The cover letter introduces you to the recruiter in a personal way. It briefly highlights your strengths and expresses your interest in the position.

Recruiters often discard 80% of applications based on the cover letter alone. If you want the recruiter to even glance at your résumé, your cover letter has to impress.

Put yourself inside the head of your employer. If you had a huge stack of applications in front of you, what kind of cover letter would make you place a candidate in the “maybe” pile? What mistakes would place an application straight into the trash?

Writing a stand-out cover letter employs the same techniques as writing a marketing campaign or sales letter. This time, you’re selling yourself. Here are some tips for writing professional cover letters that stand out.

Cover Letter Structure

The cover letter follows the standard business format. Your letterhead, followed by the date, than the name and contact details of the person you’re applying to, then the address, then the content, followed by your name and contact details again.

A cover letter should be succinct and straight-to-the-point. It should never be more than one page long.

The Address

Let’s start at the beginning, with the Address.

If at all possible, find the name of the person you’re applying to. You may need to ring the company and ask an HR representative to give you the name. Writing “To whom it may concern” or “dear recruiter” sounds like a form letter, and you want to avoid that impression at all costs.

If you’re not sure of the gender of the recruiter (remember, names like “Leslie” and “Alex” can be used by either sex) use their full name instead of Mr. or Ms. In the first paragraph of your cover letter, include the title and job number of the position you’re applying for.

Mention where you heard about the job – especially important if someone in the company suggested you apply or you personally talked to the recruiter.

Don’t use wishy-washy sentences like “I feel I could do well in this position” or “I’m interested in applying”. Explain that your qualifications and experience make you an ideal candidate for the job.

The Meat of a Stand-Out cover letter

A cover letter is essentially a short, snappy sales document for a never-before-seen product – you. You write a cover letter in the same way you write a sales pitch or direct mail letter – by explaining benefits, not features.

In your second and third paragraphs, highlight one or two key qualifications / experiences that you’re particularly proud of and directly apply to the position. Your cover letter shouldn’t be a wordy re-hash of the content of your résumé.

If you can, highlight a particular achievement (brought in three new major contracts for my last agency), or someone who can give you a strong reference (I’ve worked as a freelance developer for Darren Bloggs, who I understand is a client of yours. Darren has been enthusiastic about my work and can give me a strong reference).

You will probably need to research the company and position before writing this section, as you’ll better be able to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to the company.

Don’t overuse “I” and “me”. Try not to focus on why you want the job. Instead, demonstrate why you will be an asset to the company.

For every application you write, change up these paragraphs to personalize your cover letter.

The Closing

In the final paragraph, reiterate your interest in the job, and thank the recruiter for their time. I like to say “Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you.”

Use a professional closing like “Yours Sincerely”. After your signature, rewrite your contact information.

Email Cover Letters

When applying for wed industry jobs, you’ll likely be sending résumés and cover letters off via email. Follow the same rules above and take advantage of these additional tips:

Use the subject line of your cover letter to grab the employer’s attention.

Some companies regard all messages containing unsolicited attachments as spam. If your application isn’t acknowledged, you might need to include your résumé and letter in the body of the email.

Fonts, formatting and graphics may appear differently on the recruiter’s computer. For the best results, write your cover letter in plain text.

Sending Unsolicited Applications

Perhaps there’s a company you’d really love to work for, but they don’t have any advertised openings. You can get your foot in the door by sending an unsolicited application, and following up that application the following week.

It’s especially important that an unsolicited application demonstrates you’ve researched the company and know which type of role you’re best suited for.

In your final paragraph, state that you’ll call to follow up on possible job postings. You can even give a date and time. Don’t forget to follow up!

Quick Cover Letter Tips

• Include your full name, address, telephone number and email at the top of the form (your letterhead)
• Date the cover letter
• Include a reference to the job you’re applying for.
• Use a clear, easy to read font, and nice white paper. Your cover letter should in standard business format, preferably in a standard serif font like Times New Roman (research suggests serif fonts are the easiest to read in hard copy). Fancy fonts and colored paper stand out, but for all the wrong reasons!
• If you’re sending your cover letter via email, send a copy to yourself first to ensure it comes through correctly.
• Don’t forget to proofread. Have a friend or family member read through your letter to catch anything you missed.

With a sharp, snappy cover letter and a well-rounded résumé, you are sure to find plenty of job opportunities, even in today’s crowded marketplace.

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Post tags: cover letter, how to, resume, write, writing

And yet, despite its necessity to our continual success, most of us are afraid of networking. The word conjures up images of smarmy door-to-door salesmen and industry “mixers” where everyone knows everyone else … except you.

If you’re shy, the very thought of networking can send you running. But even shy people can learn the skills necessary to build and expand their industry network.

Nowadays, networking comes in two forms: face-to-face, at industry events, conferences, or even on the bus, and online through forums, blogs and social networking sites.

Both online and face-to-face interactions employ the same tactics: you need to find some people who you want to network with and wow them with your charming personality. It’s easier than it sounds. Here are a few tips to help you improve your networking skills:

1. Don’t Think of it as “Networking”

Part of the fear-factor surrounding networking is the word “networking” itself.

Instead of trying to “network”, why don’t you go out to make a new friend? Why don’t you think of the upcoming industry event or a question on Twitter as an opportunity to help someone? When you solve someone’s problem or point him or her toward a useful resource, all in a friendly manner, you’re networking. That’s all there is to it.

Networking isn’t scary. It’s just making friends and helping people.

2. Set Yourself Mini-Challenges

At the beginning of a networking event or an online discussion, give yourself a mini-challenge. Say to yourself “By the time I leave tonight, two people will have asked me for my business card”, or “Before dessert is served, I will have got one person to open up about their web design problems.”

Make sure your challenge is quite small, so it can be completed in an evening, but still a bit of a challenge for you. Try to push the boundaries of your comfort zone. This way, you’ll reach out to people you might normally avoid.

If you attend an event with a friend or colleague, perhaps you could give each other a mini-challenge. Adding this competitive aspect can give you added courage to talk to people.

3. Prepare

Identify potential contacts – people with power in your niche whose ideals and personality fit yours.

You don’t always have to aim straight for the top players – everyone will be trying to court their favor.

Look for young innovators, those with truly original ideas and fresh perspectives. If you can find the people who will become the new industry leaders, and give them something of value, they’ll remember you.

As well as researching the people you want to meet, research the event itself. You’ll feel more comfortable and confident if you can prepare. Will refreshments be served, or should you eat beforehand? What will the dress code be? Is it appropriate to bring your portfolio or Blackberry along?

4. Approach Smaller Groups

When attending a networking event, staring at a room full of potential contacts and not knowing where to start can be a frightening experience. You might be tempted to join the largest, most lively group. Instead, look for smaller groups of three-four people – you stand a better chance of engaging in real, honest conversation and forging lasting relationships.

This works in online networking as well. If you see a discussion on Twitter or LinkedIn with only a few participants, your voice will be more easily heard than in a situation where twenty or more people are adding their comments.

5. Listen more than you talk

Here’s the real trick to meeting people, and one shy people can utilize most effectively: most people want to talk. They’ve got a problem (or several), and they’re all too happy to unload that problem onto whoever seems the most receptive.

Often, people don’t want to be told they’re wrong, or have a discussion about their problem. Often, they just want someone to listen.

So be a listener.

6. Practice your “elevator” pitch

An “elevator” pitch is so-named because it’s the pitch that’s so quick you can tell someone on an elevator ride and they’ll be hooked before the doors open.

Remember, you’re not trying to sell something. You’re trying to connect with people and forge new business relationships. Your elevator pitch needs to reflect who you are, what you’re about, and what you can do to help.

7. Follow Up

At the event, ask for the business cards or contact details of your new contacts. The next week, follow up with a quick email or phone call. You have to keep the relationship alive; otherwise, you haven’t really networked at all.

If you discussed a particular topic, perhaps you could do a little further research and send them an interesting article or point out a new blog on the subject.

Follow up online discussions with a note on their social networking page or a private email. Let the person know you’re interested in exchanging ideas on the topic, and offer them some interesting points for discussion.

8. Be Relaxed, Polite and Interesting

Relax! Networking isn’t that difficult. If you’re a genuine, interesting and honest person, eventually, others will see that too.

Whether you’re at an event or online, remember your manners. Don’t interrupt someone when they’re talking. Wait for a lull in the conversation before making your point. If you’re quite shy, it can take a bit of practice to learn the best times to speak up.

Always refute points, not people. Phrase your arguments in a polite and friendly way. You don’t have to agree with someone all the time just because you want to network with them. Most people enjoy engaging with colleagues who challenge their thinking, as long as they do it in a pleasant way.

Remember, the key to networking is giving. Give information, give advice, give your services, and give your personality, and you’ll be well on your way to forging genuine, lasting business relationships.

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Post tags: business, connections, freelancing, networking

Unlike many other sectors of the market negatively affected by the economy, salaries in the web sector remain high and may continue to rise as more companies extend their web presence.

In order to help you better target your job search to higher-paid position, we’ve reviewed some of the highest-paid jobs in the web industry.

Each of these jobs usually offers a starting salary of over $40,000 a year (based on figures from PayScale.com), and some individuals may earn over $150,000.

Software Engineer / Software Developer

In a crowded marketplace, companies know ease of functionality, integration with other products, speed of service and a dazzling array of bells and whistles have to be incorporated into every design. Software Engineers are paid big money to create and integrate such features.

The job isn’t easy – an engineer codes a program line-by-line and writes algorithms to solve problems within the code. Learning programming codes can be like learning a second language, which is why the starting salary for a Software Engineer is between $45,456-$65,686.

Mid-career engineers can expect around $49,964-$81,276 and those with over ten years experience can earn $66,827-$97,361 per year.

Web Designers

These days, if you’re not online, you’re not anywhere, and businesses know they need a professional, accessible and eye-catching website.

Practically every medium to large company keeps an in-house designer on staff, to quickly whip up product pages for the catalogue or give the company blog a makeover.

If you’ve got the right skills, companies will find the funds to hire you – in 2009, the median annual income for a web designer was $50,725.

Even freelancer web designers straight out of school can earn $50 upward an hour with a good portfolio.

Web Developer

A web developer may also work with a web designer to build websites for companies.

The difference between a web developer and a web designer is that a web developer focuses more on functionality and access for site visitors, whereas a designer focuses on aesthetics. In 2010, a senior web developer was making an average of $82,000 per year.

Server and Network Admin

Any company performing large amounts of web work will require their own dedicated server and company-wide computer network. Managing the unique needs of these demanding networks and keeping them secure is the job of the network administrator.

A network administrator manages the day-to-day running of a company’s computer network, trouble-shooting problems, diagnosing malfunctions and preventing malicious codes or viruses from entering the network.

Since so much of a company’s productivity is tied up in network services, an efficient and skilled network administrator can with less than four years experience can expect a salary of between $38,429-$55,141. Experienced Network Systems Managers earn an average salary of $83,000 per annum.

Information Systems Manager

The information Systems Manager oversees the overall strategy of a company’s IT plan – including managing security, development of information technology, selection of software and applications and compliance with industry criteria.

Most Information Systems Managers begin as programmers, but their conceptual knowledge and ability to multi-task see them quickly rising to this lucrative position. Information Systems Managers earn an average of $93,000 per year.

Internet Marketing Executive

If you can leverage online clout to drive sales, you can make a lot of money in the web industry. Internet marketing specialists and sales execs turn a company’s online campaigns into actual sales.

An Internet marketing executive oversees the creation of websites, e-commerce sites, social networking and email newsletters, often managing a team of content writers and marketers.

Internet Marketing executives make real money for the company, and expect to be paid likewise – earning between $32,000 and over $45,000 per year.

3D / Animation / Games Developer

As the computer and console gaming industries continue to grow, companies need talented animators who can create characters and backdrops.

Although some starting salaries may seem low compared to other web careers ($35,000-$45,000), this is a growth industry.

The Game Industry Salary Survey 2007 shows mid-career game developers earning an average of $73,000 per year, and a top developer at a big firm can make around $120,000 a year.

Online Project Manager

An experienced project manager with expert knowledge of web-based programmes can be an asset to any company.

Project Managers oversee major projects from conception until launch, often working as a contractor for various companies. A Project Manager can expect to earn between $31,409-$93,104 per year.

Java Developer

Java developers programme Javascript on commercial websites, producing graphics, moving images and animations.

They also perform data analysis, quality assurance testing and integrate security for Java-based websites. A qualified Java Developer earns between $52,847 and $77,601 per year.

SEO Developer / Online Content Manager

Content Managers and SEO developers implement integrated content schemes for company websites, incorporating articles, blogs, marketing copy and social networking materials.

Content Managers ensure content is written to optimise search engine traffic and is uploaded onto the web at the right time and to the correct location. A qualified SEO developer or online content manager could expect to earn between $36,000 and $65,500 per year.

The highest paid jobs in the web industry involve specialist skills – often a degree in marketing or computer science – in high demand by companies looking for a competitive edge.

An excellent track record and creative portfolio will set you in good stead to find a well-paid and rewarding career.

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Post tags: best jobs for the web. web jobs, design jobs. tech jobs, highest paid jobs

Consistency is key: On Monday you feel like you can conquer the world and it shows in your work because you beat every deadline and attack every task with vigor.

By Thursday, however, you’re pretty sick of the workweek and would really rather just hang out by the snack bar and talk about how much you hate your job.

If you think your bosses are going to remember your Monday work ethic over your Thursday doldrums, think again.

Be consistent with your work because you never really know when someone who has the power to promote you will be watching over your shoulder.

Know your job.

You’re great at running meetings and there is nobody better at getting jammed paper out of the copier than you, but what is your actual job title and description?

You have to put your efforts toward your primary duties first and foremost and then allow your talents to trickle into other areas only after your actual job has taken care of sufficiently.

Before promotion time comes along, make sure you understand what is expected of the position you’re in and also ensure that you’ve been consistently excelling at those duties. Don’t wait until a promotion interview to find out that there is a task you are supposed to have mastered by now, but that you’ve never even attempted because you didn’t realize it was part of your job.

Don’t forget schmoozing.

Sure, managers want to promote people who can do a great job, but they also want to like the people they promote. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that doing a great job will erase the fact that you spend a lot of your time glaring at your coworkers and boycotting the weekly potlucks in the break room.

Promotions oftentimes bring with them some supervisory tasks, and you’re excluding yourself from the running if you can’t get along with other people. Don’t take this tip to the level where you are expending all of your energy in an attempt to be everyone’s best friend, but lighten up on the eye rolling when a coworker wants to share pictures of her dog’s birthday party.

Start things.

You need to portray the image that you are a team player, so make things better for the whole team. Volunteer to coordinate charity events, group sporting events, and other morale builders. If someone in your office gets sick, go buy a card and have everyone sign it. Be the person who every so often stands up and says, “Hey, we should all go to lunch together today! Who’s in?”

Not only does this help you seem like a team player, but it also sends the message that you are a leader. If you can manage to get coworkers to follow your lead, even with the fun stuff, it sends the message to your boss that you can be a leader.  

Make it clear you want the promotion.

You should not be shy about your intentions to seek promotions. If you stay quiet about wanting a promotion you run the risk of having your name come up and immediately disregarded because your managers figure you don’t want to move up. Remember: There are people who don’t want promotions and who just want to stay where they are comfortable. Don’t let your managers assume that you fall into this category.

Don’t take this too far. Walking around and pointing at managers, boldly proclaiming “Someday I’ll have your job!” is not a good strategy for guaranteeing a promotion.

Take on bigger tasks.

Find out what you would be expected to do if you did get promoted and start learning right now. While there will probably be limitations to what you can do, something as simple as reading up on the complete job description of the position you want may give you an edge.

If you can reveal in your interview that you have already started researching what you need to know in order to effectively manage the new tasks you would receive with a promotion, this can help you to stand out among other eligible employees.

A word of caution: Don’t get too good at doing the tasks that the new role would entail. Managers might decide they can save some money by keeping you in your current position (and salary) while delegating these new tasks to you.

Be you, and be good at what you do.

You can be the world’s best schmoozer and you can sing it from the rooftops that you want to be considered for promotion, but unless you are actually good at what you do then there is a slim chance that you will wind up with a promotion.

Keep in mind that you should also be genuine in your actions. Bosses can tell if you are faking interest in golf and word will quickly spread if you make bold proclamations about knowing everything there is to know about your job (especially if you don’t know everything).

Here is the simple answer to the question of how to excel at your job and guarantee a promotion: Work hard, do your job well, and be nice to the people around you.  

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Post tags: excel at job, how to get promoted, promotion

Creating your web portfolio need not be a huge hassle. If you’ve been in the web business a long time, you’ll already have completed a wide variety of projects (“clips” in portfolio-speak).

From these, you select the strongest examples of your work – the projects you’re most proud of.

Which pieces show off your talents or diverse skillset? Assemble several projects you might be interested in including. Later, you can chose 6-10 of the best designs.

Finding Work for Your Portfolio

If you’re new to the web industry, you might not have any clips. Or, more likely, you’re fresh out of design school with a portfolio full of class assignments. One way to make your portfolio stand out amongst the other recent graduates is to replace those class assignments with work from clients, as soon as you can. This demonstrates you understand the pressures of real-world designing – deadlines, budgets, dealing with clients and accepting feedback.

You might be able to find a few assignments of freelance bidding sites, or through classified sites like Craigslist. Be aware, though, that many of these companies expect a lot of work for very little pay. Use your common sense – if something sounds shady, it probably is.

If you can’t find anyone to pay you for your work, approach friends, family members, acquaintances and even start-up businesses you find online, and offer to create something for them. Don’t get in the habit of working for free, but offer a steep discount or an exchange of services.

Choosing the pieces for your portfolio

In the web world, less is often more. This is true of your portfolio. The client or agency representative who will view your portfolio has a busy schedule, and may only have a few minutes to flip through your work. Wow them for a few outstanding clips rather than twenty pages of uneven quality.

Focus on choosing clips that best showcase your strengths. If you’re a whiz with typography, create a page to show off your best logos. If layout is your thing, the creative magazine article you’re just completed might be perfect.

Ensure you include a clip who demonstrates your proficiency in each of the skills listed on your resume. If you say you’re proficient in a particular project, include a project employing that skill. In some cases, you may swap out a piece or two for a specific application, depending on which skills the employer is looking for.

Choose your best 6-10 projects, sticking with a lower number if your projects take up more than one page. You may want to include a description with each project, but keep this brief – your work should speak for itself.

Keep the formatting simple – don’t use crazy borders or odd typefaces. Let your work create the visual interest.

Once you’ve chosen your pieces, decide on the order they will appear. Choose your strongest two pieces – place one at the beginning, and the other, right at the end. Use the centre of your portfolio to demonstrate your various skills.

Web Portfolio Format

For a web portfolio, most designers use a simple PDF document which can be downloaded and opened on their website and also attached to client emails. The PDF format can be read on practically any computer or device, and also limits the ability for people to copy your work to their own computers.

You could also create a portfolio page on your website or use one of many specially-designed portfolio software packages or applications. These can look professional and encourage people to view your work, as some clients won’t like having to download a document in order to view your portfolio.

If your portfolio is created using a blog format, you can choose to enable or disable comments. On the one hand, a piece with lots of glowing reviews underneath might help you land clients, but negative comments could also discourage potential clients.

Placing work directly into your website does increase the chances of it being stolen. However, as a freelancer in the web sector, you can’t avoid the necessity of networking and promoting your work online. Although posting work online opens you up for potential plagiarism, the majority of people are honest, and the benefits of a web presence far outweigh the downfalls.

Get Feedback on Your Portfolio

Before you send out your first letter of introduction to a web agency or potential client, have a trusted friend, mentor, or colleague look over your portfolio. A fresh pair of eyes will be able to instantly spot areas that need tidying up or holes in your scope of work that could easily be filled by adding or replacing a project.

Use your instinct when judging feedback from reviews. Your work and portfolio are a highly subjective, and what one reviewer loves, another will see as needing improvement. You’re the best judge of what works best for attracting the kind of clients you want to work with.

Constantly Upgrade and Reassess Your Portfolio

Your portfolio is never finished. As you grow as a freelancer, your work will change direction and grow with you. You’ll become more skilled in some areas, test boundaries and create a remarkable, innovative body of work. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself updating your portfolio every few months.

The key to a successful portfolio is remembering to keep the number of projects to a minimum, and letting your work speak for itself without the addition of arty headers. As long as you follow the guidelines above, you’ll have an excellent portfolio on hand for when the perfect client comes knocking.

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Post tags: business, portfolio

To a potential employer, the clothes you choose say a lot about your attitude and your suitability for the company.

To a recruiter, a sloppy dresser means a sloppy worker, and an outrageous outfit means someone who doesn’t want to fit in with the company. If you want to be taken seriously as a candidate, you need the right clothes.

Even if you have to buy a new outfit for the job interview, it’s important to send the right impression to the recruiters.

General Tips for Job Interview Attire

• Choose your outfit a couple of days before the interview, and make sure you wash and iron all elements of the ensemble.
• Check your chosen outfit for loose threads, missing buttons, undecipherable stains and other imperfections. If your hems are starting to fray or the color has faded, it’s time to go shopping for a new interview outfit.
• Clothes aren’t the only important aspect of your appearance. Recruiters notice a lack of attention to detail, so file your nails, neatly comb and style your hair, polish your shoes and shave or trim your facial hair. Long hair (on women and men) should be pulled back from the face.
• If possible, cover any visible tattoos and remove facial piercings apart from one per ear for women. You’re not “compromising your individualism” but removing potential barriers to impress the recruiters.
• No matter what you’re told about the company and their dress code, opt for conservative, “business” clothes. It’s better to be overdressed than too casual.  Remember, even if the office adopts a casual dress code, they might require you to meet with conservative clients who expect snappy business dress. You need to demonstrate your ability to dress up if necessary.
• Pack your documents into a portfolio, briefcase, or larger handbag. Don’t fold them in your pocket or sandwich inside a novel. Avoid turning up with a backpack, duffel bag or giant tote bag – even the bag you carry should look professional and neat.
• Just because you have to dress conservatively, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be comfortable. When shopping for appropriate job interview attire, look for fabrics, detailing and cuts which make you feel confident and at ease. If you’ve never walked in heels before, a job interview is not the time to try. The more comfortable you feel, the more confident you’ll appear.
• Don’t just look good – smell amazing. A little cologne, perfume or deodorant can make all the difference. Choose an upbeat scent that makes you feel relaxed. Don’t overdo it, as some people are allergic to the chemicals in perfumes and deodorant.
• If you show up to early to the interview (which you should do anyway) ask the receptionist where the bathroom is and freshen up. Pack a little pre-interview pack into your handbag or briefcase – moist towelletes, emergency makeup, perfume, lip gloss, hairclips and safety pins – and double check your outfit and makeup before entering the interview room.

Dressing for a Job Interview: Women

Choose a good basic interview outfit in solid, conservative colours: black, brown, charcoal, grey, blue and tan make great basic colours for job interview attire. Coordinate your blouse with the rest of your outfit – if you’re not sure which colors work together, ask a salesperson or friend for help.

Choose cuts which flatter your figure without revealing excessive skin. A well-chosen two-piece suit of selection of basics will make you feel more confident and sexy than a too-short skirt and tank top.

Wear comfortable shoes. It’s difficult to look relaxed and confident if your feet are hurting. If you’re not confident walking in heels, leave them at home and opt for flats instead. Opt for close-toed shoes as many people feel sandals are too casual.

Keep jewelry to a minimum. One well-chosen piece says more about your personal style than several jingling baubles. If possible, remove excessive facial piercings before the interview, and keep finger rings to a minimum. Err on the side of caution when considering religious or cultural pieces – you risk an interviewer taking offense to one of your symbols.

Pantyhose should be tan or light coloured – save the multi-colored stripes for the weekend.

Makeup should be light and natural – let the real you shine through. Likewise, perfume should not overwhelm. Remember, many people are allergic to ingredients in perfume, so you risk causing discomfort to one of the recruiters – not the best way to begin an interview!

Dressing for a Job Interview: Men

For most professions, men should wear a suit to a job interview. Choose a darker, neutral color like black, navy blue, charcoal or dark grey. Coordinate a matching shirt and tie – ask a girlfriend or female relative if you’re having trouble matching colors.

Make sure you knot your tie correctly – it often looks neater if someone ties it for you. Don’t be seduced by the bright-colored cartoon ties – a conservative, solid color tie or simple pattern gives the necessary professional look.

If the interview situation allows you to wear business-casual, wear a neatly-ironed long-sleeved shirt tucked into suit pants. If you’re not wearing a suit jacket, wear a plain belt. Fold down the collar of your shirt over your tie. Even if it’s warm outside, avoid rolling up the sleeves of your shirt.

Wear black or blue socks, and black dress shoes or boots. Don’t forget to shine your shoes.

Apart from a dress watch, avoid jewelry – including facial piercings. If you wear an amulet or religious symbol, remove it and leave it in your pocket.

Many people use the clothes, accessories and jewelry they wear to express their individuality. In a job interview, however, you want to demonstrate your commitment to professionalism – and you do this by conforming to the standards of business dress. Use your interview answers and personality to express yourself, not your appearance.

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Whether you’re a freelancer taking on more clients, or part of an established team looking to impress your company with your numbers, increasing productivity can bring untold benefits.

However, many techniques and programmes designed to improve productivity don’t produce the results they promise.

This is because more often than not, low productivity relates to poor work flow.

If you improve your work flow system, you can increase productivity.

What is Work Flow?

Work flow is essentially the flow of work through your office. If you have a good workflow system, jobs get completed quickly, and move seamlessly from person to person as each stage is signed off. Your work flows in and out in a steady stream, like a clean, fast-flowing river.

An office with bad workflow is like a river clogged with debris. Work gets “stuck” between different stages of completion. Projects sit idle in someone’s outbox. You struggle to juggle several different projects, and feel as though nothing gets done.

But hope is not lost. With a few simple techniques, you can transform your workflow and improve productivity.

Optimise Your Workspace

Whether you work on your own or within a team, your workspace should be structured to allow work to easily pass from one stage to another. First, clear away all your clutter – you need to begin with a completely clean desk. Throw away or file everything remaining from completed jobs, and focus on the incomplete work in front of you – can you split your process into three or four distinct stages? For example: first drafts, proofing, signing off and filing. Designate a different pile, folder or box on your desk for each stage. Change to focus of your work to moving items from one pile to the next.

The same goes with the workspace inside your computer. Clean up your desktop, delete or file completed jobs out of sight, and organise your folders into a sensible system. Focus on moving files through the various stages of your process.

Perform Tasks in Blocks

Research show it takes the brain a certain amount of time to “set up” each time we move to a new task. Every time you check your email, your brain goes through a process of engaging the necessary nerve centres it needs to accurately process and reply to the emails it receives.

Also, every time you check your email – or any other activity – you have to physically “set up” for the task. In this case, by opening your browser and signing in to your email. If you’re checking your email and performing other repetitive activities (filing, writing invoices) several times per day, this “set up” time accounts for a sizeable chunk of your available work time. Each time you “set up” for a repetitive task you interrupt workflow.

Instead of completing these tasks several times a day, “bundle” them together into a specific once-per-week time slot. This way, you only perform one “set up” each week, and save oodles of time

I know it sounds crazy, but many web professionals are beginning to reap the advantage of only checking email once per week. Not once per day, but once per week. They instruct anyone with an emergency to call them, and trust other members of the team to made decisions on unimportant matters without their input.

Give Everyone Responsibility

The reason work often gets “stuck” on someone’s desk is because one person in the office has responsibility for a certain task, so the project must wait for them to become available to view it. This often happens with team leaders who insist on personally signing off every stage of a project before it goes to the client.

Decrease this problem by allowing everyone on the team greater freedom and responsibility for their work and decisions. You aren’t the only person on the team capable of checking a website code or fine-tuning a graphic design concept. Why don’t you give someone else a chance to shine and decrease your own workload at the same time?

Don’t attempt to Multi-Task

I’m sorry to tell you, but multi-tasking is a myth. Your brain is not performing several tasks at once; it’s switching between tasks as fast as it can.

This takes up so much energy, your brain doesn’t work as quickly or efficiently on any of the tasks it attempts – trying to work on two projects at once makes each project take over twice as long than if you simply focused on one at a time.

Minimise Workplace Distractions

Distractions can be especially troublesome for web professionals, who can perform practically any activity under the guise of “research” and “networking”, from surfing the net to browsing random Twitter feeds.

Distractions affect workflow because they focus your mind on things other than the task at hand. Distractions often go hand-in-hand with multi-tasking (eg, flicking between an open browser window and your project) to cause workflow issues.

Eliminating distractions will drastically improve workflow and productivity. If you have to, unplug your browser for the morning, turn off your mobile phone, put down your headset and concentrate on the task at hand.

Automate

The more efficiently your office runs, and the less interruption incurred, the more productive your team will be. Using automation can dramatically improve workflow and increase the productivity of your company.

For example, an automated “project board” on a shared server lets every member of a team know when one stage of a project has been completed. Automated colanders, automated email responses and automated invoice / bill payment allow team members to focus on the most important tasks. Automation keeps workspace clear for work to flow easily from one stage to the next.

By improving the work flow around your office, you immediately notice results. Using workflow to increase productivity not only helps web professionals get more done in the same amount of time, it ensures deadlines are met and gives the team a more balanced quota of work.

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It’s one thing to score a project or two, but if you really want to make it as a freelancer you’re going to have to work hard to build a reputation for yourself within the web community.

In this post, you’ll find some tips and tricks that you can use to make it as a successful freelancer in the Web industry.

If you know of any other tips, please share them below with our readers so that they can also benefit from them.

Brush up your résumé and portfolio

While it is true that some freelance web projects are given to people based on a quick glance at some of their online work, many potential employers still want to have a résumé and work samples to review before giving a project to a freelancer. Some employers still ask for cover letters, even from freelancers who will be hired to only do one or two small projects.

Follow the rules. Even if you think that submitting a polished résumé is an outdated idea when you can go online and see brilliant examples of your work, if it is what the company wants then give it to them.

Pay attention to the instructions for submitting your résumé; if the instructions specify “No Attachments,” but you send your résumé attached as a Word document, chances are you’ve just taken yourself out of the running for the project.

Actively search for jobs

Freelance jobs in the web industry are abundant if you know where to look. You can find one-time projects or jobs where you sign a contract to provide services every month yet retain your freelance status.

Use some of your networking skills to land some projects. If you are completely new to freelancing and you do not have any connections to land some choice projects right at the beginning, you can choose to test the waters with a couple of small projects from random job boards. On the other hand, if your ultimate goal is to be successful as a freelancer in the web industry, you should not be intimidated about applying for larger projects with reputable companies.

Sure, go ahead and take on some small projects here and there, but never lose sight of the ultimate goal of freelancing successfully. One big project with a well-known company will eventually give you more leverage than a dozen tiny projects with unknown employers. Think about what will eventually wind up on your résumé.

Decide on your commitment

When you say you want to make it as a freelancer, are you saying that you want to quit your day job and work from home in your pajamas or do you mean you want to have a viable second source of income from freelance projects? There is a big difference between the two, both in how aggressively you need to pursue projects and how much time you plan to commit.

If your ultimate goal is to solely do freelance work then you need to take steps to make sure you can handle the potential dry spells in between projects. Stash some emergency money into a savings account and figure out your health insurance coverage.

Why should you worry so much about preparing yourself for pauses in your workload? If you are scrambling to grab whatever projects come along because your rent is overdue then chances are good that you won’t have a lot of time to commit to submitting a quality proposal for the freelance web projects that will compel your career forward.

Freelance does not equal lackadaisical

It’s a great time to be a freelancer, but just because the Internet allows you to work for a wide variety of people and companies around the globe it does not mean you can get away with doing it less than wholeheartedly. Word spreads quickly –especially within the web industry community- so if you deliver a sloppy project to one client there is a good chance that word will spread.

In other words, just because you’re spending some of your workday with a laptop in an artsy coffee shop it does not mean you can have a lazy work ethic. Stay on top of your deadlines and take the work seriously.

Be on the lookout for scams

Scammers know that you and a bunch of other people are patrolling the web looking for freelance projects. They’ll post ads for jobs that will never pay or they’ll tell you that you need to pay to have access to their job board, and by the way, would you mind sharing your checking account number?

You shouldn’t have to pay to work, and if an offer of a freelance position seems too good to be true then it probably is. The good news is that the online freelancing community is quite good at communicating, so if a freelancer is burned by a scammer then there is a really good chance you can find some complaints in forums or blogs.

Before accepting a freelancing project you should always run the company or employer’s name through a search engine and see what pops up. While this doesn’t guarantee that you won’t get scammed, it can certainly tell you a lot about the person who is supposed to be paying you for a project you’re thinking of accepting.

Everything you do, do it well.

You will soon find that it is much easier to please one employer and keep getting repeat business than it is to hop from one employer to another doing multiple projects, repeatedly trying to get new work.

Do your work well and market yourself well. Successful freelancers within the web industry have to be talented as well as incredibly tenacious.

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After you’ve finished patting yourself on the back, however, it’s time to get to work figuring out which job is the best one for you. Hint: There is more to it than the paycheck.

Have you ever encounted this situation in your career and if so, how did you proceed and what were your results?

Please share any information in the comments’ area so you can help readers in similar situations.

Money

While money should not be your sole consideration when choosing a job, it should certainly be one of the things that you scrutinize closely. Have a look at the job offers and immediately eliminate any jobs that will not pay enough for you to live comfortably. You should be able to pay your bills, go grocery shopping, and have a little left over for savings and fun.

On a side note, if you haven’t yet sat down and figured out exactly how much money you need to survive, don’t you think it’s about time you do so? You don’t want to wind up with a job that pays so little you wind up getting a second job just to cover your expenses.

Location

Things can get tricky when accepting a job offer means moving to a new place. Things get even trickier when accepting a job offer means signing up for a horrible hour-and-a-half commute twice a day. No matter how great a job is, you may have a hard time being happy if you have to move away from family and friends or if you dread hitting the interstate every morning.

Location might also be the reason why you accept one job over another. Maybe one job pays a little more, but the other job is smack in the middle of your very favorite city with an office overlooking your favorite park in the entire world. You can’t beat perks like that.

Growth Potential

Examine the growth potential of the jobs you’re considering. You don’t want to accept a job that will stifle your growth. Ask yourself where each position will naturally progress to over time. Sometimes it is a good idea to accept a position that may not be ideal just because you know that it will look great on your résumé and will inevitably lead to bigger and better things down the road.  

Be realistic. Just because you want to eventually have a job as an executive with  a particular company it does not mean that you should automatically accept any job offer from that company. Cleaning toilets or sorting mail for your dream company is probably not likely to give you the leg up when the time comes to apply for the position you really want.

Corporate Culture

Companies have their own culture, and while some companies embrace the “You stay in your cubicle and I’ll stay in mine” mindset, there are some companies where everyone is encouraged to think outside the box (or cubicle, as it were). Which type of company do you prefer to work for?

You might be surprised by how much information you can dig up about a company’s culture just by searching online or talking to a few people who work there. If you consistently hear bad things about a particular company, such as a hostile work environment or non-existent pay raises, you may want to thank your lucky stars that you have more than one employer to choose from.

Benefits

Salary is one thing, but another important aspect of your total compensation package are the additional benefits you will get as an employee. Does the employer offer health insurance? Is the health insurance good? Do they offer a 401(k), and if so, do they match your contributions? How about tuition assistance, paid vacations, and free meals in the company cafeteria? Perks like these can make one company stand out above the other companies offering you a job.

On the other hand, don’t choose one job over another just because of a specific benefit that may turn out to be more hassle than it’s worth. For example, use of a company car can seem like a dazzling benefit, but when you find out that it’s a gas-guzzler and that you’re responsible for keeping the gas tank full, it suddenly becomes more of a burden than a benefit.

Prestige

Face it; some companies just look better on résumés than others. If you can get into a company that is well known for vigorously screening potential employees before offering employment, this will be an impressive addition to your résumé. If all other factors listed above have whittled your choices down to two different companies, and all other things seem equal, choose the company that will look best on your résumé and impress future employers.    

Besides, companies that have prestigious reputations usually have those reputations for a reason. You should especially consider snatching up any job that is with a company that is considered the cream of the crop for your particular field.

The Happy Factor

A high paying job with a prestigious company that is centrally located and includes outstanding benefits as well as growth potential won’t mean a thing if you’re going to be miserable. Will the position require you to work long hours, which will make your spouse and your kids to resent your career? Does the otherwise-perfect job involve you working for a company that you privately loathe because of their political affiliations?

Ideally, the job you choose among all the various offers you have will be one that allows you to be happy. While it helps if the job also includes an absurdly large paycheck and an office with a view, don’t accept any job that is going to make your miserable in the long run.

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With vacancies at an all time low, and hundreds of candidates applying for choice jobs, it’s not surprising that many job seekers turn to social media to hunt down and secure employment.

In the web industry – where social media plays such an integral role – the perfect job could be only a tweet away.

Don’t Job-Search, People-Search!

The old adage still rings true: the majority of jobs aren’t advertised. They’re filled by people in the employer’s network – professional already known and trusted. Social media gives you the unique opportunity to integrate yourself into an employer’s network, thereby increasing your chances of being offered a job.

First, narrow your search. Choose 5-7 companies you’d particularly like to work for. Concentrate your efforts on a few select companies, rather than spamming hundreds of inboxes.

Next, find each company’s website. From that site, link up to their social networking accounts (usually on Twitter and Facebook). You can start reading and commenting on their posts and tweets if you like.

Research key people within the company – the people you’d love to work for, and find their social networking accounts. Often, they’re linking from the main company website, or you can Google their names and titles to see if they have a blog or Facebook page.

Once you find them, start talking to them – don’t ask for a job, just start commenting on their blog posts, asking questions in their twitter feed, and even sending emails. Don’t bombard them, or you’ll come across like a stalker, but do make an effort to demonstrate you’re genuinely interested in their company and the work they do.

If you’re not sure what to say in comments and emails, here are some ideas:

“I’m just writing to say I really enjoyed your article on Mashable yesterday. Your ideas about the future of social media are particularly interesting, and the joke about the camel and the savings bank totally cracked me up. I wondered if you’d read this article on Boing Boing about the same subject …”

Everyone likes to know their work is enjoyed and appreciated. Telling someone how awesome you think they are automatically gives you

Contributing something to the discussion shows you’re engaged with the topic and have thought about their arguments. Asking a question about their thesis, supplying a link to another source or proposing a new idea for them to think about can be great ways to engage a conversation.

Don’t be afraid to disagree with their opinions, as long as you voice your responses in a pleasant manner. Always refute points, not people. You could be talking to your future boss, so tread carefully.

Foster these connections and grow your network through continued interaction and helpful, interesting discussion. You’re no longer just a name on a resume, but a genuine person with real value, views and experience. You’ve built up a level of trust and, when a job offer opens up, you can assert your interest before it’s even advertised in a job search site. It’s not uncommon to see web companies tweeting “Web designer needed: ft, NYC, funky up-and-coming digital company. DM me for details.”

Growing Your Personal Brand

Using social media and blogging to create your own personal brand can also put you in the unique position of having employers contact you. With a prominent image and a reputation as a niche expert, you could attract the very jobs you want.

The best way to brand yourself as an expert is to start a blog and become a provider of top-quality, useful and informative content. Writing a successful blog (like this one) involves committing a huge chunk of time to crafting unique, creative and useful articles, as well as setting up a blog, designing the template, monitoring comments, and promoting the blog through guest posts and comments on other blogs.

By blogging about topics you’re passionate about, whether that’s web design, social media, online marketing or developing computer games, not only will your writing demonstrate your passion and commitment much better than a standard CV, but you’ll attract employers looking for people with just the skills you have.

Freelancers can use a blog to introduce readers to their online portfolio and network with potential clients.

It takes a lot of work to create a successful blog, but as a long-term career goal, a blog can prove an invaluable networking resource.Social media mistakes that hurt your career

Whether you’re blogging, tweeting, Facebooking or Linking In, remember social media can hurt your job search just as much as it can help. The lines between your personal and business life have blurred, and photographs and gossip shared between friends can be seen by potential employers.

Many people use two Facebook / Twitter accounts – one for friends and family only, which is strictly private and not advertised, and one for networking / business, which is still personable without all the ranting / incriminating photographs. This technique works well for many people, but be aware photographs and information from private accounts can still be hacked and distributed.

Here are some common problem areas of Social media, and how you can avoid destroying your job prospects.

Status Updates

Facebook revolutionised social media by introducing the status update – a little sentence for you to instantly tell your friends what you’re thinking. Twitter took the status-update concept to a whole new level, introducing the concept of “microblogging”.

Status updates and “tweets” are no longer simply ways to keep in touch with friends and family, they’re powerful tools for projecting your personal brand and connecting with potential employers … and therein lies the problem.

Too many people forget what they say online is public (even with privacy settings). Stories abound of people bad-mouthing their boss or company to their Facebook “friends”, only to find out they’ve been fired the next day.

Exercise discretion with social media. Not everything you think and do should go online. Apply the rule your mother taught you: “If you can’t say something nice. Don’t say anything at all.” Don’t bad-mouth companies, publications or people, because you never know who might be watching. Even if you never intend to work for that person ever, your dream boss might be their best friend or spouse. Think before you tweet.

Ranting and Negativity

Watch out for overly personal or negative status updates or blog posts. We all love a little whine now and then, but if all your status updates are what you’re eating on your new low-carb diet, how unfair the world is or how much you hate the government / council / car drivers / cyclists / conservatives / liberals / religious fanatics / toasted sandwich machines, then you sound like someone with a bad attitude, and no one will want to work with you.

If you’re having a bad day, resist the urge to rant. Instead, say something like “I’m having a bad day. Share a funny link to cheer me up!”

Photographs

After status updates, compromising photographs cause the most problems for potential employees. We all heard the story of the two Dominoes pizza employees fired after posting a video of themselves in unmentionable situations with a pizza. Pictures of you making rude signs, lewd gestures, guzzling pints at a party, or even pictures where you simply don’t look your best might adversely affect your chances of landing a job with your dream company.

An employer looks at these pictures and thinks “if I found these, so could our customers? Is this really the image I want the company to project?” If not, you have no chance for the job, and all because of Facebook.

Before you post photographs on your Facebook or share them on Twitter, ask yourself “would I be comfortable if my boss / grandmother / the president saw this picture? Does this picture represent the ‘me’ I want employers to see?” If not, don’t post.

Spam

Social media games like “Farmville” can be a lot of fun, but they spam your friends’ status feeds – including the feeds of potential employers and contacts – and this can get you de-friended and blacklisted fast. Try to limit these applications to personal accounts only.

These days, the lines between your online persona and your real life personality don’t exist. Social media has allowed us the unique ability to personally connect with people we admire and respect. While most people use social media to stay in touch with friends and watch celebrities, many people are using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others to gain important contacts and network their way to their dream jobs.

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