Employers, if you ask for a pdf folio, will you accept links to online folios?

[retrostarskywalker]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I am going to start applying for junior/middleweight arch viz jobs and have an online folio already.

 

Many job advertisements will ask for a pdf of best work/portfolio. Is there any problem do you think with just giving a link to online folio, or are they likely not click it out of principle that they asked for a pdf?

 

while my website is primarily focused on viz it also has other sections like vfx/animation/blog,wips ect, which imo can always add a little extra to the applicant, but It doesn't feel right putting that kind of stuff in a pdf folio.

 

Thanks for any advice

[artmaknev]

From my experience attending interviews and interviewing prospective empolyees, most of the resume / portfolio collecting job goes through office secretary or assistant, then the secretary will print all the pdf folios and resumes and have a quick meeting with the director and the senior artists to review all the candidates. In rare cases, if time allows, or if its a really green tree loving office, they will open up a web browser and type in your website But don't expect it to happen in most cases...

 

Sometimes they don't have time to look at online portfolios, so if the ad says to send pdf work samples then you should follow what the ad says, and include a website link in your resume or portfolio.

 

Once you have an interview with the company, they would be happy to see your website live.

Edited October 29, 2015 by artmaknev

[retrostarskywalker]

Ok thanks . How many images do they generally expect? and is it a case quality over quantity, since my latest stuff is closer to being photorealistic imo. So I was thinking I could make a pdf of about 6-7 of my best images (both interior/exterior) + a few clay renders of the highly detailed ones to show how I modelled it in max. For a junior position is it worth showing any other qualities such as a few images of final academic projects if they show good clean modelling skill and creativity, but not necessarily photoreal renders (assuming that's what the company is pumping out).

 

Thanks again

[Scott Schroeder]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I am going to start applying for junior/middleweight arch viz jobs and have an online folio already.

 

Many job advertisements will ask for a pdf of best work/portfolio. Is there any problem do you think with just giving a link to online folio, or are they likely not click it out of principle that they asked for a pdf?

 

while my website is primarily focused on viz it also has other sections like vfx/animation/blog,wips ect, which imo can always add a little extra to the applicant, but It doesn't feel right putting that kind of stuff in a pdf folio.

 

Thanks for any advice

 

As someone who routinely hires, I would suggest you follow directions exactly. If they want a PDF, send them a PDF. Don't try to outsmart the employer. You also want to check the PDF size requirements as well so you don't send too big of a file. I will say this though. Some major architecture firms must still think it is the 1980's and have some draconian file size limits for submissions. Such as 4 images but no more then 512k PDF size, so it can be hard to meet their standards.

 

Myself, I would absolutely prefer online only portfolios and just opening up a PDF that has your work/education history on it. I hate printing PDF's because one, it's needlessly wasting paper and, two, I can't trust our printer to show your work in the best quality. I would hate to miss out on a good candidate because our printer was low on toner that day.

 

As far as the VFX/WIP's/Blog sections go. That is nice, but also totally unnecessary for a portfolio. I want to see your finished architecture work because that is what I am hiring you for. You also need to be extremely careful with WIP's. If they are older than a few weeks, it just shows you can't finish work. Which is why I am a huge advocate for keeping them off of professional portfolios. I want to see your best work as soon as I load your portfolio. If I have to go click hunting or wait for loading screens, chances are I will pass immediately. That is one thing that is nice about PDF portfolios though, no annoying music or loading screens. It is just your art standing alone.

 

During a hiring phase, it is not uncommon for us to receive hundreds of applicants and have to sort through them, so we treat it with a very brutally effective method. If you don't follow directions or have read the submission requirements, you are automatically removed from the pile. I've got to say, that phase right there ends up culling about 75% of all applicants. Because, if you can't follow simple submission requirements, how can you follow project directions?

Edited October 29, 2015 by VelvetElvis

[John Dollus]

As someone who routinely hires, I would suggest you follow directions exactly. If they want a PDF, send them a PDF.... Because, if you can't follow simple submission requirements, how can you follow project directions?

 

This exactly!

[Tommy L]

I hire occasionally, but I find it so difficult to find good staff I just really don't care how they get in touch or how they present their work. Print it on postcards and deliver by carrier pigeon. If you're good, it will show through.

Discard all the applications that dont follow the instructions to the letter? I think you'd be missing a lot of talent that way. Protocols can be taught, an artistic eye cannot.

[Scott Schroeder]

Discard all the applications that dont follow the instructions to the letter? I think you'd be missing a lot of talent that way. Protocols can be taught, an artistic eye cannot.

 

This is true, but at the same time it has to be done to help weed out the massive pile of resumes. If we ask for 4 samples and you provide us with 2-3 awesome pieces of work, that's fine. If we ask that you provide us with samples and you only send us a weblink that makes us click around just to find one image, that's not so fine. A link that takes us directly to your best work, that's medium fine. But if I have to do extra work just to get your work into the potential talent pool for committee review, I don't like doing that and that extra time is reserved for only the tip tippy top quality work.

 

In the same way, though in a stretch to bridge my argument, artistic eye is about attention to detail. Like paying attention to submission requirements.

[retrostarskywalker]

Thank you for all your help and advice guys! I really appreciate it. Lots of useful info.

 

I guess I will play it safe and make a pdf of my best pieces and give a link to my online folio as an alternative option.

 

I do like Tom's ideas though, of sending it via a carrier pigeon. That would make for quite a memorable applicant.

[artmaknev]

Ok thanks . How many images do they generally expect? and is it a case quality over quantity, since my latest stuff is closer to being photorealistic imo. So I was thinking I could make a pdf of about 6-7 of my best images (both interior/exterior) + a few clay renders of the highly detailed ones to show how I modelled it in max. For a junior position is it worth showing any other qualities such as a few images of final academic projects if they show good clean modelling skill and creativity, but not necessarily photoreal renders (assuming that's what the company is pumping out).

 

Thanks again

 

Usually it just takes 3-5 of your best works to get the attention of employer and ask you for the interview or more work samples for specific requirements. You can show a few good clay renderings at the end of your pdf, but front should always be 3-5 of your best works.

Edited October 30, 2015 by artmaknev

[SkylineArch]

I've only ever seen a job posting for Arch Viz one time in my area, I applied but didn't hear back, they didn't reply to my follow up emails either, then a month later they posted the same opening, again I applied, in a slightly different way, but no response. So either I suck more than I know I do (even though I fit their description and requirements 100%) or they had some sort of issue of the emails box being a dead end. But a simple, "you suck, stop bothering us", would have been nice, at least acknowledge you received my application.

 

Either way, Arch Viz jobs are hard to come by, unless you are willing to move across the country. Around here, I think most of the positions are filled by college interns, because most of the industry likes ArchViz, but doesn't want to pay for it.

[Fooch]

just do what it says, and put the link to your site.

 

if you have a great site , yes (great as in website was designed professionally and usable plus view-able on mobile) .. but ive seen enough flash/turrible animation based crapsites in my time so automatically if that comes up, application goes into the bin.

 

normally I would skim through a pdf quickly .. if its good, we would review it later and view more.