I know that I don’t have the most robust of portfolios (websites & logos), so I’m always looking to expand both my experience and my portfolio into new areas. Specifically into the realm of print design.

The Clients Job Posting

Several Days ago, while I was trolling Craigslist for creative jobs, I found the following job posting.

A popular upscale Italian-American restaurant located in Evanston in need of a graphic designer, freelance/professional/company to redesign layout of our dinner menu.

We are in need of a contemporary, hip design & style to breathe life into our stale menu design. Please email Emily at the craigslist Link with URL of portfolio samples, or to setup a consultation.

This seems like a fun project! I was a busboy & server for most of my teenage/young adult life, and I’ve always enjoyed going to new restaurants and critiquing their menus.

This biggest hurdle a potential client would have with hiring me for a menu redesign is that I don’t have specific menu design experience. Additionally, this job posting describes a “contemporary, hip design & style.” Most of my experience has been with corporate non-hip people.

I want some menu designs in my portfolio, I’d love to expand my design services into the Food Industry and into the “Contemporary Hip” area.

My Job Proposal

I decided to try for this job. The following is my email with commentary!

Hello Emily,

My Name is Chris Micek and I am writing in response to your Craigslist ad looking for a graphic designer to design your restaurant menu. I am a young freelance designer based in North Chicago.

Pretty basic intro. I usually state my location so the potential client knows that I’m local.

My portfolio is located at www.micekdesign.com

This sounds like an exciting project and I would love to be a part of it. After looking at the print section of my portfolio you’ll notice that I do not have any specific menu design examples.

I debated about this section for a while, I decided to be upfront about my lack of menu design experience, and justify my design skills later on. A good look at my portfolio will show that I haven’t handled menus before anyways.

Admittedly I do not have menu design experience; however, I am experienced with business identity design, of which, the menu is a very important extension.

There’s my justification, and I think it makes sense. I really wish the posting had included the name of the restaurant so I could’ve done some research and described potential extensions of their current brand.

Were you to hire me for this project I can assure your satisfaction with the final product. After an initial consultation to discuss your restaurant and design ideas I will design several concepts or mock ups to explore your ideas. From there you would choose one of those concepts to revise and redesign until you are happy!

I’m trying to soothe their fears by conveying that no mater what, the potential client will have a hand in every step of the process, almost like they were guiding me towards the design that was in their mind.

I look forward to discussing this opportunity with you further. My contact information can be found below and on my website.

Chris Micek

Good bye. Call me! This would be a fun project!

Its been 2 days since I sent that email, so my hope for the project is waning. But I think with a little tweaking, I’ll have a solid email template to use for trying out new services.

What do you think?