Job in design/web design

[mariap]

I have been applying for the job I want for nearly 1 year. I'm now 32 and after working in TV for 5 years I decided to change the direction of want I want to do. I studied Multimedia in London, but it has been impossible to find a job in this area (I'm aware of the crisis situation, etc). I have a work permit to work here and another language. I'm determined to get it even using Answer Bank as my agent. So, here is my online portfolio, if somebody appreciate want I can do I will appreciate it more: http://server6.web-mania.com/users/adadaTHPr/cgi-b
in/portf/portfo.php

[j2buttonsw]

Anyone who lists sleep as their interest gets my vote (though before spellmaster beats me to it, music is spelt with a c). Well done, gold star.

[mariap]

I forgot to mention. When you are in the video section, please wait while dowloads the video (the "loading" msg is not on).. sorry

[lisaj]

If you're after web design work these days, forget flash: it's so passe! The problem is that it was great a few years ago when everybody was scrambling to get on the web and they wanted animation everywhere, but now it's all about speed (for which flash intros are awful, sorry), and accessibility (which is a legal requirement). If you want to guarantee yourself work, learn how to convert existing sites for accessibility and you'll find you'll become indispensible. Assuming that hotel site is entirely your work, then there's no denying you have a great eye for clean graphic design, so maybe focus on this and sell yourself as a 'clean-up' designer. I've had much work that has been based on cleaning up designs that were quite frankly awful because they'd been done by an amateur who fancied doing web design and called themselves 'web designers'. As I say though, in my opinion and in today's web design climate it's going to be accessibility consultancy that will guarantee you work simply because everybody needs it.

[gilf]

This is no a personal attack so please don't take it as one. You need to ask yourseft what do I want to do and what do I want to earn. Can you tell us why you want to get into web design. The I.T. sector has taken a down turn and its now difficult to get a job and there are many people looking for work with a fews years under their belt. You say you have worked in TV for 5 years so what are yuor salary expectations, to be honest they really shouldnt be very high as the world and his dog want to get it web design and there are already far to many people in the inductry who shouldnt really be there in my opinion. For example I do a bit of web stuff (but I'm a programmer by occupation) and I never use flash or anything else thats going to stop anybody from using a site I design. I have been sitting here for manybe 3 minutes and you site still hasnt opened, if I was looking at recruiting you, you would already have failed.

[mariap]

Answering to LISAJ & GILF, thank you very much for your comments; I appreciate any critic (good and bad or in this case constructive, helpful and beneficial). I will have to agree with you in terms of speed; but flash doesn't help on that side. Unfortunatley, Flash and intros were a requirement for the marks of my final portfolio. The clean-design of the hotel is entirely mine (I just got the picts from other sources) and if I would sell my web design work I would be , as you said, a clean-up designer. I am only an amateur who wants to get the foot on the door and learn from the everyday and from the people who work around me. When I say, I have 5 years experience in TV, that doesn't mean my salalry expectations would be as my experience. I am reasonable and realistic. I have even thought of working as a volunteer to start. GILF... 3 minutes!???!!! well, I believe you. I was checking the site yesterday from home, and the video downloaded after 5 minutes! Thanks again!

[gilf]

I left it loading over lunch and when I got back it still had not loaded. The possible reason is that it was too large to get through our firewall. I think I may have been a bit negative in my earlier post, good luck and yeah my advice would to just get a position in a company at the bottom level and work you way up. I was talking to a recruitment consultant a week ago and he said the best way was to go to the reference library and find a set of books call the "Computer User Guide" or something like that and that has all the names addresses and contact names for every company that uses and creates software in this country. So get that and get a list of people to target and then write or phone offering your services as a junior. Good Luck

[mariap]

gilf: That is really odd. Even people without broadband could opened it quickly. maybe the video could take a few minutes but not a lunch break! I am sending and dropping off my cv every day to different companies and agencies. But some don't seem to bother, or simply all those cv's are in the "trash" by the time a call.... I try to be positive but sometimes it is really frustrating. I know I have the talent and I know if someone gives me the opportunity I wouldn't let him down. The thing is to START! Sorry gilf, when you say reference library is it a public library? or a shop like Boarders?