These are the necessary questions for artists and designers building a career.
To make this Questionnaire into a Career Plan, copy and paste the questionnaire into your own document, answer the questions, then create paragraphs under each header as in the professional example and student examples (download).
1. TELL US ABOUT YOU:
To make this Questionnaire into a Career Plan, copy and paste the questionnaire into your own document, answer the questions, then create paragraphs under each header as in the professional example and student examples (download).
1. TELL US ABOUT YOU:
Your Name
What is your career objective?
Keep in mind, you are being hired as a person first and an artist/designer second.
What can you say about yourself, as a person, outside of being an artist or designer and how do these things make you an interesting potential employee? Consider your:
quirks, hobbies, intangibles that define you, personal philosophies/obsessions that drive you, your design philosophy. Key in on one or two of these.
Then develop your brand statement (in one sentence) (tagline).
2. DESCRIBE YOUR STRENGTHS AND CORE COMPETENCIES:
(Graphic Design? Illustration? Animation? Coding? Software?
Include experience from art and non-art related jobs.)
You need examples of professional level work to make any claim that "I can do that"
You need examples of professional level work to make any claim that "I can do that"
What factors will make you succeed for the companies you wish to work for?
What job experience, skills, and strengths do you personally bring to a company that will improve their bottom line? Non-art related jobs count!
What job experience, skills, and strengths do you personally bring to a company that will improve their bottom line? Non-art related jobs count!
3. LIST THE METHODS YOU MIGHT EMPLOY TO MARKET YOURSELF:
See the post on Self Marketing
4. WHAT NEEDS TO BE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO BASED ON YOUR MARKET RESEARCH?
List projects by type with details about length of the project if time based. List projects you currently have in your portfolio. List projects you need to add to your portfolio.
5. WHO CAN ACT AS A MENTOR IN YOUR MARKET?
(Someone that can review your portfolio and help direct it to meet the needs of the market.)
6. CONSIDER FILLING OUT THE BUSINESS PLAN
if you will be operating as a freelance artist/designer all or part-time.
Note: "about 62 percent of artists and related workers are self-employed." United States Department of Labor create a business plan.
Note: "about 62 percent of artists and related workers are self-employed." United States Department of Labor create a business plan.
