Category: Branding

Online portfolios: the future of the job search

Posted on by Brian Lee

Just like any college senior, a big part of my life has consisted of job hunting. During a recent search I made an interesting observation. On one of the applications, the only requirement was a link to a personal website/portfolio.

Now, while I have grown accustomed to providing links to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (and even heard of making an online profile), I have never seen it as the only method of applying. This led me to one simple question: are online profiles the future of the job search?

Building an online profile provides several benefits over the traditional resume and allows applicants to stand out in a competitive job market. Applicants are not only able to list their work, but they also can show it visually. It also provides simplicity for those who are doing the hiring, by eliminating the process of photocopying stacks of papers to share the resumes of potential candidates, for example.

Users are able to bring together representative pieces such as pictures, videos and published works all in one place, along with the added advantage of showing basic web design knowledge. Building a website has become easier than ever, with tools like Wix, OPResume and even WordPress doing most of the work for you through customizable templates.

Portfolios can include links to other pages, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. This allows all of the information on a traditional resume, plus the simplicity of clicking to view other resources.

One snag in using a program such as Wix is that since the user is not paying for hosting, the domain name remains in the program’s name (e.g. name.wix.com). Fortunately, this is more detrimental for a business website than for a personal portfolio.

Another concern is how to customize the portfolio for each job that the applicant applies for. One way to address this issue is by writing a specific cover letter to the employer, while keeping the portfolio specific to the field of work the applicant is interested in.

This new method of showcasing work and skills provides the applicants more flexibility in what they choose to show off, and it represents a shift in the world of job hunting.

Why We Love The Olympics

Posted on by Brian Lee

It’s my favorite time of year. Or, should I say, four years.

The summer Olympics are right around the corner, and I already can’t seem to pull myself away from the TV.  Every night for the last few weeks I have faithfully sat down to watch the Olympic trials, and I’m pleased to say I’m not disappointed.  Every athlete I’ve seen looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how Team USA looks in London.

I’m one of those crazies that watches as much Olympic coverage as I can get my hands on. Women’s gymnastics? It’s a personal favorite, so you can bet I scheduled my night around watching it. Men’s swimming? Obviously. Badminton, trampolining or the modern pentathlon? I mean, sure, might as well.

But as much as I love watching the amazing athletic skills that the Olympics offer, what I love even more is the atmosphere, the feeling surrounding the Olympic Games. It’s a feeling of hope, optimism, and pride that cynics and realists like myself rarely experience in life.

At risk of sounding cliché, these athletes represent the pride, hopes, and success of our country.  In watching them, you forge this connection with them and with everyone who is cheering them on. You cease to become an individual watching the coverage and instead become a part of something bigger.

I’ll never forget during the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when the U.S. Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay team beat out the French for the Gold. I remember being gathered around the TV, cheering for Team USA, who was expected to get Silver, and then being absolutely elated when we witnessed one of the most amazing comebacks and wins in recent memory.

It’s moments like that which are why we love the Olympics, and why, come July 27th, I guarantee you will find me glued to my TV.

Team iPhone or Team Android?

Posted on by Brian Lee

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a tech nerd.  The byproduct of working with different cell phone companies for two years means whenever a friend pulls out his or her phone, I immediately size them up.  I’ve even been known to ask near strangers about carriers and data plans…it’s safe to say I have a problem.

But these days it seems like the world is split into two groups: Team iPhone or Team Android (heaven forbid you still have a Blackberry or worse, a flip phone).  Both sides have fiercely loyal customers, and both have amazing features.  I could write a very long post about which is better, but I promise to avoid that.

Recently, competition between Apple and companies that produce phones with the Android mobile operating system has come to a head.  Apple is suing multiple companies over a series of patent lawsuits, and some believe that recent setbacks could reflect negatively on Apple, causing a dip in sales.

But the question is do consumers really care about that?

Personally, I’m a staunch Android fan because of its customizability and open app platform.  Although Android currently holds the top market share, I often feel in the minority because in recent years, it seems like Apple has become the tech company.

The iPhone is creative, well-made, easy to use, and beautiful to look at.  On top of it all, Apple products have come to indicate the newest and best, and are seen as symbols of status.  If you look at the people around you, odds are it will seem like all of them have iPhones.

Apple has created a name for itself that is so big and so popular that it would take something colossal to shake the public’s confidence in it.  I have a hard time believing that a few legal delays could make a difference.