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IT Job Feature: 10 Must-Know Skills for a job in Web Design

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In order to land an IT Job in web design, check out the top 10 tips below.

You need to know them so well that you can do them almost without thinking. When it comes to an IT Job in web design, many skills can change and evolve over time, but there are a few basics that you should be able to do in your sleep.

And even if you aren’t a “web designer” by trade, each of these skills is becoming must-have for all designers working today. How many are you already comfortable with? Let’s dive in and take a look at what you should be able to do on “auto pilot”!

 

1. Code with HTML and CSS

Whether you are a developer or not, everyone needs to understand the most basic of language behind website design. You need to understand how to read, edit and troubleshoot basic HTML.

In any case, you should be able to pinpoint a bold or font or color or size issue in HTML without thinking. You should be able to substitute styles in CSS with ease. These are skills that are easy to learn and will serve you well in the long run.

 

2. Edit Photos

In any design field, it’s likely that you will work with images all day long. So it only makes sense that you understand how to manipulate them. From basic cropping to sizing and a little “clean up,” you should be able to work with photos with ease. At a minimum, you should feel comfortable with cropping and resizing as well as some image quality adjustment.

 

3. Make a Print

While your IT job might be in the digital realm, parts of the design will no doubt be needed for printed applications. From fliers to business cards to press releases, you should be able to create and convert elements in such a way that are also print-ready.

Key things to understand include printing resolutions for different media types and colour. While you likely use a value such as FF0000 to make a text block red, that won’t work for printing. CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) color mixes are the standard for printed items.

 

4. Write a Headline

It’s near impossible to really visualise a design with lorem ipsum as the main headline. The words are the glue that bring the visuals and the message together. Your headline might not always stick, but you should always fill in the big words when you turn in a design concept.

As a practical matter, the words can help the client understand how much space is available for text. A good headline shows that you understand the client and go the extra mile in projects and it leaves people with a lasting impression.

 

5. Grab Any Device and Navigate a Website

You should have a comfort level with computers and devices that most people do not. This might require breaking away from your favourite devices or browsers or programs and playing with plenty of other things.

We’ve all been there: There’s nothing worse than a client whipping out an old phone or showing you something on a small screen for help and you just can’t figure it out with ease. You should be able to use your website (and others) in any environment and talk others through how to do it as well.

Tip: Just start playing. Make sure to experiment with different browsers and if you are an Apple person, pick up an Android device (and vice versa).

 

6. Sketch with Confidence

One of the greatest things about sketching is that you can help others visualise what you are thinking. Remember, plenty of other people need to see a wireframe or outline before they can start to imagine what you are thinking.

Sketching with confidence is a great way to help create that connection. This is not to say you need to learn to be a top-notch artist overnight. But you should come ready with a pad and pen so you can put those ideas on paper and share them with the team.

 

7. Use a Common Framework

There is no shame in using a website design framework to kick-start projects. In fact, you probably should unless you are a super-star developer.

Frameworks keep you from reinventing the wheel with every project and are easy for others to use if you are ultimately handing a website over to a client that will try to maintain it and make updates. WordPress is a popular option, but there are plenty of others out there to try.

Tip: Start with WordPress. It’s the largest blogging and website content management system and framework available.

 

8. Backup and Package Files

While a website seems to be a self-containing system, it is not. You need to understand how to and how often to backup your site (and restore it, if necessary) to prevent data loss should something happen to the site. If you don’t know the exact logistics of this exercise in your sleep, you should know what is being saved, how frequently it is happening and where the data is stored.

In addition, you should have a good idea of how to create package files for website styles, design parts and pieces and more that can be used as a backup and can provide vital information for clients should they need to use the parts. Package files (for print) are a necessary part of the web design process as well so clients have a set of branding tools that match the website design for printed promotions.

Tip: Every website needs a backup plan. Packaging files will help you keep materials, such as fonts and images, together when you have to send them elsewhere.

 

9. Know 3 Trends (And When To Use Them)

You should be able to talk to anyone with a reasonable amount of design knowledge about what visual techniques are trending and why or why you should not use them. How do they work and what do you like/dislike about these trends. Alternatively, you can view online sources for advice.

 

10. Explain Design Theory

Colour, flow, balance and proportion, spacing: These are all things that you should just be able to see when working on projects. But it’s more than having a good eye; design theory is equally important. Understanding why you do what you do and why that creates a well-balanced aesthetic is important.

And if you understand it well, you can explain it and more easily defend and explain design decisions to others. A foundation in the basics will help you master any project.

 

Conclusion

How many elements on this list can you check off as things you know in your sleep? How many others are you eager to go learn more about or refresh your skillset?

Web design – like any other type of design – is rooted in the basics and sprinkled with plenty of trends and new techniques. A good understanding of the mix will help you grow and become a better designer, and will help you feel even more confident in your design decisions and work.

If you are already familiar with all of these skills and would like to take the next step in your web design career, check out our latest IT Job vacancy by clicking here!

7 MUST-HAVE skills for a job in Digital Marketing

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There’s currently a talent gap in digital marketing and employers are on the look out to fill them…

The industry is currently experiencing a talent shortage in digital marketing. According to recent studies, 90% of marketers report suffering from a shortage of digital skills, and only 8% of surveyed companies feel strong in the area of digital marketing.

Here are seven of the most important skills that you need to make yourself a desirable job candidate in the digital age:

 

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Of the companies looked at for the study, in which hundreds of job postings for digital talent were analysed, 14% cited SEO as a required skill.

To compete as a candidate for a digital marketing job, you must have technical SEO skills, including server-side settings, sitemaps and server response codes. Moreover, competitive candidates should have experience using various tools to identify customers’ search behaviours and the competitive landscape.

 

2. Pay-per-click: Seven percent of the companies that were looked at in the study listed search engine marketing (SEM) as a required skill for their organisations, and one of the most important and growing facets of SEM is pay-per-click (PPC). In order to demonstrate your abilities in this area, you need to show that you have the research and analytical skills required to create and execute a strong PPC plan that aligns with an overarching marketing strategy.

 

3. Mobile: To demonstrate value in this area, you need to understand how mobile marketing differs from desktop marketing and communicate why that matters to the rest of the business. Moreover, a digital marketer should have general familiarity with mobile development in order to best communicate with the design team and create a cohesive mobile marketing strategy that aligns with other online and offline efforts. Get familiar with its vocabulary, including things like SMS marketing and responsive design.

 

4. E-mail marketing: You need to be able to do more than send out regular communication. You must be able to optimise your e-mail marketing by crafting a compelling strategy, testing relentlessly and refining content based on what works best. It’s also essential that today’s marketers understand the best ways to develop distribution lists and use e-mail nurturing to create more business opportunities.

 

5. Social media: Ten percent of the businesses that were analysed in the study cited social media experience as a requirement for applicants, and that doesn’t just mean that they want someone with an active personal Twitter account. Digital marketers need to understand how to develop a strong social media presence to help bolster their brands and further their marketing goals.

 

6. Content management: SEO, e-mail marketing and social media skills are useless if you don’t back up your technical skills with excellent writing for multiple platforms. The ability to flow easily between writing e-mails, press releases, website copy, proposals, social posts and even code is key to success in today’s digital marketing field. Make sure that you demonstrate your ability to write across media, and to guide and polish the content of others on your team.

 

7. Analytics: In the study, a whopping 13% of businesses listed analytics experience as a required skill in their job descriptions. In order to be a truly great digital marketer, you’ll need to not only implement strong inbound and outbound digital strategies, but also analyse them regularly and use those insights to constantly improve. If you want to make it in a digital marketing job, it’s time to make ROI your middle name.

 

If you feel worthy of utilising all of these skills within a working environment, check out our latest Marketing role by following this link!

 

If you would like to learn more about Digital Marketing Strategies, there are many courses which you can enrol on to. Check out the Digital Marketing Course websites below!

Digital Marketing Institute

Home Learning College

Chartered Institue of Marketing

FutureLearn

Online Marketing/SEO Training

 

– Avi Levine

Could Virtual Reality be the future of Recruitment?

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The recruitment process may take place in the Virtual World in the near future: Lloyds trials virtual tests for candidates

Lloyds Banking Group is launching a scheme that uses VR headsets to put job applicants to the test in virtual situations during the recruitment process.

Beyond gaming, there are a myriad ways companies are attempting to embrace virtual reality. The latest is in recruitment.

Lloyds Banking Group is launching a scheme that uses VR headsets to put job applicants to the test in virtual situations. No longer will the applicants have to describe how they would handle a certain situation, they will soon be asked to prove it but taking on a range of problem-solving tasks in virtual worlds.

The technology will be first used in Lloyds’ graduate recruitment drive this autumn as part of its 2017 Digital and IT Graduate Schemes.

By using the VR headsets, the assessor will be able to give candidates a range of situations and tasks and monitor their progress. They will be looking at how the candidates approach the tasks, how they solve them and if they encounter any problems.

Lloyds said this would give the company a chance to assess candidates in ways “that would otherwise be unfeasible in the conventional assessment process”.

A spokesperson added: “This demonstrates our commitment to future talent and in hiring the digital leaders of the future.”

During the VR interview, the candidate will have complete freedom of movement within a 360-degree virtual world and will be able to move virtual objects using tracked motion controls.

If you enjoyed this article, check out more Information Technology Industry insights by clicking here!

10 Great Examples of Interview Horror Stories

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A Job Interview may not always go smoothly. But to what extent can an interview go wrong and how badly?

How you present yourself in a job interview is the determining factor in whether or not you will land a job. According to a study by Anderson & Shackleton in the Journal of Occupational Psychology, people who are perceived as “relaxed, interesting, strong, ambitious, mature and pleasant” are the ones who tend to get hired.1 That is a vibe that employers can pick up quickly. In fact, a survey of 2,000 employers revealed that 33% of interviewers know whether or not they will hire applicants within 30 seconds of meeting them.2

“33% of interviewers know within 30 seconds of meeting someone whether or not they will hire them”

This is an alarming statistic and for many people it is difficult to maintain composure under the stress of an interview. It’s no wonder there are a number of job interview horror stories. Here are ten noteworthy interview fails, each accompanied by tips to help you prepare for your next interview and avoid similar mistakes. Integrate these interview tips and skills into your repertoire, and next time you will have the know how to ace that job interview.

  1. Bomb the First Impression

One interview candidate was running late and so frazzled that he left home for the interview wearing two different shoes, and his prescription sunglasses instead of his eyeglasses! Suffice it to say, the cool “hipster” look came off as unprofessional and he did not get the job.

Advice: While it’s hard to believe that someone could actually do that, the message here is clear: Make a good first impression. In most cases, opt for business attire, understated makeup and jewelry, good grooming, and excellent hygiene.

  1. Be a Negative Nelly

Another interviewee when asked about her last job, went off on a tangent ranting about her old boss and spent a good portion of the interview badmouthing him – only to find out that he was a relative of the interviewer!

Advice: Even if you have strong feelings about someone, there are ways of being authentic without being negative. Sometimes a short, polite answer can speak volumes. At any rate, be respectful when talking about your former employers and coworkers, as bashing an old employer creates a negative vibe and can tank your interview.

  1. Make Yourself at Home… Literally!

Believe it or not, there are a number of reports of people falling asleep during job interviews! One job interview candidate even removed their socks and shoes during an interview, because she felt it was too hot in the room!

Advice: While it’s great to be calm and collected during an interview, don’t over do it. The interviewer has just met you, so remain professional and be aware of appropriate boundaries. Don’t start getting casual until you have landed the job, but generally speaking, you probably don’t want to fall asleep or take your shoes off if hope to keep your job for a long time!

  1. Don’t Think Before Speaking

A job candidate was asked one of the standard interview questions, “What is your greatest accomplishment?” She replied, “Writing my first novel.” When the interviewer said, “We mean something you have accomplished in a work setting.” she replied, “Well, actually I wrote most of it while at work!”

Advice: While this is an amusing anecdote, a prospective employer does not want to hear that you work on your own projects while on their clock. When asked a question, be sure to pause for a moment or two and consider the impact your answer might have.

“When asked a question, be sure to pause for a moment or two and consider the impact your answer might have.”

  1. Tell a Few Politically Incorrect Jokes

One job interview candidate was reported to have made derogatory comments about a Country. Sure enough, the interviewer was from the same Country!

Advice: While it’s natural to want to break the ice with a joke, stick to neutral topics that have no risk of offending anybody. Avoid topics like religion, politics or anything that might offend a particular group.

  1. Bring your Cell, so You Can Phone a Friend for the Hard Questions!

After being asked a particularly tough question, one woman stopped her interviewer, and asked if she could dial her therapist! Needless to say, she did not get the job.

Advice: An interview is not the time to “phone a friend.” Be sure that you are as prepared as possible when walking through the door. If you’re hit with a question that seems out of left field, trust your instincts and give your best answer.

  1. Break a Law or Two, and Tell the World About it!

As one interview was getting started, the candidate revealed that by crossing the state line to attend the interview, he was in violation of his probation, but that he felt the interview was worth risking the possible jail time. Yikes!

Advice: Maybe it goes without being said, but you should not break the law to attend an interview, and you should also be selective about what you reveal from your past. Everyone has a few skeletons in their closet. If it’s not relevant, don’t share it.

  1. Don’t Waste Your Time Preparing

Almost every interview includes some form of the classic question, “What is your greatest weakness?” Some not-so-great answers on record are: “I have a bad temper, and when I get really angry have been known to throw things,” or “I love to gossip.”

Advice: Interviewers have heard all of the canned, cheesy answers like, “I’m a workaholic,” or, “Some might say I’m loyal to a fault.” The best way to approach this interview question is to state a true weakness and moderate it with steps you have taken to counter it. Here are some examples:

  • “Being organized just wasn’t my strongest point, but now I’ve implemented a time-management system that has really helped me stay organized.”
  • “I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, so in the past I have gotten caught up in checking every little detail and wasted a lot of time. However, over time I’ve developed a balanced approach that is less time consuming.”
  • “I used to want to control every aspect of a project myself, but now I’ve gotten really good at delegating appropriately.”
  1. Don’t Plan for the Unexpected

Recently, many companies like Google and other high profile tech companies are mixing it up with some seemingly oddball interview questions. When one applicant was asked, “What person would you like to have dinner with, living or dead?” He replied, “The living one.” Probably not what the interviewer had in mind! Here are some other examples of non-traditional interview questions:

  • “If you could be any superhero, who would it be?”
  • “What animal best represents your personality, and why?”
  • “How would you move Mount Vesuvius?”
  • “What color characterizes you, and why?”
  • “What was your best McGyver moment?”

Advice: The purpose of this type of question is not to stump you, but to see if you can think on your feet, and how creative you are. Many employers want to see a bit of your character along with your credentials, so have fun with these questions (within reason!) and let your personality shine.

  1. Part in Awkward Manner

One job applicant made quite the exit when he got up to leave the interview and walked straight into a glass door, shattering it into pieces! Fortunately, he was not hurt, but his chances at getting the job were.

Advice: Your final impression is just as important as your first. Exit the interview as gracefully and professionally as possible.

“Do your homework and research the company you interviewing with.”
So there you have it — ten of the biggest interview fails reported on the Internet. Could you imagine being in one these situations? Maybe the sheer embarrassment and awkwardness of it all is enough to help you avoid the situation in the future. If you’re still unsure, check out our interview hints and tips page by following this link. They will no doubt help you avoid making the same mistakes. Do your homework and research the company you interviewing with. Practice makes perfect. Find a partner and do some mock interviews using the job interview tricks explained above, and you will have the know-how to ace the job interview and land your dream job!

 

– Brad Zomick

How a Recruitment Agency can help you find the right job

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Looking for a job is a full-time job in itself and can be extremely time consuming and daunting. That’s where a recruitment agency can help.

Not only helping you to manage the ‘workload’ of a job hunt, the benefits of a recruitment agency stretch right through to helping you succeed in an interview. And for job seekers, a recruitment agency is absolutely free to use!

So just how exactly can a recruitment agency prove beneficial when seeking a job? Here are 5 key points:

1. A more tailored job search

The advantages of using a recruitment agency are clear when you look at how they can help tailor your job search. Skilled recruiters will know their clients well – and the roles they have available. As a result, they will be able to target the vacancies they put you forward for.

With a recruitment agency helping you with your job hunt you will be put forward for roles that are right for you, as oppose to applying blindly to companies with only the job description to go on and perhaps the companies website to build up an idea of what they’re about.

2. Support and guidance

A recruitment agency is built on the skills of its recruiters – they know the job market, they’re experts in interviewing and skills assessments, they know their client’s requirements and they know how to help you shine in the eyes of the employers.

A great recruitment agency will be able to help you strengthen your interview skills, tidy up your CV and focus your career goals. Nurture the relationship with your recruitment agency and they could prove instrumental in your career progression.

3. Making the job hunt more manageable

Your job hunt can easily get out of control. You may send your CV off to lots of different companies and get responses coming through here and there. But how do you know if you need to follow up on an application? Do you have a structured way of knowing where you should be and for what interview? Have you had the opportunity to do enough research into the job and organisation you’re applying for?

A recruitment agency will have an organised system to help manage job seekers and clients – and it can take a huge weight from your shoulders. They will be the ones to send your CV to targeted clients, they will organise the interviews and they will give you updates and feedback. They’ll also be able to tell you the details you need to know about the employer, helping you to focus your efforts.

4. An ongoing relationship

A recruitment agency doesn’t need to be a one-off support system. If you make a good impression with recruiters, they will be happy to help you later down the line when you’re ready to make another career move.

In another example, if you work in HR and are placed as a candidate by a recruitment agency you can easily build an ongoing relationship that benefits your work. You can make the transition from candidate to client, using the agency’s skills to help you place candidates in your organisation.

5. Feedback

Finally, a recruitment agency will help you go onwards and upwards by providing constructive criticism and feedback. If you didn’t quite get that job after an interview, recruiters will be able to help you understand why and then help you strengthen your interview skills or otherwise in time for your next attempt.

Here at Graffiti Recruitment, we take the time to get to know you, your business, thoughts, dreams and aspirations. We consider ourselves IT Matchmakers, Artists and Scientists all rolled into one. This combination allows us to be a professional soundboard and advise you on the best options for you!  Our Graffiti team are all self-confessed IT geeks and are proud of it, so when we talk to you we have a genuine interest in your career and business requirements.

If you are interested in a career within the IT Industry, get in touch to see how we can help you on 0330 2233 047 or submit your CV on our website by following this link.

Shrewsbury Development will see 400 new Shropshire Jobs

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400 new Shropshire Jobs will be created following development plan by major food company ABP.

More than 400 Shropshire Jobs are to be created by food giant ABP, with a £20 million investment at its operation in Shrewsbury.

The redevelopment of its site in Harlescott is the company’s latest vote of confidence in Shropshire.

Last year ABP completed a £30 million overhaul of its site at Hordley near Ellesmere.

ABP is already one of the biggest private sector employers in Shropshire, with 732 staff at the Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury and more than 725 at Ellesmere. The new additions would take its total workforce to almost 1,900 in Shropshire.

ABP said there will also be a significant number of construction jobs generated during the project.

Its county operations supply beef to major customers across the country, with Sainsbury’s a key contract for the company.

The latest proposal is for a new retail meat packing building that ABP said will improve the existing Shrewsbury plant.

The new building will also include a dry goods store, employee amenities, canteen facilities and administration and staff offices.

But director Seamus Banim sounded one note of caution over the impact of Brexit on farmers in the UK.

“The vast majority of cattle coming to ABP Shrewsbury is sourced from farms within a 50-mile radius and it is our hope that this supply of quality British cattle will not be impacted in a post Brexit non CAP era,” he said.

A planning application for the development is expected to be made public in the next few days.

Councillor Malcolm Price, Shropshire Council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “The comments we have received so far have mostly been positive. When it is completed it will be one of the most modern and efficient packing plants in Europe. All the equipment will be brand new, state-of-the-art.

“The good thing about the company is all the meat that goes into the site comes from within 50 miles of Shrewsbury.

“This is a major investment for Shropshire. It is significant employment and economic investment.

“In 15 years of being a councillor I have never heard a complaint against ABP. They are a very professional and well-run company. They have a great reputation.”

– Shropshirestar

 

For more information on Shropshire Jobs, check out our latest job vacancies on our website by clicking here!

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