Montana Sparkman has always had a passion for beautiful design and the meticulous details that make it work. As a graphic designer in Austin, Montana tackles layouts, banner ads, and production design, but he's especially passionate about logos and type treatment. Textural mishaps are the best way to spark his inspiration. To ...more +
8 years ago
For such a ubiquitous part of professional life, job interviews are surprisingly difficult to dress for. The traditional conservative suit and tie is gone, outside of stodgier fields like finance and law. Button-downs, jeans, bright colors, chic workman wear—the options can seem limitless at times. Limitless, that is, until you realize that ...more +
8 years ago
“So tell me, where do you want to be in five years?” Nathan stared at the interviewer and wondered whether she was a serious. Five years? That’s a measure of time in geology, not corporate life. Nathan thought about presidential elections—if there was no expectation that the leader of the ...more +
8 years ago
Search engines have grown increasingly sophisticated, refining their signals to reduce noise, fight spam, incorporate user experience, and utilize elements of machine learning. Still, there are instances where a generally useful signal may not play nice with certain queries, and lead to less than perfect results (both for users and ...more +
8 years ago
As soon as you join the workforce, a reality sets in: smarts and talent play second fiddle to experience, and who you know. At least in the eyes of hiring managers. Remember: their careers are on the line too! A bad hire means lost productivity, disrupting company culture, and less ...more +
8 years ago
When I moved from Pennsylvania to Austin back in March, I was a total fish out of water. I knew very few people in the city, and didn’t have so much as an interview lined up. I learned pretty quickly that getting involved with local organizations for creative professionals would be ...more +
8 years ago
A lot happened in 2015. I’m sure you’re drowning in year-end recaps. But here’s one development that might positively impact your day-to-day: some American companies bent over backwards to expand benefits for employees and better attract talent. No one netted more good press than Netflix, which started offering employees unlimited ...more +
8 years ago
I started this column so that you’d tell me all of your secrets. Over the years, I’ve found that people open up to me quite easily. Even though that sounds like a villain’s origin story, I’ve always used my powers for good. I empathize well, which is a veritable super ...more +
8 years ago
