is to keep it simple but thorough. i'd rather see one project that shows me a lot - how you think, what your communication styles and methods are, how you translated this into the design and, most importantly, the construction of the project (and, if that doesn't apply, take me as far as you can - cd's, etc.). doesn't have to be the biggest or most glamorous project - just show me something you're proud of and has that depth. if it's liked, you'll get the opportunity to show more.
oh, and please keep the file size to a meg or less. there are ways to optimize a pdf in acrobat pro, but nothing irritates the hell out of me more than getting a 9meg resume from someone that's chewing up my data plan on att...
And you're decently good-looking and kind of interesting-- you might be better off eStalking all the potential people at the company you want to work for.
Many of these people have their names listen on the firms website. Many of these same people also have profiles on LinkedIn, Architizer and Facebook.
A quick informal message saying "Oh hey, I saw that you worked for so-and-so... Blah blah blah. [Insert flattering comment]. Are you hiring?"
Loose-lipped employees after some introductory contact maybe willing to help you. Nothing boosts intra-office image than bringing on a good new hire. It looks good for the previous employer.
You might get the name or e-mail address of the best person to contact about a position.
Whatever you do, don't beg. Begging is unattractive everywhere.
Each [img] is a square thumbnail of a project I worked on, either completed or on permanent vacation with some competition entries towards the back and my thesis images at the very end. Each [img] is a clickable link that sends you to a full blown html project page that is also hosted on a domain I pay for.
So far this strategy has had no impact on getting more responses. I think years of working as a spec writer have completely ruined my chances of ever returning to architecture again.
Funniest response was "Thank you for applying, but I have no idea how to print your portfolio. Can you please send a Word document instead." Le sigh.
Times have changed and the old tricks do not work as well. I like some of the ideas on here such as the html encoded photos IF, the project is specifically tailored to the firm. Send a parametric scale-less disaster any way you like and it is usually met with contempt.
But really, concerning yourself with html or pdf or word is like splitting hairs. There are A LOT of other avenues that have a higher potential to get you hired and paid. Usually relationships and word of mouth is the best. As an intern, employers usually want to know that you can do the work. Many can. Then it is, do they fit with the culture of the company; research and find out if they won last years soccer tournament for instance. You are an architecture student and one of the the working worlds best manipulators so use it well!
Google is sometimes a first stop for anyone who reviews resumes. Just think any published awards, research, etc ect is usually posted and readable by google. Try listing on popular sites (e.g. coroflot, etc) to contain your entire portfolio and make it so it can be reviewed for overall success (30 seconds) medium interest (1 minute) and one project in detail (3 min). Any more time and you loose the reviewers interest. Exposure Exposure Exposure and take no prisioners and keep it simple, professional, and clean.
Jan 12, 11 6:37 pm ·
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Emailing prospective employers
I am preparing to start looking for a job (after taking a 3 month sabbatical, haha) but am curious about the best method for including a portfolio in an email. I will be sending many cold-contact emails in the following weeks and want to include my portfolio, obviously. My portfolio will be published on Issuu in the coming days and therefore I can just copy/paste the Issuu link into the email. However, I have also thought that it might be prudent to include a condensed .PDF version that can be attached to the email in case any potential employer wants to download, save and print. Although I am also nervous about sending a .PDF version since it will have to be condensed and very low-res to be emailed, which might distract or turn-off any viewer. Should I use the link with NO .PDF or include the .PDF along with the link?
Don't include your entire portfolio in an initial email. Put together a few (3 to 6) pages of your very best work/images as work samples.
I think the notion of not including an entire portfolio came during the days when emailing a .PDF was the only practical way of providing digital documents (which of course limited size and scope). However, now with Issuu, and other publishing websites, why not provide an entire portfolio? My intuition tells me to send everything I got to best convince someone I am worth it.
I think you are best making a work sample set that extracts a few projects from the portfolio to send with the email, and then either retaining the entire portfolio for the interview OR sending the link to the portfolio in addition to the sample set. Not all offices except weblinks for portfolio and work samples and require them to be sent via pdf with your resume and cover letter.
The notion of not including an entire portfolio comes from the acknowledgment that the person you are sending the resume to has a finite amount of time to review candidates and it is your job to convince them they need to see more.
wrought: with respect, you may want to rethink the 'blast e-mail' approach. Unless you have some reason to think a particular firm is hiring, you may be setting yourself up for extreme disappointment and frustration - not to mention wasting the time of the people at the other end.
I know it feels like action = progress, but it's probably not unless you just happen to get lucky. A better use of your time probably would be networking and making personal contact with people who actually might be able to connect you to real opportunities.
As for the type of portfolio to attach, I subscribe to tagalong's recommendation.
Good luck.
Thanks for all the helpful comments
quizzical,
When I moved to LA 3 years ago, I used this same approach and it paid off enormously. Not only did I get several interviews this way (and eventually offers) I was also able to arrange several informal meetings which broadened my contact base. My belief is that it never hurts to put yourself out there, even if most of the outcomes are disappointing. Most employers are not going to be mad or resentful for you contacting them, if anything, they would just dismiss it. However, I believe that employers are opportunistic, just like potential employees, and are eager to jump on something good when it contacts them.
But of course the networking will happen also.
I guess I will see how it pans out.
Not to beat a dead horse, but I'm sure you're aware that January 2011 is a very different hiring environment than existed in January 2008. Our firm kept hiring until summer 2008 - since then we've lost 2/3 of our staff and haven't replaced a single one.
Nevertheless, you know your own community. Hope it works out as you want.
"A better use of your time probably would be networking and making personal contact with people who actually might be able to connect you to real opportunities."
Which would be fine assuming you already lived in the city/state you are hoping to work.
"but I'm sure you're aware that January 2011 is a very different hiring environment than existed in January 2008. " - understatement of the decade....
quizz is dead on- firm owners get blast emails by the dozens everyday, be they from consultants looking for work, product reps touting their wares, networking groups we actually want to belong to, some that we don't, clients,... the list goes on and on. making yourself stand out is going to take more than just showing off how brilliant you are.
my advice on projects - getting back to the original post - is to keep it simple but thorough. i'd rather see one project that shows me a lot - how you think, what your communication styles and methods are, how you translated this into the design and, most importantly, the construction of the project (and, if that doesn't apply, take me as far as you can - cd's, etc.). doesn't have to be the biggest or most glamorous project - just show me something you're proud of and has that depth. if it's liked, you'll get the opportunity to show more.
oh, and please keep the file size to a meg or less. there are ways to optimize a pdf in acrobat pro, but nothing irritates the hell out of me more than getting a 9meg resume from someone that's chewing up my data plan on att...
If you don't mind being a bit weird...
And you're decently good-looking and kind of interesting-- you might be better off eStalking all the potential people at the company you want to work for.
Many of these people have their names listen on the firms website. Many of these same people also have profiles on LinkedIn, Architizer and Facebook.
A quick informal message saying "Oh hey, I saw that you worked for so-and-so... Blah blah blah. [Insert flattering comment]. Are you hiring?"
Loose-lipped employees after some introductory contact maybe willing to help you. Nothing boosts intra-office image than bringing on a good new hire. It looks good for the previous employer.
You might get the name or e-mail address of the best person to contact about a position.
Whatever you do, don't beg. Begging is unattractive everywhere.
I recently switched to sending out html enabled e-mails complete with project thumbnails that load up from my server.
[img][img] Name
[img][img] Cover Letter
[img][img] Education
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] Work Experience
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] blah blah
[img][img] blah blah
Each [img] is a square thumbnail of a project I worked on, either completed or on permanent vacation with some competition entries towards the back and my thesis images at the very end. Each [img] is a clickable link that sends you to a full blown html project page that is also hosted on a domain I pay for.
So far this strategy has had no impact on getting more responses. I think years of working as a spec writer have completely ruined my chances of ever returning to architecture again.
Funniest response was "Thank you for applying, but I have no idea how to print your portfolio. Can you please send a Word document instead." Le sigh.
Times have changed and the old tricks do not work as well. I like some of the ideas on here such as the html encoded photos IF, the project is specifically tailored to the firm. Send a parametric scale-less disaster any way you like and it is usually met with contempt.
But really, concerning yourself with html or pdf or word is like splitting hairs. There are A LOT of other avenues that have a higher potential to get you hired and paid. Usually relationships and word of mouth is the best. As an intern, employers usually want to know that you can do the work. Many can. Then it is, do they fit with the culture of the company; research and find out if they won last years soccer tournament for instance. You are an architecture student and one of the the working worlds best manipulators so use it well!
Google is sometimes a first stop for anyone who reviews resumes. Just think any published awards, research, etc ect is usually posted and readable by google. Try listing on popular sites (e.g. coroflot, etc) to contain your entire portfolio and make it so it can be reviewed for overall success (30 seconds) medium interest (1 minute) and one project in detail (3 min). Any more time and you loose the reviewers interest. Exposure Exposure Exposure and take no prisioners and keep it simple, professional, and clean.
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