Volunteer

I thought you might be interested in checking out these volunteer opportunities - You can volunteer your skills to help local nonprofit organizations, network and build your portfolio!

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Our belief that every life has equal value is at the core of our work at the foundation. We follow 15 guiding principles, which help define our approach to our philanthropic work, and employ an outstanding leadership team to direct our strategies and grantmaking. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Pages/home.aspx

Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives. http://www.idealist.org/

Net Impact is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of leaders who use business to improve the world. We offer a portfolio of programs to educate, equip, and inspire more than 10,000 members to make a tangible difference in their universities, organizations, and communities. http://www.netimpact.org/index.cfm

Points of Light Institute
Our Vision: One day every person will discover their power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant democracies around the world. http://www.pointsoflight.org/
The Taproot Foundation is a nonprofit organization that engages Marketing, HR, IT, and design professionals to volunteer on pro bono projects for local nonprofits. TO learn more, visit www.taprootfoundation.org. Do It Pro Bono - Volunteer Your Professional Skills.

United Way is a national network of nearly 1,300 local organizations that work to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health. These are the building blocks for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement, and good health. http://www.liveunited.org/

VolunteerMatch strengthens communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement. http://www.volunteermatch.org/

Best Graphic Design Career and Business Books - Ultimate List of Books for Freelancers & New Designers

Best Graphic Design Career and Business Books - Ultimate List of Books for Freelancers & New Designers I decided to compile a list of the best graphic design career and business books collected from reading people's favorites listed on forum posts and blogs. I came up with the following graphic design career and business books. Read More>>

How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Customers

A Guide to Customer Relationships for Freelancers & Self Employed

One of the best ways to run a good business as well as keep the clients which you currently have is to build a strong relationship with your clients. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and this is true for those who have a business relationship. The clients want to feel as if they matter to the business owner as they are part of the reason why the business is still in existence. There are a few ways for business owners to build a strong relationship with their customers as doing so will not only maintain their client base but possibly expand it as well through recommendations.
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Become a Graphic Designer - Design Careers & Design Education Advice from Professional Designer

Please welcome our guest writer, Elle Phillips, back to All Graphic Design. Today she wrote an article that is full of wonderful advice to individuals who are looking to become a Graphic Designer. She was inspired to write this wonderful article by a young man who emailed her about his dream of becoming a Designer. Elle realized that she could write an informative article to help many other people who also wish to become a Graphic Designer. We are lucky enough that she decided to reach a larger audience, by publishing her article on All Graphic Design. Elle received a lot of traffic to her site by publishing her previous article - Designing A Catalog From Conception To Completion - A Catalog Design Tutorial - on All Graphic Design. If you also wish to publish your article on All Graphic Design, please visit our Submit a Graphic Design Article page to see how to do so. Read More>>

Four Ways to Get Hired Faster

The difference between being proactive and reactive is time. Reactive people wait for things to happen to them, while proactive people go out and make things happen. Timing is key in any career move, so it is up to you to make things happen. Be proactive and professional, and you will find yourself in the mix come decision time.

A typical hiring process takes anywhere from three to eight weeks, depending on the policies of the company and the scheduling that must take place to get all of the decision-makers aligned. A key to keeping to the shorter end of this three to eight week time frame is to have a thorough picture of the company's hiring process. If you are working with a recruiter, get the details from him or her. If you are going it alone, ask the following questions during the initial telephone interview: "When do you need this position filled?" "Can you describe for me your last successful hire?" "What is the process and time between each step, so I can get a clear picture of what to expect going forward?" Once you are aware of the process, you can set your expectations accordingly. If you want the job, you must be certain they know it. Let's explore four sure-fire ways to move a hiring process forward as quickly as the company will allow:

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Top Ten Amazing Tips for Effective Networking

Networking is one of those business buzzwords that makes many people cringe. But networking is not about shoving your business card into the hands of strangers while boasting about yourself.

Self-promotion specialist Ilise Benun defines networking as talking about your work to people who want to listen and helping them get to know you and what you have to offer. “People want to work with people they trust,” says Benun, “but how will anyone work with you if they don't know you're there? And if you don't tell them, who will?” Here are some tips for networking effectively-without making anyone uncomfortable.

1. Join professional organizations and get busy. Just joining an organization isn't enough; you need to get to know people on a personal level and allow them to see you in action. Volunteer for a working committee, take minutes, organize events, or get involved in any way that makes a contribution and helps you become visible in the organization.
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