~ Job applications ~

Over the past few months leading up to finishing i've applied for a large range of jobs mostly titled 'junior graphic designer' as this is the path I want to go down.

I've decided to record an example of a typical job application here.

The job I will be applying for is one that doesn't actually currently have a vacancy - the job being a junior designer for Elmwood Leeds - but they are looking for interns and freelancers - so theres potential to intern then be hired on a more permanent basis. 

Elmwood gives clear instructions of what they want to receive within an application which makes things easy in comparison to many who are very non-specific.

Our Leeds studio offers internships throughout the year for university or college students who have recently finished, or are in their last year of studies. Placements for promising designers and writers can be anywhere from a week to a month. And yes, we do pay.

STEP ONE

is to get your portfolio in shape. Pick the work you’re really proud of and that reflects your personality, and think about how you can stand out from everyone else who applies – remember, we get a fair few requests.

STEP TWO

is sending us a PDF of your work along with your CV and a covering letter. Please don’t just send us a link to your personal website. We need to see everything in front of us. If you have won any awards, let us know.

Remember to include the dates you are available in your application, ideally giving us a range of dates. Finally, send your email to placementsleeds@elmwood.com

STEP THREE

is the boring bit: waiting. We get an awful lot of applications, so please be patient. If we like what we see, we’ll find you. If you don’t hear from us, don’t lose heart, and try again in the future.

Please note that we currently only consider placements for people who have finished or are in the last year of their studies at university or college, and who have attended an appropriate course in design or writing. Don’t worry if you’re a bit young yet or haven’t finished your studies – we’ll be around for a while.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

We are committed to a policy of treating all our employees and job applicants equally. In fact, we believe that recruiting and developing a diverse workforce is essential to our success. So, we welcome applications from people whatever their age, sexual orientation, race, colour, religion, disability, nationality, ethnic origin, political belief, trans-gender status, sex or marital status.

 In many of the previous applications I have been able to send off my creative CV and a link to my Instagram and Website as my portfolio. But this studio more specifically asks for a PDF so they can get a proper insight into what your about. This is when my PDF/Print template previously designed comes in handy. I can now choose my current few favourite pieces of work to send to them - alongside a cover letter. 

It did however mean editing my portfolio (already) as i've produced and finished so many new projects recently that can replace older ones.

This is my edited pdf portfolio ready to send off to Elmwood. 

For future job applications and interviews I will be printing and potentially binding this - I created an Issuu version to show what this will look like - https://issuu.com/izzieglazzarddesign/docs/portfolio_for_issuuu - I have also embedded this into my website under the links panel incase potential employers are looking - https://izzieglazzard.com/links/

The next step for this particular application is to create a covering letter. Things to include 

- My favourite brief they have done

- My manifesto

- Previous experiance

- Skills

Cover letter

Hi Elmwood guys!

I am really excited to be applying to work with you guys as i've heard nothing but positivity surrounding the name. I hear you are willing and readily pushing boundaries for design and thats what i'm all about. I am looking to possibly apply for an internship with you some time between May 16th and June 29th - and going forward a more permanent position as either a junior designer or freelancer. 

Your branding briefs appeal to me massively particularly the logo design for 22 street lane nursery, creating intelligent design that captures imagination is something I find really appealing. Once again your branding for Craft stood out to me; as a grad student i've had a lot of contact with Craft and I actually ran upon your studio initially when trying to find out who designed their branding - so kudos.

I feel that as a designer I am not just your bog standard rule follower - I push boundaries, illustrate my way throughout life and add colour to all that I do. I have a simple 6 step manifesto that I like to follow throughout all aspects of my life and work.

1 - Do the best work you can, for the best people you know.

2 - Less shirt and tie, more tie dye.

3 - Talk to your clients, your friends, the old lady next door and even your favourite cactus.

4 - Never let anyone under-value what you do.

5 - Be colourful in all that you do - when life makes you blue, mix it with red to make purple.

6 - Be brave - nobody ever gets remembered for following the crowd. 

I am full of energy and looking to you to give me a chance at experiencing how I can impact on a studio. I am skilled in multimedia areas of creativity as I feel my portfolio shows well. I do animate, paint, design, illustrate (the possibilities are endless) - id love to invite you to look at my online portfolio - www.izzieglazzard.com - for all my projects and animated works and also my Instagram - @izzieglazzard for a view of the more work in progress briefs I have going on currently. 

Really hope you enjoy my work and vibe and look to hear back from you soon,

Regards Izzie

So I sent off my application to both the placement and freelance team at Elmwood and look forward to hearing back hopefully soon. 

This experiance of documenting an application has helped me massively as i've created a framework for future applications that works really well.