Professional Practice - the outcome

A Critical Analysis of the Professional Practice Process

In reflection I believe I completed the exercise in the best way possible for me. Firstly I prepared my CV and portfolio so that I was sure they represent me in the best possible way, one is no good without the other when applying for a creative role. It is my belief that when you make your first contact with a potential employer, you need to bare in mind that it may only be the first contact of many before they actual pay attention and consider your requests seriously, it is therefore important to make sure that the impact you leave is a positive one. Maybe I will not hear back from any of the brands that I have contacted, but if I choose to apply for a position with the brand or the individuals that have viewed my submission again, in the future I may be remembered from my previous contacts, and if so, I want to ensure that the memory is positive one. This would require ensuring that the presentation of my efforts reflect me well and that all correspondences are consistent and of a professional standard, including being well thought-out and not look as if I have rushed the work. It is important that my CV and cover letter are creative, honest and well researched, which includes without error. That any work they may see is of the highest quality and reflects my abilities, whilst also showing my potential.

I learned a lot about researching from this process also, about researching a brand before writing the covering letter. This is something I didn’t understand until I followed the instructions and only then as I wrote my first covering letter did I see the importance and the power it can provide you with.

I now understand more about the companies I have researched, companies that I had assumed there was little left that I could learn about them, knowledge that will place me in good stead should I acquire an interview.

When it came to the format that I ended up sending the CV and portfolio in, I spent a long time  deliberating over whether it should be sent be email or by post, if I were to send it digitally, it would turn up immediately, without delay, it is a process that requires no finance to carry out and I can send almost all of my portfolio, however I would be unsure that the email was read or just discarded without any viewing, which is common with unsolicited emails within business. If I were to send it by post I can tailor make the entire package, my CV, covering letter and work can all reflect my creative flare. I can ensure that it stands out by using special paper, or writing style. I also think this process is harder to ignore, however it does have its drawbacks, It require a lot more work and it is very costly for printing.

I decided that a compromise was to send hard copies via the post but to send only a handful of images to each, making sure the ones I selected represent me accurately and that they were best suited to the brand I was writing to, a tailor made package, whilst ensuring the cover letter and CV highlight how my entire digital portfolio could be viewed. Although it is not the way I would wish to send them, it is still, in my opinion, better than emailing; it is more personal, more thought-out and shows an eye for detail and presentation. I think it represents me in a more positive manner. I am happy with the way in which I have carried out the process and look forward to the process when I have completed my studies and am ready to take on the working world again, at the end of April.
Not long now and hopefully this exercise will help as the companies I have contacted are all ones I would be very excited to work for.