Let's talk about showing your portfolio, since that is likely to happen first. Slide show presentations have several advantages over traditional books. First is that you can customize your entire portfolio in about an hour. This is very important as you want to tailor your portfolio to fit the client. Slides are a lot less bulky than one of those large portfolio cases, and reproducing slides is much cheaper than reproducing quality prints. You can have your slides copied to a CD, which allows you to edit and output them back to a slide for about 10 dollars each.

Interview Etiquette

Some of these points may sound blatantly obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many people don't know the basics of business etiquette. Make sure you show up on time or early, ready to represent yourself. She gets people like you in her office all the time, so remember, you are there to knock her socks off. Dress appropriately and pay attention to detail. Most people wear slacks and a shirt, and some men wear a tie. I usually wear all black, because if you wear black you can't go wrong. If you have to show up in jeans, don't pull them from the hamper that morning, and wear a nice shirt. If your shoes aren't new make sure they are clean. Wash your hair and wear suitable earrings (leaving the skull and crossbones at home).

When you meet your contact shake her hand, look her in the eye and introduce yourself. Comment positively on the office or facility as you walk to where you will give your presentation. Sit down with the person and talk to them first. Relax, but don't get too comfortable. Tell her about your self and include where you went to school and some of the projects you worked on. Give your presentation with flair, after all you are a designer, right? Make sure the presentation is laid out in a logical fashion, and speak clearly and authoritatively. She won't give you a job if she thinks you can't handle it.

The Follow Up

Good job, you blew her away! You showed her you can think, draw, and design a product with the best of them. You know she liked what she saw if she takes you on a tour. When she shows you around, ask questions so you can find out how they work. If you are going to work with these people you want to find out as much about them as you can. As the interview winds down ask about any future projects that may be coming up. You can use this information to write a proposal to send along with a letter thanking her for the interview. This does several things for you. The thank you note is necessary as it is generally courteous. The proposal will give you a reason to call back so she doesn't forget you. It also shows initiative, and if she likes it, she may ask you to write a more detailed one.

The Proposal

If your interview was for a specific job or project you need to be really sharp. Take notes as you ask questions about the job. They may ask you to start immediately, and/or how much will it will cost. Avoid this at all costs. If they insist, say you will get back to them later that afternoon or the next day. You should write a proposal so you can think it through and consider all costs. Have an initial proposal ready within a few days. Chances are you are competing against others like your self and larger design firms. If you are a one man show or a small outfit then you have an advantage over the big companies; namely price. You will beat the big guys every time, but some people believe you get what you pay for.

The next step is a fantastic proposal. It should include color, graphics and the whole nine yards. You have a computer and access to Kinko's, right? Some times a RFP (request for proposal) will require a sketch or two. It sucks, but if you want the job you have to do it. Make sure your name is on every sketch along with a disclaimer stating that the drawing is yours and not for publication without your permission. Generally, a pencil sketch is enough in this case. They are easier and quicker than computer sketches or marker renderings, but usually not as hot. It depends on how much time and money you have and how bad you want the job. Make sure the proposal gets there on time. Don't ever rely on the post office, and I am speaking from experience. Use Federal Express. It's only 10 Bucks and a big job is well worth the price.

Each phase should explain how and why, how long it will take and how much it will cost. That way if the client wants to remove a particlular phase you won't get short changed, and if they want to add it later they will know the cost up front. Along the way include times when you will meet with the client to discuss your progress.

A key point in any proposal is called Terms, otherwise known as money. How much up front, when payments are made, and how long they have to pay. Generally, you want your client to pay for each phase as it is completed before starting the next one. That way if they decide to not use you, or they run out of money, you don't get burned. Clients should pay within thirty days of an invoice, and this should be stated in the proposal and again on the invoice.

How much to charge a client is a difficult decision. If you are just out of school, you should get at least $20 hour for working at home. If you have some experience and overhead (studio rent, utilities, phone, computer, car, etc.), then $20 to $60 sounds right. If you have a studio and a company (like me) then $50 to $150 is about right. If you are big time then you probably are not paying too much attention to this article.

If you need to hire someone to work with you, charge double of what you will be paying him. That way if you need to hire ane extra person you will be covered, or you will make more money. Include the price of hiring yourself in the job to make sure you get paid. Figure your hours for each phase and add and extra 25% for safety. Then multiply your hourly rate by your hours. Take that figure and add the personal bonus you deserve for doing such an excellent job. Of Course you're going to do an excellent job. This bonus can range from a hundred dollars to thousands, you decide. Add whatever materials and services you will need (standard mark up on services is 10% to 100%). If you need a piece of paper and you have to buy a pad, charge for the whole pad. Generally, add 20% to materials and add 10% on top of the total material cost at the end just to be safe. Don't forget phone time and travel time, since travel is work. If you weren't traveling you would be working on other important jobs and be getting paid for it.

The Contract

They loved the proposal and the price is right. Now for the dreaded contract. Usually, you can add a statement saying Signed and approved by... with a signature line and a date line for both yourself and the client at the end of the proposal, but every company is different. If they write the contract, make sure you and your attorney read it. If you don't have an attorney at least have someone you trust look at it. If the client writes it, they will write it to their advantage. If you write it you will write it to your advantage. That's why you want to write it. This is big business and you want the upper hand. You are no "babe in the woods" and you don't want to appear that way. When you sign the deal over lunch, you should pay. Yes, I know you're flat broke, but that's what credit cards are for. Remember, soon you'll be making the big bucks.

If you asked for money up front, make sure you get it before you do a stitch of work. You want to avoid starting the job by ignoring the contract. Another note: Be very wary of working for inventors and start up businesses. Many don't have a lot of cash on hand, and once they see the price tag they usually make a big gulp and fade away. If you do a proposal and or a job for such a group, investigate their money situation thoroughly. Ask them questions about how they are funded and structured. Heck, call their bank and find out if they have any money. There are many stories of designers who didn't get paid for work because they didn't get enough information about their clients, but were so desperate for work that they were suckered.

Some of you may find this all a bit aggressive and an awful lot of work. It is. It is not for everyone. But for those of you who dream of being your own boss, working only on the projects that interest you, and soaring with the eagles, there's no better way to get there.