Monthly Archive for October, 2009

Part of my job is to look for freelance designers and junior designers for some of my company’s upcoming publications. The criteria are simple: great with Adobe InDesign and can communicate in English.

Some responses to my help wanted ads are just bizarre, and I’m not talking about their funny English. Here’s an email conversation with a girl who I asked to come in for an interview:

Me: Can you come in tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 to discuss the designer position in more detail?
Girl A: I am sorry, your company can not come tomorrow. I have to work in other places, thank you to let me know. I’m happy, hope to have this opportunity to work with!
Me: What about Wednesday, 2:00? Otherwise let me know a time that you’re available Tuesday or Wednesday.
Girl A: I am sorry, I can not come! I have to find a job, thank you

Right.

Here’s a girl who claimed to know InDesign but didn’t have any layout samples in her portfolio. I gave her materials to create something that I could look at, but the crap she sent back clearly wasn’t made with InDesign or any page layout software.

Me: It was apparent from the PDF you sent that you did not use InDesign for that layout.
Girl B: the purpose of you company is to make your magazine beautiful or something else. No matter which software I choose to do the magazines, I can give you company a satisfactory result I think this is the most important thing.Why you company must choose the only software. To be honest, I actually do not know the software. I just get know it during those days, but I can use it to compose magazines. The Indesign file which I sent you taday is made by me last night.I recognize that the Indesign file which I used in indesign is not good, but I can quickly learn it and know how to use its basic function. And I will familiar it after several try. Ok, If you company not hire me, i have no choice,but give up.

But that’s not all!

Girl B: And Finally, I want to tell you that I have not chance to try again forever,since I have to work in my hometown in Changsha HUNAN province which is far away from here.For my university life is drawing to end this month. And the company that I will work is a textile company.

Boohoo. If you’re in Shanghai and are available for publication design work, and are not crazy, show me your portfolio. Thanks.