How to Boost Your Creative Brainpower

How to Boost Your Creative BrainpowerHow to Boost Your Creative BrainpowerSearching for inspiration? Heres how four accomplished creative professionalscome up with all-star ideas.Generating ideas for new projects can seem daunting, and getting started is frequently a huge part of the battle. Feeling stuck? We talked to Gail Anderson (cofounder of Anderson Newton Design), Will Miller (partner and creative director atFirebelly Design), Andrea Pippins (founder ofFly and adjunct faculty member at the Maryland Institute College of Art) and Ron Thompson (cofounder of Italic Studio) about how they tackle the idea generation process. Based on a wealth of experience, here are their tipsWhen it comes to idea generation, beginning is often the hardest part. How do you kick-start yourself?Anderson I collaborate with my partner, Joe Newton. Its great to have someone to commiserate with. He is probably more polite than he needs to be, but its good to know that theres someone there to shoot down my bad ideas as needed. We do a lot of pencil sketches and have copious notes scrawled everywhere, so we typically dont rush to the computer right away. Both Joe and I really enjoy dissecting a project together, so its fun to just sit at our desks and talk about all the possibilities.Miller Many times, we push ahead by looking back. Past projects provide many opportunities for good ideas that began to take shape but might not have come to fruition. We also ask ourselves what weve seen out in the world thats exciting - a special print process, a certain type of binding or an interaction we werent expecting. If its something of interest to the studio and makes good sense for a project, well try and find a way to explore it and make it unique.Pippins I typically start writing down words that come to mind when thinking of the topic at hand. Its usually in a list form or a mind map. I use those words to refine my research for inspirational imagery. I love going to the library to do resear ch, but I also use online resources. I build private mood boards on Pinterest for projects, and collect images that I can use as inspiration and reference throughout the process. Then I start sketching. Most times, those thumbnails are scanned in and used as a base where I build the final design or illustration.Thompson Luckily, we dont begin any project in a vacuum. We have a starting point that is spelled out in the client brief. After listening to our clients talk about the problem theyre trying to solve, well do a deep dive with them to learn all about their industry and their product. This initial research gets us in the right frame of mind for developing our concepts, from which all other ideas and visuals will flow.Do you have idea generation sessions with clients to get their input?Anderson Some clients really appreciate engaging, and others are too overwhelmed with their own day-to-day chaos to have time for more than a quick email. But its always preferable to draw clients out to get any tidbits of information, even if its simply telling us what they dont want. Weve been working with one client whos been really great about including us in their internal process, and who welcomes our input and guidance. Thats been really energizing, and keeps us on our toes. When a client truly respects your point of view, you want to give them 110 percent. Everyone wins.Miller When we talk about ideas and inspiration with the client, its typically early in the project. We present real-world examples of design, art, and architecture, and we talk about each example in a way that highlights the clients need or captures a key characteristic of the project. A 10- to 15-page deck of inspiration, organized by concept and design direction, really helps our client understand how what we do will directly tie to their goals and objectives. An added benefit of this step is it allows clients to voice their subjective distastes, helping us focus on what will be fruchtwein well-rec eived.Thompson Each client is a bit different. Some want working brainstorming sessions while others are fine being hands-off and letting us do our thing. With that said, we always start every project with a kickoff meeting in which we discuss the creative brief with our client, listen to their goals and then ask a ton of questions. Then, we like to break out on our own to really dig into our ideas rather than sit in a room and have a big brainstorming session where ideas are jotted on whiteboards. Those meetings can work against you when it comes to being efficient and letting your mind flow unedited.What do you do when you hit the proverbial wall? Do you have any advice on how to overcome creative blocks?Anderson Over time, Ive learned that the best thing to do when you hit a wall is to step back from the project. Close the file and walk away - temporarily, of course. Even when things are time-sensitive, you need to take a stroll around the block, get a cup of coffee, or whatever it takes to shift your mind and focus on something else, preferably not work-related. Its really important to figure out what to do when the needle gets stuck. Its a lesson that took me about 20 years to learn.Miller Theres a huge amount of collaboration in the office, so when one person is hitting a wall and feeling stuck, well share files and discuss. Theres no ownership of work and no one is protective of a project. We try to work together to move projects forward in the best and most appropriate way. Being willing to ask for advice and critique is a solid way to move forward.Pippins Having a person you can go to for feedback on a project is a great way to get unstuck. He or she can ask you questions and provide insight you havent thought of, or tell you what youre doing is great (youre overthinking it) or terrible (you need to go back to the drawing board). It always helps.Thompson I wish we had a secret serum (whiskey, perhaps) that would always allow us to be at our peak, but we all get blocked. For us, just stepping away tends to be the best cure. Go run, walk, surf, bike, read a book or whatever it is that you like to do outside of work. It can help to take your mind off things and open you back up to new ideas or ways to approach the project.Do you have any tips for recent grads just starting out their creative careers on how to generate ideas and stay fresh?Anderson When youre walking down the street, put your smartphone down and remove your earbuds. Constantly observe your surroundings, noting even the most mundane daily occurrences or patterns. There are stories everywhere, and those stories are the basis of ideas. Not being afraid to fail is important, too. An idea might seem corny or bad in the moment, but you never know if theres a kernel underneath that can be built on. I find that even now, Im sometimes too self-conscious to take a chance on throwing an idea out there that might be a clunker, only to hear someone else say it. And then everyon e thinks that person is a genius Ugh.Miller Stay aware of whats happening in the design world. Dig into projects that have a lot of writing accompanying the final piece. Reading how other visual communicators have turned colors, symbols and ideas into something fresh is exciting and empowering. Not only does it help you understand how to talk about successful projects, it promotes the vocabulary needed in your own work to articulate challenging concepts.Pippins I show my students at MICA different techniques to generate multiple ideas like visual brain dumping (quick doodles) or giving them a random word to think about in relation to the topic. My advice is to get off the Internet when doing research and go to the library. Looking for historical references and the original sources for an idea you saw online can trigger another direction. When we learn as much as we possibly can about a topic, within a given timeframe, it gives us more information to be inspired by.Thompson Get out o f your comfort zone and live. Meet new people, try new restaurants, visit a country youve never been to, take a class and so on. Also, write down your thoughts or keep a journal. And I mean write, not type. Its amazing how the mind works differently when using a good old-fashioned pencil or pen on paper. Just get your ideas out and get them out fast.Idea generation can be tough when youre a freelancer who works alone. For more tips, read our post, How to Brainstorm When Youre Working Solo.SEARCH OUR JOB OPENINGS

Raising a Mid-Level Resume to VP Level

Raising a Mid-Level Resume to VP LevelRaising a Mid-Level Resume to VP LevelCertified professional resume writer Ken Moore bridged a senior sales executives varying roles together to elevate a sub-par resume.Sometimes its hard to recognize that your resume doesnt really reflect your talents - or may even give readers the wrong impression.Case in point Bill Johnson.Bill, who asked Ladders elend to use his real name for this article, is a senior sales executive with proven leadership in geschftlicher umgang development. But to read his old resume read, you would think he was a mid-level strategic partner, not a vice president-level expert in both wireless technology and construction materials.Bills former resume would have given people a false impression that he only had mid-level experience, said Ken Moore, certified resume writer with Ladders. He was much more senior than he was portraying. Also, there was no focused job target in his intro.Johnson attended a networking auffhrung La dders held recently at the New York Athletic Club, where he received a resume critique. (For more information on upcoming events nationwide, drop a line to the career services team.)You know, I was pretty skeptical about the whole thing, Johnson admitted. There are a lot of people trying to take advantage of this downturn, and lots of job sites that are polluted with garbage. I made sure to grill them about things. And I got my answer.The answer? His resume needed a professionals touch.I decided I would try the free resume critique they had there at the event, Johnson said. They were very gentle about it. They went out of their way to critique it in a way that was considerate, but they ripped it to shreds. It was a gentle but constructive shredding.Johnson said he is really pleased with his new resume and much preferred collaborating on it to going it alone.I had a hard time reconciling my two very different sales roles in wireless and construction supplies, Johnson said. I also had a really hard time writing about myself, and I really wasnt up with the style of resumes written today. Writing your own resume is kind of like cutting your own hair. Ive tried it, but it didnt exactly look right. Two roles, one goal One challenge we had with Bill was to bridge and condense his expertise in two very different fields, Moore said. But we also had to overcome some common mistakes in resumes that we see a lot, like the use of personal pronouns and the lack of things like revenue numbers and percentage of business increased.In a field as competitive as technology sales, it becomes incredibly important to quantify the bullet points in your resume. With guidance from Johnson, Moore was able to go back and retrofit the resume. He included hard numbers about business Johnson won and brands he supported, and he consolidated the document to focus on the past 10 to 12 years.Bill had a lot of one-liners, said Moore. Things like 1 sales performer in U.S. for two years but no qua lification of what that did for the business. Anyone can write that, but you need to qualify it in a more detailed fashion.The formula for a successful resume, according to Moore Say what you want by saying what you are.Its not personal, its businessYou have to capture the reader of the resume right at the very beginning, Moore said. You have to point out your immediate career goal and show your value to a future employer.Moore said it takes subtlety to focus on what you want without overdoing the personal angle.Your career goal is not a personal objective statement, Moore said. Its a branding statement that says, This is who I am and This is what I can do for your business. What surprised Bill most about the process of having his resume tuned up by The Ladders professionals?They know what they are doing, Johnson said. Its like the difference between an autobiography and a biography. You know what I mean? Its like having a nice, finished, polished product thats been run through all the quality checks. It was very worth it, and I got it back in a week. They were good and fast.

This isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friend

This isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friendThis isnt personal How to diplomatically fire your friendNothing feels better than onboarding a friend - someone you know, trust, and can speak bluntly to, right? Nobody imagines that when they hire or partner with a friend, they may one day need to fire them, but thats often the case.Hiring friends can lead to the very best, and the very worst outcomes. If you have the fortitude to weatzu sich the latter, then it might be well worth the risk. For instance, my fellow co-founder, David Mainiero, has been my best friend since freshman year of college, and I cant imagine running my business without him.Still, having fired friends a few times before, I thought I would pass along a step-by-step guide on how to confront what may be every entrepreneurs worst nightmare.1. Realize that, either way, your friendship is overMost individuals Ive spoken to tell me their biggest concern is that firing their friend will jeopardize their relat ionship.She wont forgive me Indeed, she may leid forgive you. But one thing is certain if you dont call it quits when the business relationship clearly isnt working out, it will beyouwho does not forgivethem.If you are debating whether to fire a friend, chances are that your friendship is already over you just dont know it yet. Hopefully, your friend will handle their termination with grace and forgiveness, but thats the exception, not the rule.2. Focus on the legal situation at handNow that youve lost your friend, things could get ugly, and its time to get your legal approach in order. Oftentimes, when people feel personally invested, they tend to overlook those pesky legal details. But its precisely during that time that you should pay particular attention. Youd be surprised by the number of legal issues that arise due to personal, rather than business-related, issues.Read your friends employment agreement, and if necessary, the operating agreement for your company. If your frien d is just an employee, consult an employment lawyer in your state, or if theyre a partner, consult an attorney. Be sure to ask what your rights are, what his/her rights are, and how you can make termination legal and incontestable.Before your friend has even an inkling that you intend to fire them, you should essentially have your entire approach planned out.3. Set up an in-person meetingMuch like breaking up with a significant other, firing a friend should be done face to face. Once youve gathered yourself and your legal strategy, its time to send them an email setting up a place and time to chat.It will behoove you not to betray your intentions at this meeting. Youve made up your mind, and this is whats best for your business. If you make it clear that youre coming in guns blazing, youll only give them more of an opportunity to prepare.Remember that self-preservation is human instinct, and if you were in their position, you wouldalsoleverage feelings of personal attachment and gui lt to keep your job. They will likely do the same, and providing advance warning will only make it worse.4. Be honest and transparentThis is where things get really difficult, because you dont want to hurt your friends feelings. As well, your friend (hopefully) doesnt want to let you down or lose their job. If you arent extremely direct, open and firm, youre going to find yourself in an argument about how you can make things work. But this isnt the time for an argument this is the time for separation.So, muster up all the courage you have, look directly at your friend and say, Im going to be completely honest. This isnt working out, and I dont believe we can work together. Im very sorry, and it hurts me to do this.Afterward, you may choose to provide examples and justifications. Give your friend the opportunity to vent, ask questions, and generally be angry. If possible, explain how your own shortcomings have contributed to the situation. But dont lie or sugarcoat your comments. The correct answer to, I wasntthatbad is not, I know, Im just looking for something else. Its, Yes, you were that bad.This may seem unduly harsh, but there are only two options from your friends perspective. Either a) They couldnt meet your expectations, or b) Youre a horrible friend who couldnt give your best friend a break. Trust me, you do not want the latter.5. Remind your friend that this wasnt personalThis entire affair means that you must remain dispassionate. Its adifficult thing to do, but its necessary. Once its clear that the business relationship has ended, remind your friend that this has nothing to do with your friendship, that you hope you can remain friends, and that you will help them however you can.Joel Butterly is the co-founder ofInGenius Prep, an admissions consulting company.This article first appeared at BusinessCollective.