Finding Work Will Organize Your Complex Project and Redesign your Media For Food Overview Here, “finding work” is defined as getting a full-time contract. Though, the methods here would work for a salary job search too. Just can’t credit any success there. I’ve been a contractor, usually full-time, for different projects/clients, since 2014. I would prefer to have a salaried role, but it’s not how the cookie has crumbled for me. Like many Creative Technologists, I don’t really fit into a neat box, so I’m difficult to hire, but usually once I’m hired, I stick around a long time and cover a lot of different roles and responsibilities.  My more-or-less consistent work can be credited to a few factors: Doing a good job and being a good team player Trying to be nice, honorable, consistent Networking Connections Continuing creative practice and keeping things moving Keeping my portfolio up to date Bringing more gear to the job than I need to – to help other folks out and to save some time Occasionally looking at LinkedIn and the rest of the internet - ugh - no thanks Points 1 and 2 are well covered in the welcome and ethics area, and the remaining points are broken down in appropriately named sections following this one. One very large caveat; these techniques have worked for me, but they don’t always work. It’s just a good way to think through things and to fight depression when you’re feeling under-valued or unemployed.    Networking & Connections Networking Networking for me has been working jobs, meeting people on those jobs, and staying in touch with those people. I really should go to more meet-ups, and trade shows, but I lean introvert and prefer the occasional dinner hang instead.  That said, networking for me has also included staying active in the internet community. Gear and software forums, listservs, discord channels, etc.  Connections Connections are everything. Don’t be afraid to use them. But remember: it’s a two way street!  I have an amazing group of colleagues that I’ve worked with in various capacities for over a decade. This has kept me employed. What hasn’t kept me employed are cold job interviews or cold applications via email or web form. I’ve got a few jobs and projects that way, but those were never the right match.  Not included in this breakout are the failed branches of my career; dead-ends and time-sucks. It’s a rosier picture than reality, but it’s kind of cool to think about.  I’m pretty good at what I do, and I think people like working with me, but how did I start? In college, I worked as a scene shop and technical assistant for the theater department. Basically building scenery, playing with computers. The summer after my freshman year (2006), I applied to be a production assistant for a summer stock theater on Cape Cod (you know which one if you know the scene). In a follow up phone call to that application, I did something that I still regret and feel weird about – and I’m paraphrasing here – “My grandmother is super active in your community, do you know her?” I’d like to think I got the gig on my own merits, but this almost certainly got me in the door.  On Cape Cod, one of the show stage managers and I got along quite well, and I asked to use him as a reference on my resume. A couple of years later, I declined a position at Williamstown, but somehow my resume was forwarded and ended up in the hands at Powerhouse, where the education director knew that reference. I interviewed and got the job. This led to a lot of other projects and jobs until the Production Manager at Powerhouse, gave my information to 3-Legged Dog. I had tried to apply cold for jobs at 3LD in the past and never got an interview. The PM’s encouragement got me an interview and I was hired on the spot (2012). On my first day there, I met a multimedia designer who was one of my references for my current primary client (2022-2024). Thanks, Grandma! Creative Practice = Keeping Things Moving Like many millennials, I’ve wrapped my entire self-worth into getting a paycheck that covers the minimum of my expenses. If I’m not getting that pay check, I’ve found myself to be depressed, worthless, without direction, floating in the great nothing-ness and everyday-ness of it all. Not a great vibe.  Spending day after day applying to jobs as a full-time effort has always been bad for me. I’ve found that, oddly, if I repurpose most of that time to do things that I can put in the category of “professional development,” my mental health improves and so does my passion for the craft. More than any other piece of advice in this document, “keep doing things” is my strongest and most encouraged shared perspective. More to come on this Portfolio Updates More to come on this The Internet, and, LinkedIn More to come on this Job Board This is automatically populated from the Job Board Directory section. Below are some places to begin or continue your job search.  Awesome Creative Technology A Git Repo with lists of Creative Technology organizations, museums, vendors, agencies (and more) broken out by category and location. There are also company-specific job pages. Good stuff.    Dexigner Directory This is a design news website that has a pretty good directory of design and design related companies. It's a good place to find specific companies that do specific things.    Futurespaces Job Board   Creative tech jobs manged by creative tech people. Seems pretty good.  Interactive Immersive HQ Job Board A pretty good Creative Technology job board with high quality, relevant roles at companies you've probably heard of.