Everyone has experienced procrastination in one way or another. Whether it is you or someone you know that is seemingly always has a “reason” why they have not accomplished a specific task in a timely manner. “Something came up,” “I meant to start/finish that project,” “I have just been so busy lately” are all sentiments we have heard muttered from either ourselves or people we know, and usually are not entirely true of why obligations are not getting finished. This is certainly closely related to another supervisor pet peeve: constantly being tardy/late – especially no shows. Teachers and bosses alike, have heard every excuse in the book of why employees/students are late, can’t come in that day, or why they did not make the prior commitment. This is a serious problem that should be nipped in the bud as soon as possible because it will eventually lead to termination of employment or failure of a course.

Some people master barely getting by using these short cuts and can sometimes circumnavigate being fired and find other ways to pass classes, but this is only a temporary fix to a deeper problem. Though this may allow you to plateau in a simple class or basic job but will not lead to a meaningful, successful career and grow through your industry. The first steps to being successful in your field are always showing respect for not only yourself but your peers and supervisors by never being late and always having your responsibilities accomplished in a timely manner – early if possible. Knowing this key is only have the battle, training yourself to execute this principle is a lot harder; especially when you are feeling burned out, tired, or easily distracted with more fun and attractive alternatives.

To assist you with becoming more successful and changing the bad habits of being unpunctual and procrastinating, you will have to start by changing your mind-set. You will have to be cognizant of time management especially if you have a really busy schedule. Having alarms, reminders, notes and any other prompts to get you going on a task or get you leaving for a prior commitment on time are all great tools to help get you on a solid routine. As of right now, these bad habits are routine, which may be hard to break but using these tools can make it much easier. Eventually, these good habits will become as automatic as the originally formed bad habits with conscious work being done.

10 Tips to think about when creating the new routine:

• Always give yourself a pad of time when doing anything to give room for error, especially when having to travel.
• Shoot for being 15 minutes early for any meetup, job, interview etc., as this is a sure sign of respect consideration and preparedness
• Set alarms/reminders or even written notes/post-its for anything/everything; There is nothing wrong with scheduling even the smallest tasks so as to not have to remember them constantly which may lead to unnecessary stress. Plus, it does not cost anything to do!
• Always communicate transparently and make sure if you are ever going to be late or not accomplish an obligation/task in the time promised or scheduled
• Prioritize what is needed most, whether it is a project that is needed first or most importantly, then plan and schedule accordingly
• Get on a task right away; Do not wait until a project is due as this will leave room for any errors corrections that may come up
• Follow your routines and do not let yourself get distracted by activities that are not helpful in completing your priorities first
• If you get knocked off track, be cognizant to not let it keep off schedule for too long; do not let this be momentum killer or make you feel like you can no longer keep up the pace
• Do not let obstacles, setbacks or mistakes keep you down or depress you
• Try as much as you can to have fun and find fulfillment in what you do; this will keep you from burning out and give you a sense of purpose and happiness

If you can keep these tips in your mind throughout the day you will eventually form positive and productive routines that will lead you to never procrastinating or being late again. Being on time and getting tasks done promptly is certainly a precursor to success with the opposite also being true. Talking with many supervisors and teachers have stated regularly that from their experiences, success always seems to allude those who cannot follow these simple concepts and end up repeating being unpunctual and procrastinating.

Hope these tips help you break those unbecoming habits and get you on the road to successful routines!

Follow UH Digital Media Blog for more helpful tips like these.

Web Development and Design are two elements that heavily rely on one another to create beautiful and fully functioning websites. Understanding the key roles defined by each can help you decide which path suits your skills and characteristics. Web developers are often considered to be logical thinkers, or more left-brained because they have to have a passion for problem-solving and attention to detail. Web Designers are often considered more creative and artistic or right-brained. 

Pursuing a Digital Media Degree in eMedia can be an exciting and nerve-racking journey. The program exposes students to both web development and design. However, it can be difficult to decide which path you want to take after graduation. Having a fundamental understanding of these roles will help you choose when the time comes.

Defining Web Development vs. Web Design

Web Development- responsible for the backend functions of a website ensuring it runs smoothly. Web Developers are programmers responsible for the technical front and back end functions of a website. 

Web Design- responsible for the visual appeal of a website and ensuring it is aesthetically pleasing to the viewer. Web designers deal with the front end and user experience functions of a website.

Tools Used 

Although web development and design work interchangeably, the skills needed for both greatly differ. Web development is focused on the logical and technical side of the spectrum. Its counterpart, web design, requires creativity and graphic design knowledge.

Web Developers Key Programming Tools

Hypertext Mark-Up Language (HTML5): Provides the backbone of a website by defining the headers, ordered and unordered lists, and paragraphs

Cascading Style Sheets(CSS): Organizes the layout and appearance of a website such as an element size & spacing and font family and color. 

PHP: Used in back-end development and assists in the web sites reaction to a user.

Javascript: Controls the behavior of a website. Essential for loading and transitions or animation responses from user clicks and countless other tasks.

Web Designer Tools

Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator: Design software used to edit photos, create layouts, illustrate, and design graphics.

InVision Studio: interface for UI design that has many features to help designers create interface prototypes.
Adobe XD: Wireframe, prototype, and vector-based tool for web designers
Portfolios
Throughout your pursuit of a DIGM degree, you work towards making a compelling portfolio for your senior year. Understanding what requirements your employers need from you as a potential web developer or designer in their company is crucial. It’s important that you build a compelling and fully functioning portfolio to showcase your skills.

4 Tips for your eMedia Portfolio

Modern UI Design:
It’s important to showcase your personality within your portfolio. Your landing page is the online presence of yourself. The overall look of your website will showcase the skills you have in design and attracting customers. Your portfolio doesn’t have to be overly elaborate, however, it shows just enough to make potential employers want to get in touch with you.

Hosting & Domain Name

When you’re designing your portfolio, taking short cuts will significantly limit your employment options. Don’t build your portfolio using an online website builder that will host your portfolio. As a web designer and developer, you must show that you’re responsible for doing your work. Having a  professional domain name and a low-cost hosting platform is attainable. There are many low-cost domain names and free hosting platforms such as Github.
Simplicity is Key
Show your skills but don’t overwhelm your audience. Have a “Showcase”, “Project”, “About”, and “Contact” section on your portfolio. Keep the number of pages you have on your site to no more than 4-5 and focus on optimizing the design, layout, and application of these pages.

Choose Projects Wisley
Be picky when your choosing which projects to put on your portfolio. Don’t simply choose projects to fill space. If you only have a few noteworthy projects, thats okay. Work on showing your best work and take extra time to improve your work. As a potential web designer or developer, you should have one or more live projects. You should have a link within your portfolio that will take viewers to your project and another button linking the code. If you don’t have any live projects, work on making a few to showcase your talents. A few ideas include: making a responsive webpage or designing a website for a client.

Showcase Who you Are
Your portfolio should show who you are and what you’re capable of doing. You don’t have to have the most elaborate portfolio to attract employers. You should show that you’re passionate, dedicated, and skilled in your field. Don’t overthink how you want to present yourself and do your best to show what you’re capable of and it will lead to opportunities.

Pursuing a degree in eMedia can lead to a very rewarding career. Having a clear understanding of some of the options that are available to you is very important. Don’t wait to start exploring which path you would like to take or if you want to pursue both. Now that some of the specifications about web development and design have been defined, you can start thinking about what skills you want to highlight in your portfolio.

Sources: https://www.computerscience.org/careers/web-developer/
https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/web-development/what-is-the-difference-between-a-web-developer-and-a-web-designer/
https://www.creativebloq.com/features/best-web-design-toolshttps://medium.com/@traversymedia/10-web-developer-portfolio-tips-384491d408a8

Landing That Desired Job After Graduation

https://pixabay.com/vectors/academia-academic-board-business-1293362/

Finding work after graduation can be extremely daunting, stressful and even scary. Even after completing a program and receiving the relevant degree, many people feel that they are still missing that “certain something” that is keeping them from being a “professional” or “worthwhile candidate” to a company. This all being said, do not fret, these tips will get you prepared and confident enough to apply to that opening you have been eyeing and eventually nail that interview.

Preparation for Application & Interview

https://pixabay.com/photos/cv-flowchart-whiteboard-white-2578872/

Displaying the information and skills they are looking for –

A great first step would be to do a deep dive into the targeted company’s history, mission/vision statement, and what they are currently working on. This would certainly give you an edge in getting to know what they are looking for in a future employee and be able to frequently reference back to this newly acquired information throughout the entire process – from applying, throughout the interview. Getting to know the people whose desk your application may pass by during the application process, can also benefit you. Knowing exactly what they are looking for may make your application stand out among the hundreds and thousands of the others. Not only will it now stay out of the recycle bin, but now it will stay toward the top of the keeper pile. Making sure to look at the job posting and directly referencing the different skills, experience, and philosophies they value in the application and interview process will guarantee that you make an impression on HR or hiring manager.

https://unsplash.com/photos/OQMZwNd3ThU

How to implement this in the resume and cover letter:

• Tailor them by referencing the required skills in their job posting
• Mention the company by name throughout the cover letter
• Reference shared philosophies in both resume and cover letter when possible
• Highlight relevant employment history
• Illustrate specific situations where you demonstrated fluency of a skill
• Mention the person in charge of hiring by name in the cover letter

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/portfolio-management-business-2428013/

Crafting specific portfolio selections –

Another tip would be to carefully craft a portfolio that demonstrates quality over quantity. In selecting which pieces to showcase, it would be best to explicitly pick entries that are as relevant as possible to the kind of work you are applying for. Only choose the very best work making sure to leave out anything that is just okay or unbecoming of what you are able to do. Whether it is an online or physical portfolio, make sure to make it as easy to navigate as possible by having links to jump to specific areas on online portfolios or having tabs to be able to turn right to the sections for physical portfolios. It is always best to choose a few great pieces than possibly soiling the whole selection by choosing a handful of pieces where a few are not up to par with the others. Those few sour pieces almost always seem to be the ones judged the most and leave the biggest impression despite how many great pieces are interwoven in between. Basically, give them a taste that will make them want to purchase the whole meal.

Nailing the interview

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/man-suit-job-interview-2091865/

Dress and speak like a professional –

There are sayings like “Dress to impress” or “Dress for the position you want, not the position you currently have,” that illustrate how important appearance is. This is usually the first thing you notice about a person and whether they take care of themselves can drastically alter how your initial judgement to them is. Despite this sounding superficial, it is true none the less and should always be at the forefront of your mind when being seen among your industry peers. Simply put, if you don’t dress like a professional, no one will treat you like one. Moving beyond your appearance, make sure you are well versed in hospitality when it comes to how you enter the office all the way up to sitting down for the interview. Speaking, walking, standing, sitting, and even the way you are looking at people can all be indicators of whether people will like and take to you favorably.

https://unsplash.com/photos/jdTtkmr1axk

Practice these good manners:

• Maintain good eye contact
• Smile often
• Be courteous
• Sit and stand with good posture
• Keep greetings polite, professional, and concise
• Open any doors for others when in an immediate vicinity
• Always address people by their preferred titles, using Sir/Ma’am when applicable

https://pixabay.com/illustrations/handshake-regard-cooperate-connect-2009195/

Materials to bring into Interview –

Beyond bringing in your beautiful and carefully crafted portfolio, there are several other documents you will want to have during your interview. Having a few extra resumes on hand at the interview can certainly be helpful if for some reason they were unable to pull yours up ahead of time or if there are multiple people who have not seen it yet. Another document to have present at the interview is a list of questions. These questions can be about the job, the company, scheduling, benefits, tasks, etc. This shows your interest in the job and the company as well as demonstrate a sense of professionalism and self-worth.

In Summary

https://unsplash.com/photos/oqStl2L5oxI

Now, when you see that job that you would love but feel you may not be ready, just go through these different tips and you will be properly prepared to nail each part of the application process. In short, display the information they are desiring from their next employee and prove that you are the perfect fit through your cover letter and resume, as well as the proper portfolio entries that demonstrate the skill and competence they require. When you do get the interview, dress to impress and present yourself with grace, confidence and eloquence.