Brettology

Resumes and portfolios

So, Im attempting to fill an opening for a UX designer…sounds easy, huh? 

I’m really shocked at the poor quality of resumes and portfolios Ive been getting. It shouldnt be that hard to have a nicely formatted resume, with good spelling, and short and sweet descriptions. And come on, if you’re applying for a UX job you better have an online portfolio…this is 2011! And Im not talking about some lame wordpress blog portfolio either. 

Is it too much to ask that you have a complete LinkedIn profile? 

Most people should know by now that a resume should NOT have an “Objective”, right?

I get lot’s of resumes a day. I mean, how much time do you think someone’s got to read through these? Who sends a 5 page resume in 8pt type? Really? 

And when I do finally find someone that has an online portfolio, is it too much to hope that it’s actually well designed and has good UI? 

I would also expect that a portfolio has more depth than just pretty pictures. I want to know how you think. I want to know your process. I want to know what challenges you faced, and how you solved them. 

Maybe Im just being too picky. Maybe Im just expecting too much.

What do  you think?

You businesses out there with Twitter accounts…answer those questions!

So you set your business up on Twitter, well of course you did. Everyone has. But, are you paying attention to that account? Are you paying attention to the people that follow you? Do you really understand “why” that account is important?

Well, this study confirms what we all should know - people want businesses to answer their questions on Twitter. And people are much more likely to purchase from a business that answers questions asked on Twitter.

So why wouldnt you do that?

Follow my company on Twitter. It’s fun!

It’s all about building a relationship!

I just read a posting by a friend where he was talking about working with a client over many years, but NOT getting a large project from them. When they came back to talk to him the next time they assumed he’d be upset he didnt get the last gig. Instead, he went straight into how he could help them NOW, this time. It’s the perfect way to respond.

We cant get every job from every client, even if we wanted to, we know it’s not possible. Even with clients that we’ve worked with in the past, just like my friends story, doesnt mean we’ll get their next job. 

What we can control though, is how we treat that client. We build relationships with PEOPLE, so that when they need help they know they can count on us to be there for them…even if that doesnt translate into a project every time.

As a smaller business, it’s all about building those relationships…connecting with people, understanding their pain points, and creating a tone that encourages collaboration and communication.

We’re here to solve problems. That’s what we do. And the first step you need to follow in order to do that is…yes, exactly…Build a relationship!

Searching for a mobile app developer

We’re on the hunt to find a local (Seattle area) mobile application developer…iPhone, Android, etc. for some upcoming projects. We’re also working up a new business idea, and we’re looking for that developer with an entrepreneurial spirit and drive. 

If you’re that developer that has great experience, but you’re looking to push it forward and build something more…we need to talk. We have the business, strategy, UX, sales and marketing experience, plus we’ve designed a bunch of apps already…we just need that awesome technical addition to complete the team.

If you, or someone you know, fits that description…and you’re near Seattle…we hope you’ll get in touch!

The entrepreneurial spirit

I love it when someone sees a problem, and then creates a solution. 

As I’m in the middle of developing my very first physical product – working on building a prototype, and at the same time working out the scope and summary for my new business startup, I’m always on the lookout for people doing cool things. It inspires me.

I’ve had my iPad for a while now, and although I dig it and use it often, it’s big, heavy and bulky. Today I saw a posting for a company that seems to have created a solution to those problems…check it out. Pretty cool stuff.

What makes a great leader?

In business, or politics, or life, or… what makes a great leader?

Is it an all-knowing, man on a mountain, follow me approach? I don’t think so. What about the, “I’m in charge, so just shut up and do what you’re told” approach? Ah, I don’t think so. What about the arrogant, micro-manage approach? I’m sure we all know the answer to that one. 

I think it simply comes down to this - A great leader is someone that’s intelligent enough to surround themselves with people that are smarter than they are, and then empower them to succeed. 

Delivering Happiness

Like a lot of people that pay attention to interesting companies, I’d heard of Zappos, and all of the talk about their great customer service and unique corporate culture, so when I heard that CEO Tony Hsieh wrote a book, well, I had to read it. 

The book is filled with personal stories from his entire life-all building up to what he helped to create at Zappos. Most of the book was very interesting, funny, and even educational. It got a big heavy-handed for me with all the “tribe”, and if you don’t fit in we’ll pay you to leave talk, but overall I got a lot out of it.

There’s a lot to be said for taking the corporate culture seriously. There are WAY too many companies that could use a culture overhaul, and Im sure we’ve all worked for one of those at some point. 

It is amazing how many companies (and those that run them), don’t really understand what makes them successful. It’s not always about the obvious “bottom line” before all else model. If you create a place where people actually want to be. If you give employees the power to make things happen and have some control over their work life. If you put your customer first. If you do those things, the money will follow.

It’s just so easy for consumers (and employees) to bitch and moan publicly. You don’t have to look too hard to find people talking about everyone and everything. Why wouldn’t a company want those conversations to be positive? It really doesn’t take that much effort to do the right thing.

So, if you’re looking for an interesting read on a company not afraid to do what’s right for them…even when it wasn’t easy…I think you’ll enjoy this book. I did.