Creative Manki

Creativemanki has moved!

2009-02-02T02:38:00.001+08:00

Visit the new and improved creativemanki website at www.creativemanki.com

Another Dadaist Moe

2008-12-28T16:35:00.002+08:00

A tattooed Moe found in an interesting LJ account by a Greek artist called tebe-interesno.

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

2008-12-25T19:03:00.001+08:00

As Reprinted from FOCUS Magazine -- January 5, 1983

The 25 most difficult questions you'll be asked on a job interview

Being prepared is half the battle.

If you are one of those executive types unhappy at your present post and embarking on a New Year's resolution to find a new one, here's a helping hand. The job interview is considered to be the most critical aspect of every expedition that brings you face-to- face with the future boss. One must prepare for it with the same tenacity and quickness as one does for a fencing tournament or a chess match.

This article has been excerpted from "PARTING COMPANY: How to Survive the Loss of a Job and Find Another Successfully" by William J. Morin and James C. Cabrera. Copyright by Drake Beam Morin, inc. Publised by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Morin is chairman and Cabrera is president of New York-based Drake Beam Morin, nation's major outplacement firm, which has opened offices in Philadelphia.

1. Tell me about yourself.

Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extracareful that you don't run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don't waste your best points on it.

2. What do you know about our organization?

You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. But don't act as if you know everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don't overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more.

You might start your answer in this manner: "In my job search, I've investigated a number of companies.

Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons..."

Give your answer a positive tone. Don't say, "Well, everyone tells me that you're in all sorts of trouble, and that's why I'm here", even if that is why you're there.

3. Why do you want to work for us?

The deadliest answer you can give is "Because I like people." What else would you like-animals?

Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company's needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it's doing them in ways that greatly interest you. For example, if the organization is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact and show that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal of emphasis on research and development, emphasize the fact that you want to create new things and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers.

If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question - if, for example, the company stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really doesn't interest you- then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn't be considering a job with that organization.

Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn't be able -or wouldn't want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it's difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don't really want.

4. What can you do for us that someone else can't?

Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them.

5. What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it?

List three or four attractive factors of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item.

6. Why should we hire you?

Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. (See question 4.)

7. What do you look for in a job?

Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for your contributions. Make your answer oriented toward opportunity rather than personal security.

8. Please give me your defintion of [the position for which you are being interviewed].

Keep your answer brief and taskoriented. Think in in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you are not certain. ask the interviewer; he or she may answer the question for you.

9. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm?

Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution.

10. How long would you stay with us?

Say that you are interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organization. Think in terms of, "As long as we both feel achievement-oriented."

11. Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What's Your opinion?

Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organization, and say that you assume that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so wellqualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment. Say that a growing, energetic company can never have too much talent.

12. What is your management style?

You should know enough about the company's style to know that your management style will complement it. Possible styles include: task oriented (I'll enjoy problem-solving identifying what's wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it"), results-oriented ("Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line"), or even paternalistic ("I'm committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction").

A participative style is currently quite popular: an open-door method of managing in which you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility.

As you consider this question, think about whether your style will let you work hatppily and effectively within the organization.

13. Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential?

Keep your answer achievementand ask-oriented. Rely on examples from your career to buttress your argument. Stress your experience and your energy.

14. What do you look for when You hire people?

Think in terms of skills. initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in the organization.

15. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation?

Admit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company and, you think, for the individual. Show that, like anyone else, you don't enjoy unpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely.

16. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive?

Mention planning, execution, and cost-control. The most difficult task is to motivate and manage employess to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget.

17. What important trends do you see in our industry?

Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the direction in which your business is heading.

18. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job?

Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. where you considered this topic as you set your reference statements. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts.

The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The "We agreed to disagree" approach may be useful. Remember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don't concoct a story for an interview.

19. How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job?

Mention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to accept some risk to find the right job for yourself. Don't suggest that security might interest you more than getting the job done successfully.

20. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least?

Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don't cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now.

21. What do you think of your boss?

Be as positive as you can. A potential boss is likely to wonder if you might talk about him in similar terms at some point in the future.

22. Why aren't you earning more at your age?

Say that this is one reason that you are conducting this job search. Don't be defensive.

23. What do you feel this position should pay?

Salary is a delicate topic. We suggest that you defer tying yourself to a precise figure for as long as you can do so politely. You might say, "I understand that the range for this job is between $______ and $______. That seems appropriate for the job as I understand it." You might answer the question with a question: "Perhaps you can help me on this one. Can you tell me if there is a range for similar jobs in the organization?"

If you are asked the question during an initial screening interview, you might say that you feel you need to know more about the position's responsibilities before you could give a meaningful answer to that question. Here, too, either by asking the interviewer or search executive (if one is involved), or in research done as part of your homework, you can try to find out whether there is a salary grade attached to the job. If there is, and if you can live with it, say that the range seems right to you.

If the interviewer continues to probe, you might say, "You know that I'm making $______ now. Like everyone else, I'd like to improve on that figure, but my major interest is with the job itself." Remember that the act of taking a new job does not, in and of itself, make you worth more money.

If a search firm is involved, your contact there may be able to help with the salary question. He or she may even be able to run interference for you. If, for instance, he tells you what the position pays, and you tell him that you are earning that amount now and would Like to do a bit better, he might go back to the employer and propose that you be offered an additional 10%.

If no price range is attached to the job, and the interviewer continues to press the subject, then you will have to restpond with a number. You cannot leave the impression that it does not really matter, that you'll accept whatever is offered. If you've been making $80,000 a year, you can't say that a $35,000 figure would be fine without sounding as if you've given up on yourself. (If you are making a radical career change, however, this kind of disparity may be more reasonable and understandable.)

Don't sell yourself short, but continue to stress the fact that the job itself is the most important thing in your mind. The interviewer may be trying to determine just how much you want the job. Don't leave the impression that money is the only thing that is important to you. Link questions of salary to the work itself.

But whenever possible, say as little as you can about salary until you reach the "final" stage of the interview process. At that point, you know that the company is genuinely interested in you and that it is likely to be flexible in salary negotiations.

24. What are your long-range goals?

Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. Don't answer, "I want the job you've advertised." Relate your goals to the company you are interviewing: 'in a firm like yours, I would like to..."

25. How successful do you you've been so far?

Say that, all-in-all, you're happy with the way your career has progressed so far. Given the normal ups and downs of life, you feel that you've done quite well and have no complaints.

Present a positive and confident picture of yourself, but don't overstate your case. An answer like, "Everything's wonderful! I can't think of a time when things were going better! I'm overjoyed!" is likely to make an interviewer wonder whether you're trying to fool him . . . or yourself. The most convincing confidence is usually quiet confidence.

FAME III's VERSES Poster

2008-11-19T23:24:00.003+08:00

The FAME III: Verses poster was conceptualized and designed by Hix Santiago of Vitalstrats. The handwritten fonts, paper texture, ink blots and the free flowing body of a woman represent the event's artistic spontaneity.

The Female Artists' and Musicians' Evolution aims to promote women artists and musicians. The event, Verses, was hosted by Gabby dela Merced and featured women artists and bands namely Wakeup Your Seatmate, Jaycee and Honey, Blush, Mating Season, Sun Down Muse, Tao Aves, Romancing Venus, Libay Cantor and Flush and the Toilets.

IKEA: Tidy Up Commercials

2008-11-02T00:04:00.000+08:00

Banned Ads: Strip Poker

2008-11-01T23:53:00.000+08:00

Nostalgic Pinoy Ads: Dragon Katol

2008-11-01T23:45:00.001+08:00

I can't stop laughing! Do you still remember this ad? :)

Web/Graphic Design Glossary

2008-10-29T19:42:00.001+08:00

by Creative Public

Alpha Channel: An eight bit grayscale channel within some image processing software programs which is used for masking objects, making them transparent or adding specific color instructions.

Anti-Aliasing: The process of elimination of jagged or-"stair stepped" pixel edges or single pixels by a software algorithm, which blends the contrasting colors and shapes.

Binary: The basis for all digital computer information. Relates to the coding of data in terms of either a 1 or 0.

Bit: A shortened form of the term "binary digit," the smallest unit of information that can be stored in a computer. One digit of binary information can be either a mark or a space.

Bit Depth: A measure of a computer monitor's ability to display different colors at the same time. While a monitor with a bit depth of 1 can only display monochrome information, a monitor with a bit depth of 4 can display 16 colors; an 8-bit monitor can display 256 colors and a 24-bit monitor can display 16.7 million colors. A 32-bit monitor has an additional 8-bits for transparency effects or masking as in the case of an Alpha channel.

Bitmap: A pixel-by-pixel description of an image. Each pixel is a separate element. Also referred to as a raster image.

Bitmapped: An image, which is formed by a collection of square pixels in a rectangular format. The more bits per pixel the smoother the final image will be.

Byte: The computer standard of measure for file size, which is made up of 8-bits of information. One megabyte is 1,024 kilobytes. One gigabyte is 1,024 megabytes or about one million bytes. One kilobyte is 1,024 bytes.

Cache: Storage within the computer, which processes data very quickly. Often in RAM or can be a supplemental board. Increases operating speed and efficiency.

READ THE FULL GLOSSARY HERE

Marciano’s Italian New Yorker Cuisine

2008-10-29T18:53:00.002+08:00

Watch out for the launch of the Marciano’s Menu by VitalStrats Creative Solutions.

Marciano’s Italian New Yorker Cuisine is inspired by the greatst Italian-American Boxer who proved that dreams do come true.

Here we feature the great city of New York where it all began for most early Italian immigrants. New York, with its character, sophistication, energy, and abundance gave new life to their rustic Italian dishes. The product of which is a dynamic Italian-New Yorker cuisine you will certainly enjoy.

Marciano’s is located at second floor, Greenbelt 2, Makati, Philippines.

Specialize

2008-10-29T02:21:00.003+08:00

Find one thing you're good at and then specialize until you are special. It could be a sport, a task, a natural ability, or a personally developed talent. Use that strength as much as you can to build your level of assurance and specialization.

John Maxwell

THE SURVIVOR TEST FOR REPUBLIC CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES

2008-10-21T15:14:00.003+08:00

VitalStrats Creative Solutions will put the Republic Chemicals Industries Inc. (RCI) to a “Survivor” test in the white sands of Boracay on Oct 23-24.

VitalStrats will be in charge of creating the concept to hype up the sales conference of RCI, the country’s leader in adhesives and sealant. Collaborating with the client, VitalStrats conceived a series of physical challenges based on the popular TV reality show “Survivor.”

All the materials VitalStrats are preparing for the event – the audio-visual production (AVP), event title and tagline, banners and teambuilding games dovetail with that “Survivor” look and feel.

Aside from conceptualizing the AVP, VitalStrats also wrote, shot and edited the material. As for the teambuilding games, they were not just fun physical challenges; these events aim to bring out the sales force’s core values that RCI prides itself with. To ensure that the games are done right, the staff of VitalStrats will be on hand to supervise and act as marshals in the games.

The “Survivor” handle met the RCI management’s objectives of motivating its sales force to work as a team and to pursue excellence.

VitalStrats Creative Solutions is a creative shop that specializes in below-the-line creative solutions, audio-visual productions and the management of sales conferences.

Serge Seidlitz

2008-10-20T01:40:00.001+08:00

Check out the awesome work of Serge Seidlitz

45 Rules for Creating a Great Logo Design

2008-10-19T21:59:00.000+08:00

Do not use more than three colors.
Get rid of everything that is not absolutely necessary.
Type must be easy enough for your grandma to read.
The logo must be recognizable.
Create a unique shape or layout for the logo.
Completely ignore what your parents and/or spouse think about the design.
Confirm that the logo looks appealing to more than just three (3) individuals.
Do not combine elements from popular logos and claim it as original work.
Do not use clipart under any circumstances.
The logo should look good in black and white.
Make sure that the logo is recognizable when inverted.
Make sure that the logo is recognizable when resized.
If the logo contains an icon or symbol, as well as text, place each so that they complement one another.
Avoid recent logo design trends. Instead, make the logo look timeless.
Do not use special effects (including, but not limited to: gradients, drop shadows, reflections, and light bursts).
Fit the logo into a square layout if possible, avoid obscure layouts.
Avoid intricate details.
Consider the different places and ways that the logo will be presented.
Invoke feelings of being bold and confident, never dull and weak.
Realize that you will not create a perfect logo.
Use sharp lines for sharp businesses, smooth lines for smooth businesses.
The logo must have some connection to what it is representing.
A photo does not make a logo.
You must surprise customers with presentation.
Do not use more than two fonts.
Each element of the logo needs to be aligned. Left, center, right, top, or bottom.
The logo should look solid, with no trailing elements.
Know who is going to be looking at the logo before you think of ideas for it.
Always choose function over innovation.
If the brand name is memorable, the brand name should be the logo.
The logo should be recognizable when mirrored.
Even large companies need small logos.
Everyone should like the logo design, not just the business that will use it.
Create variations. The more variations, the more likely you are to get it right.
The logo must look consistent across multiple platforms.
The logo must be easy to describe.
Do not use taglines in the logo.
Sketch out ideas using paper and pencil before working on a computer.
Keep the design simple.
Do not use any “swoosh” or “globe”symbols.
The logo should not be distracting.
It should be honest in its representation.
The logo should be balanced visually.
Avoid bright, neon colors and dark, dull colors.
The logo must not break any of the above rules.

Source

Cool Gig Posters

2008-10-19T18:17:00.005+08:00

Cool gig posters by Cody Fennell:

All posters are illustrated and laid out by Cody Fennell.

Brainstorming Tip: Think Inside the Box

2008-10-19T13:46:00.003+08:00

Oftentimes we hear the phrase "think outside the box" to generate brilliant ideas. This brainstorming tip by Michael Karnjanaprakor proves it otherwise:

When forced to work within a strict framework the imagination is taxed to its utmost – and will produce its richest ideas. Given total freedom the work is likely to sprawl."

— T.S. Eliot

As creative professionals, we’re always told to “think outside the box” and "go crazy with creative ideas." But, as you know, that comes with tons of frustrations and brainstorming sessions that lead to nowhere. How many times have you left a creative session in a worse place than where you started? Now innovative thinkers are saying that we should think inside the box to come up with creative innovative ideas. I’ve been reading a lot of the Harvard Business Review lately and came across this great article. Excerpt below..

“Many managers fail to generate a stream of solid ideas because they employ two common techniques: They encourage their people to go wild and think outside the box or they assign them the task of slicing and dicing the old boxes (in the form of existing market and financial data or specially commissioned market research) in new ways.

In its descriptions of how Nobel laureates and other creative people achieved their breakthroughs, an interesting insight emerged: Once they asked themselves the right question, their ideas flowed rapidly. This revelation prompted us to examine how the most successful companies in recent history had achieved their positions. We found that a number of their innovations sprang from responses to particular questions. But, subsequently, we realized that it didn’t matter whether they had actually asked a question or not. What mattered was whether there was a question that could have uncovered the kind of extraordinary opportunities that CNN, Google, USA Today, eBay, and Amazon identified and exploited.”

And what do you know? The Made to Stick guys wrote a recent article in this month’s Fast Company along the same lines..

Boutique hotelier Chip Conley has used this principle ingeniously in creating his unique properties. He told his team: Let’s bring magazines to life. His company, Joie de Vivre Hospitality, designed the Hotel Vitale in San Francisco to be “Real Simple meets Dwell.” That’s a crystal-clear box. And it makes it easy for his team to brainstorm features of the new hotel. The architects elevated the yoga studio to a prime top-floor location, rather than tossing some token yoga mats next to the elliptical machines in the gym. The front-desk clerks waged war on clutter: Imagine a countertop with no pen cups or frequent-stay rewards-club brochures. The housekeepers don’t just clean the rooms; they organize them. Other Conley hotels feature a Rolling Stone theme and a New Yorker theme. We can all be grateful that he hasn’t yet unveiled the Economist hotel, where staffers continually remind you of your ignorance of foreign affairs.

So what does this all mean? Most innovation and creativity occurs with a good starting and end point. Without a good starting point, great ideas can and will not happen. Here are some tips on how you can run an effective creative brainstorming session.

1) Keep the brainstorming session groups small (no more than 4). Gather people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and interests. The best ideas happen when different people with different experiences collaborate. If you have a big group, break them into smaller groups and keep them separate from each other.

2) Start each session by asking the right questions - “If your city got destroyed, how would you rebuild it?”

3) Or start each session with the right context and framework as guidelines - “Imagine if Good Magazine meshed with Apple to create a hotel. What would that look like?"

4) Hold more than ONE brainstorming session with an end goal at each one - "What are we trying to accomplish? A new product."

5) Leave the meeting with ACTION STEPS. Hold each person accountable for always moving the ball forward.

That’s all for today. Feel free to leave your thoughts below! Or if you have any tips you would like to add, I would love to hear them!

When Cloning Goes Wrong

2008-10-19T00:44:00.000+08:00

I envy the photo manipulation skills of the artist who did these. Look very closely on the details and check if you see some flaws.

View the rest here.

13 Signs You’re A Bad Graphic Designer

2008-10-19T00:15:00.000+08:00

Do you hate rainbow gradients, Comic Sans and Bevel and Emboss?

Find out how to do bad typography on the list compiled by graphic designer Jason Cass.

13 Signs You’re A Bad Graphic Designer

Interesting article! Find out if you're guilty of these signs. Feel free to react if you think there's anything objectionable.

Drunk Driving Ad

2008-10-19T00:09:00.000+08:00

OVERSENSITIVITY

2008-10-18T21:40:00.000+08:00

Oversensitive people are constantly licking their wounds. They look inward and are not aware of the needs of others. Naturally, people don't flock around them.

John Maxwell

PERFECTIONISM

2008-10-17T21:43:00.000+08:00

Perfectionism is an obsessive need to perform flawlessly. It stifles creativity and freedom and it turns people away. Perfectionists can rarely affirm themselves; therefore, it's very difficult for them to affirm others.

John Maxwell

Animator vs. Animation

2008-10-16T23:05:00.000+08:00

This video was shared to me by altumviditur.

Awesome animation by Alan Becker

Clorets Ad

2008-10-14T21:12:00.001+08:00

This ad has a very strong and effective visual representation of a stinky mouth/breath. If this happens to me, I think I'd feel like cutting off my tongue rather than resorting to Clorets. :P

Playboy Beach Towel

2008-10-14T18:54:00.000+08:00

Will you use it if you had one? :)

PEPSI "Straws" Ad

2008-10-14T18:37:00.000+08:00

Unforgettable PETA Ad

2008-10-14T17:28:00.000+08:00

"The action is named ‘None of us would like to end up like this.. neither would other-than-human animals’ and it was done with four big foam trays, each of them containing a naked activist inside, and covered with a see-through plastic with a ‘Human meat’ sticker on it. The idea was to imitate the ‘meat’ trays we can find at the supermarkets and to show that we are also animals, just as other-than-human animals, we neither would like to end up there."

Sources: Vegan Activist | Unforgettable Advertisments