test drive anyone

[yoni]

Hey all,
If anyone's interested in test-driving a project I've been working on it's at

https://www.yonig.com/yoni.exe

I'd appreciate it if I could get some feedback on the general look and navigation of the project as well as a report of anything that doesn't appear to be working correctly.

The project is intended to be a CD resume/Demo reel. I've been meaning to make something like this for a while now but wasn't able to until I came across AMS at my last job. I'm pretty happy with it but would love to know what others think.

A warning, it's a pretty sizeable download (just under 15 meg) so I wouldn't attempt it unless you've got a high speed connection.

Thanks

[Corey]

Re: test drive anyone

Hi Yoni. OK this is only my two cents so don't get mad. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

1. In terms of layout there's a couple basics missing. You have some negative space in there but no white space. As a rule top layout designers leave gaps between everything including page edges. There's tons of great links on how to use white space on Google.

2. Your elements aren't spaced and/or grouped correctly from a layout standpoint. You should create divisions/groups of elements and then space them accordingly.

3. PDF seems to be trying to go to web, my firewall alerted on that. Just an observation. My opinion is never go to web when you can avoid it. I also believe pdf should never be used to show text content in a resume. Create an image if you need to control the look.

4. As far as resumes go, there's a logical data stream you wish to put out, this doesn't really take that into consideration. For example no busy employer will want to see your poetry if you are applying as a video editor. Employers want the salient info up front and nothing else as a general rule of resume design. My old resume is offline but I can tell you it was one single page which showed 1. My experience, 2. My education, 3. a short bio. In that order. Got me this job didn't it? [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] But seriously if you are applying for any job that requires layout skills don't use this resume, use something much simpler so that a) The design doesn't distract from whatever info you are seeking to disseminate b) the employer doesn't use your resume as "an example of your publishing skills"

Remember, they are going to view your resume itself as a portfolio piece in a way, i.e. "if this guy can do a killer resume which is superior to 99% of the others I receive, I want him."

I could offer lots more but I can sense that's about all you wanted form me plus a little more. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Suffice to say Yoni that you need to target your employer. If it's a vid editing job then elimnate every single thing which doesn't have some explcit relation to that. Believe me dude, if your video editing related employer wants poetry they will ask.

In general if you are going to display something in your resume with the goal of displaying your writing skills you will get better results by writing something directly related to the employer, never use art. For example a script. Write a short commercial or something like that. It shows them that you have skills they need.

Last thing. Consider the employer this is going to and then pretend to be them, what would you think. Let's say you are a busy manager down at CityTV and this thing comes across your desk with a couple dozen others, a few from Sheridan, a few from Humbert, whatever. You get the point. What makes that ultra-busy CityTV manager choose your resume above the others? Aim high and shoot hard, don't get discouraged by anything I said, use it for your benefit. Tighten up the resume and layout skills a bit by reading some stuff on Google (very simple, these things can be learned in a single weekend) and you will help your odds when your CD hits the desk of that sooper busy manager dude.

That all being said it's a very nice start Yoni. You're in the game for sure... Having an interactive resume is good, but always accompany it with a printed version too. Never submit a CD only, often employers are just too busy to view such items until the job search has been reduced to a few candidates only. So use the printed version to get in the door and then the CD to knock them down. Anyhow offer both, they can always throw out that which isn't easiest for them.

Oh yeah one last thing, always tell the user when they are about to go online, i.e. (online pdf) instead of (pdf). That way if their firewall alerts like mine did they'll be expecting it.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[yoni]

Re: test drive anyone

Thank you Corey, I appreciate the input and the effort you spent critiquing. I will take all your suggestions into consideration. Specifically, I don't like using PDFs either, but i never considered using images. I'll give that a shot.
I'm not sure that at this point I agree with (or completely understand) all the design things you've mentioned. But that's why I threw it out here, to hear what others think.

Also, the CD will be accompanied by a 1 page resume and cover letter explaining that more info is available on the CD. Originally I was just planning on using a CD to easily and cheaply distribute a demo reel, but then i saw I could do so much more so I went ahead and did it.

The only thing I would like to clarify since I would feel like a jackass otherwise is that the writing samples link is actually well related to the intent of the app and not fiction or poetry or anything like that. This resume is primarily targeted as a reporter/tv journalist in any other capacity resume with the editing stuff included because it's a good skill to have these days in the TV news biz. And the writing samplesbutton links to a collection of magazine & newspaper clippings I've written.

Finally, since you did mention your firewal hitting on the pdf, did it happen to catch my submit to web action application exit?

Thanks again for your input corey.

ETA: noticing your edit, is there any reason you an think of that the PDF would alert the firewall? it's most definatly not an online PDF and shouldn't be going online when launched.

[Corey]

Re: test drive anyone

Hi Yoni, always a pleasure...

Not sure, the pdf never did come through. Maybe whenever an AMS app launches acrobat it goes to web,. not sure. I don't have it set to auto-update or anything though...

I never use pdf for anything nor do I ever view pdfs unless absolutely forced to so my knowledge of pdf is roughly zilch...

As to the other stuff, main thing is not whether or not you agree but whether or not your employer agrees. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I've been through the ringer in my day and I can tell you in any competitive market it's good to cover all your bases, even the ones you dislike. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Perhaps "especially" those ones... The resume game is what it is, not the world's most adaptable beast to be sure...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[yoni]

Re: test drive anyone

corey said:
As to the other stuff, main thing is not whether or not you agree but whether or not your employer agrees. I've been through the ringer in my day and I can tell you in any competitive market it's good to cover all your bases, even the ones you dislike. Perhaps "especially" those ones...
============================================
No doubt, I didn't mean to imply I believed any different [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Just in regards to the firewall, I'm guessing that since you didn't mention it you didn't get a hit on my submit to web action on application close. But i'd just like to make sure that's the case.

Say you looking for any PR or information officers/Media relations folks at IR?

[Corey]

Re: test drive anyone

No sorry IR is not currently in the market for any staff. As to the other I'm not sure, I exited by using CTRL + ALT + DELETE while waiting for it to connect...

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[yoni]

Re: test drive anyone

So I don't mean to come off all needy or anything, but from my weblogs, I can see a bunch of other people downloaded the file as well. I'd appreciate it if I could hear from a few of you at least about the straightforward aspects of the app.
Did the flash videos run alright, did you also have problems with the pdf loading or firewall tripping, where there any other bugs I've missed?
And of course anything else would be helpful too.

[Scally]

Re: test drive anyone

Hi Yoni,
Well you said you wanted feedback, so I just d/l'd the EXE & took a quick look. No offence intended in these comments!
It all seemed to work OK with no web call according to Zonealarm on my system. I think Corey pretty much covered the salient points, so that's probably why the other downloaders havent responded.
One thing I would have avoided in the showreel was the talking heads. For me, the artefacts resulting from compressing for CD mean i try to avoid any TH shots which have synched sound - but thats just my view & others may not be worried by it.
I have to say, though, that if the kind of job you're looking for gets the number of applicants that I've experienced when recruiting, its unlikely to be viewed - certainly not until late in the shortlisting process. Usually, the recruiters are still doing their normal job & anything that takes more time doesn't usually get a look in. To give you some idea, the last two jobs I was on the interview panel for had 78 & 100 applications respectively by the time I got them. It's not uncommon these days for secretaries or clerical staff to do the initial sift in larger companies & they are usually just looking at whether the CV meets the Job Spec. & person Spec. - so you need to make sure for any job you read the stuff about it & note all the key points to cover in your CV.
The initial shortlist was 12 & the interview shortlist was 8 people for each job above.
The papers all came home at night with me because I didn't have time in the day without interuptions to read them.
This sift basically knocks out the apparent no-hopers - purely on the basis of 'Can this person deliver - are they worth interviewing' & usually its just the CV. Past behviour is whats important - not what you were told to do or happened to be involved in but what you led, initiated, changed, solved & so on.
The next morning we have a meeting where the interview panel look to find 12 who there's general agreement about & this is then whittled down to the interview group.
In this case, I'd only start looking at showreels if there was a problem deciding the 12 or when picking those to interview out of the 12.
So, Corey's point about the single sheet is really important &, if you don't mind me saying, it needs to be more than 'I did this... I did that' - it's selling YOU & it needs to say why YOU are a better product than the next guy or gal. So think about how you did something that took those projects the extra mile. Saying you were involved in a project doesn't tell me the contribution you made to it.
I think that being innovative in the approach might be useful if you're approaching (say) a cd training producer as a cold call. But I think its a bad idea for job applications generally & could fall at the first fence - if I ask in the advert for 'no more than a 3 page CV' & someone sends me an ebook, it probably won't get to me, or won't get looked at if I do get it.
I'm sorry to be so negative and my guess is that in a few years time DVD CV's might well be the norm but its gonna be led by the recruiters, in my opinion.

[eric_darling]

Re: test drive anyone

Just a few notes from a fellow developer...

Overall, the project ran as I believe you expect it to run. The flash video is fine, if a little bit muddy - try bumping the gamma setting a little bit in the filter settings in Squeeze. No firewall tripping beyond the typical Zone Alarm Pro report that I always get when I run an AMS created program. No bugs that I found at all.

Design-wise, I think there are some improvements you could make. Start by trying this: Shrink your navigational buttons to at least 50% of their current size, and put them all in one place - either along the bottom (probably preferred), or all along the right-hand side vertically. Either one would be better. You change the menu throughout the project, and that's not a good idea either. I have found that a parent page that subsequent pages inherit is very useful.

I'm not a big fan of the blue/yellow color scheme, despite its apparent popularity. It's two primary colors together, and that rarely works in interface design. Adding the orange color to the mix really throws me. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Start with studying a bit at this url: http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html I'm no color theory expert, so I often rely on a plug-in for Photoshop and After Effects called Color Theory: http://www.creativemac.com/2002/07_j...5rev020812.htm. The plug-in is Mac only, so you may not be able to use its awesome powers. Go figure, and some say the Mac is irrelevant. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] In any case, think about what kind of feeling and impression you want to leave with people. Mixing primary colors mixes your message in a drastic sort of way that can confuse and isolate your audience. I have taken a class or two, so forgive me if this sounds too esoteric.

In terms of the project selling you and your capabilities, it will help to narrow your focus. If you are a journalist with a multimedia bent, say it louder throughout the project.

One other minor point, don't have the rollover cursor change to a hand unless the graphic doubles as a button - it's confusing.

Other than that, it looks like you are quite accomplished for your age. Keep up the good work - very impressive credentials!

[AGRO]

Re: test drive anyone

I was looking in my "big bag of color links", and I found this one. They have a introduction and a little education of color. What I like is the Color Wizard.

........."The Colour Wizard let you type in the value of your colour, and it will automatically return the complementary colour, split complementary colours, analogous colours, chromatic variations, shade and tint variantion and saturation variation."

If you are not familiar with color combinations and if the above sounded like greek, i suggest you check this site out. It is even nice for the people who do know color as a reference.

webwhirlers

The Color Wizard

[eric_darling]

Re: test drive anyone

Thanks, AGRO, spinning the color wheel is kind of fun! Nice idea.

[Bruce]

Re: test drive anyone

yoni-
Send me the base color you want to use and I'll fix ya up!
See:

http://www.indigorose.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB2&Number=22925&page=2&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=

[AGRO]

Re: test drive anyone

Ya like that? I like spinning the color wheel when you are a little stumped. I also like the color wizard for ideas also. It is a really cool site.

[Corey]

Re: test drive anyone

A note on color theory Yoni, don't get bogged down with it. Stick to safe basics for presentations and resumes for best results with the majority of people. In general don't introduce random elements into a design, plan it out and then execute it. Randomness may be fun as a novelty but it has no place in the world of professional resume or business presentation design.

One good rule of thumb, use a white background and you'll never go wrong. Dark backgrounds are said in design text books to imply mystery. Remember, good resumes are not exciting, they are efficient.

Just my two cents.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[yoni]

Re: test drive anyone

Hi, I've been away for a few days and don't really feel quite right bumping this up to the top again, but I just wanted to thank everyone who did take the time to look at the project and offer their imput.
I just want to let you know that the comments were taken in the spirit they were intended, and i'm you've let me know of the flaws or weaknesses in my design - that was the reason I posted it to begin with.
Thanks