Questions for Our Amazing Designers!

kimmerbean

kimmerbean

New member
First of all, I would like to start off by saying that I sincerely hope you do not find this inappropriate, but I have some questions for our amazing designers here at SSD.

Can you give us a heads up for the things you look for when picking a creative team? I can't even imagine how difficult it must be for all of you to sift through the tons of "applications" you get during your calls and was sincerely wondering if any of you would be willing to offer any advice.

I am fairly new to digital scrapbooking. I just started in May 2008. I am just curious what types of things you like to see other than the obvious (layouts that knock your socks off).

  • Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
  • Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?
  • Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
  • Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
  • Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
  • Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
  • How often do you have creative calls?
  • Any other advice?

Again, I really hope that you will not find these question inappropriate. I'm just really curious. :)
 
well seeing I just had a call... LOL I'll bite

* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"? Both
* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? Yes and no. I don't mind template use, I've been blown away by some pages people are able to make using templates- and I'm fully aware that some of my girls use templates frequently- and I have no problem with that. I do like to see some original pages in a gallery though and if I am torn that may be the deciding factor in a CT call.
* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's? Depends 100% on the individual person & how active they are/if they seem to be able to keep up with their responsibilities etc. Some people are fine with 10 teams.. some can't balance 2.
* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products? Yes, this is in the same category as the templates thing. Having layouts with my work may push you over- not may take you out-- but it depends LOL clear.as.mud.
* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie? Do I like it, yes, is it a deciding factor, no :)
* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum? Yes
* How often do you have creative calls? Raaaaaaaarely LOL. This was my first one in about a year and a half.. if not two years.
* Any other advice? OOps I missed this one... Like I said to most of my apps... KEEP doing what you're doing :)
 
Hi Kim, I think your questions are totally appropriate.

* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"? A mix

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? Yes, but I don't mind occasional template use or those who can use templates really creatively.

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's? It's preferred, but not a deal-breaker. If I like their work and they are able to keep up with all their commitments, it's all good.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products? Nope.

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie? As much as I love seeing people wear my blinkie, it doesn't really effect my CT choices.

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum? Sometimes I'll pick someone for this reason (assuming their pages are great too), but I also take great scrappers who are quiet or have commitments that prevent them from being active in the forums.

* How often do you have creative calls? As rarely as possible.

* Any other advice? Hmmmm, this is so hard. Enjoy scrapping for yourself and your family first. I never recommend changing your style or the way you scrap in order to get on a CT. Look for things that will improve your scrapping in general and the CT stuff will fall into place. Learn to take great photos, develop your personal scrap style. Enjoy the journey.
 
I've recently had a call too, but it was my first call, so take this for what it's worth, LOL-

Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
When I started my call, I had in my mind that I wanted to bring some established scrappers in and I wanted to bring in at least 2 people that had never been on a CT before. I will always look back to the designer that gave me my first CT with huge fondness (it was Christy Lyle 3 years ago. :wub: ) I think I ended up with 3 that had never been on a CT (but honestly you can't tell because they are amazing scrappers!)

Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?
I honestly didn't look when I was making my decision. And I'm fine with my team doing lifts and templates to a certain extent. I like their own natural talent to shine and I hope their galleries will be as wonderful and unique as they each are.

Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
I didn't worry about that, because I know everyone's circumstances are different.

Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
Sure it does. If someone has already bought and loved and worked with my products, then they know if they like me. I can also see how they worked with the kits and that lets me know if our styles mesh well.

Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
It doesn't make or break my decision, but if I saw that someone had a bunch of Fan Blinkies in their siggy and mine wasn't one of them... it made me question how much they actually wanted to be on my team. ya know?

Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
Absolutely... however I did purposely pick a person or 2 that wasn't currently active at SSD to bring them over to the fun here! I'm happy to say that I often see them posting here now.

How often do you have creative calls?
it was my first call... and I hope to not have another for quite a while because I have kept my applications and hope to pull from that if needed.

Any other advice?
Only apply for designers that you LOVE their stuff. It makes it more fun to scrap with designs that you love and it represents the designer better too.
 
May I add a question???

*If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)??

I seem to get a lot of guest spots, so I am curious if I have a chance later! lol! :)
 
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crystalbella77 said:
May I add a question???

*If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)??

I seem to get a lot of guest spots, so I am curious if I have a chance later! lol! :)
Click to expand...


It really depends on the situation. I don't really do guest spots. I used to, but it got to hard to keep up with people rotating in and out. Now when I pick up a new member, they can stay as long as they want.
 
Well as I'm currently having my very first call, I'll jump in with what I'm looking for. Remember, I was a scrapper for 10 years before moving to the designer side. I've received more than my fair share of rejections over the years, so I know what it's like to be on the waiting side of things.

* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"? The length of time a person has been scrapping is not a factor in my decision. I would love to give a "newbie" a shot, but that is not what i base my decision on.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? Nope! If you can use a template well, I have no problem putting you on my team. There are still lots of ways to make template-work or scraplifts look totally original. I'm most concerned about you making my product look good, so if you can do that with a template, then I'm cool with it.

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?I find that everyone's circumstances are different. It's not fair for me to judge whether you are capable of keeping up with your commitments. You may be able to handle 10 CTs while the next person might have trouble handing 3. I may use this as a deciding factor if I just can't narrow it down otherwise, but I wouldn't outright "cut" someone because of the number of CTs that they're on.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?Yes. This is one of the reasons I asked for a sample layout using my product in my call. I want to make sure that you'll be able to mesh with my style of product. Now as a new designer, I don't expect applicants to have tons of my product. And I've had several applicants say that they just "discovered" me when I posted my call. So, while this is something that I like to see, it wouldn't be the deciding factor for me at all.


* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie? I like Julie's answer here. It's only an issue if they have 12 other fan blinkies and mine isn't one of them. Even then, that won't make or break my decision. It's just something to think about.

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum? Yes and no. I definitely want people who aren't afraid to post in the community (both here and elsewhere), but first and foremost, I'm looking for good scrappers. As a new designer, I really need people who can show my product to its fullest potential. So for this particular call, community involvement is secondary.


* How often do you have creative calls?This is my first. I hope to wait several months before having another. I'd like to think that the people I choose will want to be with me for a little while at least. :)

* Any other advice? I know I just said how important the scrapping is in my decision, but even more important than scrapping is attitude for me. The way you handle drama or adversity and the way you present yourself in the community is a reflection on the designers that you represent when you are a part of a CT. So, I want individuals who handle things like that in a professional manner or (better still) avoid the situations to begin with. A good attitude is absolutely at the top of the list for me.


*If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)?? I'm undecided on whether or not I'll be doing guest spots, but I would say that if you were a guest and really impressed me while you were a part of the team, that I would be likely to ask you to come back later when I was looking for a new FT member.
 
  • Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"? I'm happy with both. However, an applicant MUST have an established gallery before I will consider adding them to my team. (at least 10 layouts for newbies)
  • Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? No. Templates are a great jumping point for many scrappers.
  • Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's? As long as a team member is meeting his/her requirements, it isn't a problem.
  • Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products? Yes and No. When I see that an applicant has already used my product, I know she/he like my style and are familiar with my designs. However, I don't exclude people because they have not used my designs before.
  • Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie? Doesn't Matter - but if I'm looking to fill a vacancy and don't want to have a call, it's a great way to find someone.
  • Do you look for individuals who are active in the forums? Yes and no. It's not required, but I like to have people who are active. Some of my best scrappers are not active in the forums because they work full-time. This is fine with me.
  • How often do you have creative calls? As rarely as possible. Maybe once to twice a year.
  • Any other advice? Keep scrapping and have fun!
  • If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)?? It depends on how her work was during her guest spot. I would highly encourage former guests to apply.
 
I think this is a great thread. Thanks for taking the time to ask these questions.

Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?

A mixture of both. If you have talent and your layouts rock, you're in!

Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?

Nope...templates don't bother me at all.

Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?

It depends. I generally am not bothered by applicants being on several other CTs. However, if someone is on 10 CTs, I will ask around and get references on you. I want to make sure that you are able to keep up with all of your committments.

Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?

It isn't a deal breaker, BUT it might put you over the edge if it is close. I love seeing someone who works with my product because then I know that their style works with mine.

Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?

Not a deal breaker....but it is nice to see. Similiar to the above question.

Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?

Yes. At the end of the day, it is all about promoting my products. CT'ers get free product and in exchange I get promotion. If you are a positive active member of the forum, that is really beneficial to me. I want the most exposure as possible for my products.

How often do you have creative calls?

Not often. I usually start with a 6 month term and then if my CT'ers want to extend for longer, I am all for that. Calls are very difficult for many reasons. The fewer calls, the better.

Any other advice?

Yes. I feel like this is a perfect opportunity for me to let all of you prospective CT'ers in on a little secret. Please understand that designers are looking for positive talented CT'ers that are going to effectively and CONSISTENTLY promote our products. Your participation on other CTs definitely proceeds you. If you flake on another designer (especially another SSD designer), WE KNOW ABOUT IT. If you are unable to keep up with your committment, please just be honest with your designer. At the end of the day, we are all people that have very busy lives. If something comes up and you need a break, just tell us the truth. DO NOT make up some excuse to leave a CT and then apply to another one a week later. YES, WE NOTICE and YES, WE GET REFERENCES ON YOU! Whether we like it or not, it is a business and this is a mutually beneficial relationship. We would prefer that you be honest about your constraints then have you flake on us.

I think the majority of us understand that CT'ers like to try out new designers from time to time. I totally support that. That is why I start with a 6 month committment and then go from there. If my CT'ers want to move on and try other designers, I totally respect that and I wish them the best. But please, don't bail on me because of personal issues and then apply to another SSD CT two days later. It only hurts you in the long run.

I hope that isn't offensive....I just want to be honest with you.

Susan
 
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Thank you designers for answering the questions so frankly. I feel a little better about applying now when I see a designer I like having a call, even though I have never been on a CT... :)
 
I appreciate that you all took the time to answer these too! I have applied for a few CT's and gotten a couple of guest spots. I'm so excited about the 2 guest spots I've gotten here because they are with 2 of my ABSOLUTE favorites!
But now I know more of what you are looking for and I can work on that. :D
 
ITA! This thread is sooooo helpful! And if nothing else, is going to help me better with what to say in applications! :) Thank you so much for answering these honestly girls! It's awesome!
 
I don't want to hijack this thread because the question wasn't directed towards me, but as someone with a good amount of CT experience and as a designer, I did have a couple of thoughts...

Regarding using designer's products:
I know that there are many, many, many talented scrappers who honestly cannot afford all the great products they love, so they are content scrapping primarily with the products they receive from their CTs. Not seeing my product in somebody's gallery is never a deciding factor for me.

Comments/Views:
When I do a CT call, I ask for the applicant's BEST gallery...and by that, I mean the gallery in which they are most likely involved in the community, etc...Like a couple of these amazing ladies, I enjoy taking on brand new CTers...and helping them to hone their skills so that they can improve and snag some of their dream CT spots. This is a blurb that I include in my CT 411 for newbies:

We all scrap for different reasons. There is a spectrum of motivation from memory preservation to artistic fulfillment. We are not here to judge WHY you scrap. Why you CT is a different story. Regardless of your motivation for being on a CT ( the products, want to expand your style, etc.), you first and foremost are there to promote the designer's work. Getting your scrapping or creative fulfillment accomplished is a bonus. Make sense?

That said, while it isn't usually a specific requirement for a CTM, it is in your best interest (as someone who wants to move on to bigger and better CT opportunities) to find one gallery where you want to have a strong presence via participation and comments. In a designer's eyes, more views on a layout = more views at her designs.​

With everything else equal, many of my decisions came down to whether or not the person made an effort to get her art noticed, i.e. the person with the most views gets the spot.

Please picture me saying that all rainbows and unicorns like...I'm in no way a witchy designer with strict rules...I'm just trying to help these gals get noticed. I probably have the most laid back rules in all of CT land for my girls. I've had one person leave my team, but she left all her teams when her pregnancy became one thing too many for her to balance.

Anyways...good luck to those of you applying!!
 
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* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
Honestly...this doesn't matter to me. If your style appeals to me and you have a nice variety of LO's in your gallery..I don't care whether you have been scrapping 2 years or 2 months.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? Yes...I like to see what you can create from scratch.

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
Again this isn't a biggie for me. Some people can be on 2 teams and struggle with commitments and others can juggle several teams at once. So it really depends on the scrappers. When picking a team it is something that I will look at but it won't be the deciding factor.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
No...its nice to see my products in action and it shows that you know who I am but it won't sway my final decision.

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
Yes...that's cool!

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
While essentially I'm looking for scrappers to create layouts its great to have people that are active in the forums (though not essential)...sporting my blinkie and helping to promote my designs. I'm quite shy when it comes to putting myself out there in the forums (I've never really got anything exciting to say lol) so I need all the help I can get :D

* How often do you have creative calls?
Well I've just had my second call ever so that would make it every 2 and a bit years :)

* Any other advice?
One of the biggest things for me is personality. Whether that is shown in your layouts or in your application its great to get a feel for who you are. I'm a big kooky so I love it when people share quirky facts about themselves...show a silly sense of humour. I like people that are FUN and drama free :)
 
Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
I just look at the gallery, whether they are new or not is not important to me. If I see great LOs, whether they are your first 5 or 500th doesn't matter.

Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?
Hmmmm...used to I did. But back then it seemed like everyone was using the same templates! Now with so many templates out there, as long as your LOs show off the kit you used, then I am OK with templates.

Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
That is a hard one since everyone has a different amount of time to devote to teams and some teams take more time than others. If I am concerned about too many commitments I usually talk to the applicant about it and see where they are with their time.

Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
I certainly think it helps to see LOs with my products in your gallery. I say that because I want people on my team that LOVE my designs and not people that just want a CT spot or free kits. That being said, I have picked many a CTer that had not used my products before! LOL

Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
Honestly I don't pay attention to that unless I am having a specific contest or event where the blinkie is involved. But I guess it can never hurt! hehe

Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
Yes and no. Not much help, huh? I like to talk to my girls in my own CT forum and I like for them to be active here at SSD, but I have some great girls that aren't very active in the forums and I don't hold it against them!

How often do you have creative calls?
Maybe once a year if that, unles something happens and a bunch of girls leave at once. I tend to hang on to my girls though!

Any other advice?
Honesty and sincerity are big on my list. I like genuine people that aren't afraid to tell me the truth and I like people that keep their commitments and promises. I love CT girls that give their opinions and ideas for new designs and designs in progress. I like to receive feedback on my designs so that I can change/improve and I rely on my girls for that!
 
* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"? To be honest, I look at the applicant's gallery first. If that person happens to be a seasoned scrapper and they have what I am looking for..great! If they are a new scrapper and they have what I am looking for..even better! I consider these finds to be hidden gems and it can be really exciting.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? I think templates are OK for those scrappers who need to get lots of pages done in a little time, but for me..I just can't seem to use templates that much. I feel alot more creative when I start from scratch and I look for scrappers who have the ability to make an awesome piece of art just from one little idea. That said, I'm OK with the occassional template, but not every page.

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's? I don't really ask my CTM's what their responsibilities are. I let them know what my team requirements will be and if they agree to follow through with those, I'm happy.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products? This reallyI DO like to see what a person does with my product, but this isn't a determining factor.

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie? Honestly, I haven't ever thought about that.

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum? I do. I think a GREAT CTM is vocal in a positive way and someone who likes to get your name out there. Hanging out at SSD really makes a difference to me, because this is home for me.

* How often do you have creative calls? Not too often, but when I do..it takes ALOT out of me.

* Any other advice? Just one thing. I've had lots and lots of apps in the past where someone would say.."I love your wordart", and their gallery would be filled with really beautiful pages, but not pages that looked to fit my "style" of products. Most of the time, this makes me feel like they have only really shown an interest in my wordart and not in anything else. A CTM should be interested in every product I put out. I know it's not possible to be in love with it all, but they need to want to get their hands on anything with my name on it. This shows me that they appreciate what I do and that makes me want to bend over backwards to be good to them and create more for them.

:) Thanks for the questions!
 
* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
I look for both. I tend to shy away from really *seasoned* scrappers because I like to give everyone a chance. I'm not the type to hire the "flavor of the month" kind of CTM.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates? No, I honestly don't notice. If I like your gallery, I like your gallery.

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
Yes I prefer CTMs to be on 3 or less CTs because I feel they can be more dedicated to me and aren't just gathering as many CTs as they can. I do make exceptions though

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
Yes, I don't tend to hire people that don't have layouts using my product. I think I only took on one last CT call.

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
Yes, but not required.

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
More importantly than that, I like to see individuals with personality and spunk that I know they'll bring to my CT. My team is very close and we chatter a lot and I like people who add to that.

* How often do you have creative calls?
Every 6 months to a year.

* Any other advice?
I think the rest of the girls here have covered it :)
 
I'll give this one a go...lol!

Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?
I don't really look too much into whether a scrapper is old or new...if they impress me, I add them to my "yes" or "maybe" list, depending on how much they've impressed me. :)
Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?
Obviously, as strictly a template designer...no, lol. If I see a scrapper using templates quite a bit, and using them creatively and making them their own...I'm even more inclined to grab them (even if the templates they are using are not mine).
Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?
If I'm picking between 2 or 3 scrappers for 1 spot, and I find them all at the same level, I will *probably* go with one who isn't on a hundred teams. But, mostly it doesn't matter. I ask for a list of commitments on other teams just to have an idea of the applicant's style.
Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?
It's a plus, but I tend to look more at the use of templates in general than my own specific products.
Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?
I like to see people wearing my blinkie or mentioning me in their siggies, but it's not a deciding factor for me.
Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?
Yes and no. They don't need to be a large part of SSD for me to like their work - in fact, I sometimes will consider someone who ISN'T a part of SSD for the reason that many of our regular posters here are on several SSD teams and it's nice to see fresh faces once in a while! :) Much of my existing team was with me before I came to SSD, and many of them post here regularly because they love it...so bringing people who are active in other communities but not necessarily SSD can be beneficial for me as a designer...and bring a few new people to the community here as well.
How often do you have creative calls?
I don't have a set schedule...whenever my team starts dwindling, I'll have another call, or when my schdule for guests is coming to an end
Any other advice?
Only apply if you REALLY love the designers products...it's hard to scrap with products you don't love, and alot of the time, it shows. Plus, it sucks up your creativity and you're under more pressure...it's just not a good situation.

If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)??
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I have asked previous guests back as full-time CT members, but other times I have added some fresh faces to my team...it depends on a lot of factors and, of course, how well it went the month you were a guest.
 
* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?

Honestly, for me its all about overall scrapping quality and how well they're layouts "sell' the product. I love to find newbies with lots of potential as well as seasoned scrappers.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?

Yes. I want to see what the scrapper can do on their own. I don't mind templates or my CT using them, but I don't like to see every layout from a template, I just like to see some originality :)

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?

YES! This is honestly HUGE for me and one of the first things I look for. I want to make sure when I take on a CT member they have enough time to commit to me. I feel like a scrapper that is stretched between too many other CTs does not have the level of commitment to my CT that I would like to see.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?

I like to see potential CT applicants have at least ONE layout in their gallery with my stuff. I feel like if they have never scrapped with my designs, how do they know if my designs are a good fit for them or if they even like them? LOL

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?

Nah, the blinkies are fun, but they never really influence my decision.

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?

Again, this isn't super important to me. I like to see some general activity on the boards, but I am not that active myself LOL so I don't really expect my CT to be.

* How often do you have creative calls?

Honestly it just depends on when I feel like I need to refresh things or add a little more to my team. Sometimes I will just search the galleries and pick people without having a call if I am only looking for 1-2. I like to get emails from people interested in my team and I do keep them in mind (I don't always have time to respond to them though, so just know I did get it! :) )

* Any other advice?

Another really important thing to me is your photo quality. Its amazing how much a good photo can add to a layout! It also takes all types to make up a creative team. I usually look for a team of scrappers with diverse styles, so if you didn't make my last call don't think you are not good enough! That is never the case, its more just finding the right mix of people and with a pool of over 100 apps for 8-10 spots, the odds just aren't in the applicants favor unfortunately! But don't give up! :) Also, take the advice the other designers here have said because it is all fantastic! :)

~ Dani
 
* Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?

I like a mix... its fun finding new scrappers that have awesome talent.

* Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?

Nope if your gallery looks awesome, it looks awesome, whether you used temps or not. :)

* Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?

This is something that I do look at. I do realize that different people can handle different amounts of teams but if someone is on a ton of teams, I might pass them up for someone that has less teams.

* Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?

I do like to see at least one layout using my stuff. If someone hasn't used a designer's product, how do they really know if they like it or will be able to scrap with it easily? There are designers out there that I absolutely love but just cannot scrap well with their designs. BUT I have taken many people without it too. :)

* Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?

If I am looking for someone to add to my team (between calls) I am more apt to look at someone that is wearing my blinkie or mention my name in their siggy because it shows they actually like my stuff.

Altho if I find a gallery that I just love, and they don't have any blinkie or layouts, I have taken the leap and asked anyway. :)

* Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?

This isn't a big deciding factor for me. I am a quiet person myself and totally understand that!

* How often do you have creative calls?

Not very often! lol

*If you pick someone who is/was a guest for you, are you inclined to pick them as a full later on (or at the end of their term)?

I haven't done guests for quite a while, but when I did, if I really liked a guest I have asked them to stay.

* Any other advice?

As others have said, honesty, non-pouty and drama-free go along way! :) Don't let a "rejection" get you down- keep trying- your time will come! :)
 
wow, this is a great thread!

I think I'm on a bad list Susan was talking about! Eeks! I quit a few teams earlier because of changing/differing styles AND lack of time--then I applied to a few (or more hehe!) later when I had more time and didn't make it. Maybe the other designers thought I flaked out on them. Or maybe I just wasn't what they were looking for at the time (I'll hope that's what it was).

And I love the template question. I know in the last several months I have been up and down with mojo and my only inspiration comes from SALs, P2D, and the Cookie challenge. All being templates/lifts! So yeah, my gallery has a little too much of that, but oh well. Works for me and that's what's important. :)
 
I'll play too with some tidbits about what we look for in our Babes too :D

Do you look for "seasoned" digi scrappers or do you like a mixture of "old" and "new"?

Personally, I LOVE finding new talent who clearly have an eye for design - I think it's super fun to give people a chance and see where they will go. That isnt to say that if someone amazing and well known wants to be on my team, I'll turn them down, but I think ykwim :)

For the Babes tho, we DO look for scrappers who have been around for quite some time and who have an extensive gallery with original and beautiful designs.

Do you tend to sway away from individuals who scrap primarily with templates?

Honestly, yes for my team and the Babes. I want to know what YOU can do a scrapper not what you can do with someone else's sense of composition.

Do you prefer that your creative team members have only minimal responsibilities to other CT's?

Yes, I prefer it but I also pay attention to how many layouts are in the galleries of people who are on a lot of teams and kind of judge how well they are covering those responsibilites by how often they are scrapping. If someone is on 6 teams for example and scrapped 8 layouts each month in the past 3 months, I know that the chances are they arent going to have the time to give my designs the attention I feel I deserve. On the otherhand, if they are on 6 teams and they've scrapped 20+ layouts each month - I can pretty confidently say, I know they can handle their load and will be there for me as a designer.

Babes especially we look for a lighter load. Being a SugarBabe is a HUGE commitment so we need to know that the Sweet Shoppe is going to be a priority and if someone is on lots of teams throughout the community, it can be a conflict of interest and raise questions about how committed someone will be to our team.

Does it make a difference if the applicant already has layouts in their gallery using your products?

Honestly, I dont care - I figure budgets are limited and people choose their purchases carefully. Maybe it's my stuff and maybe it isnt (there is a LOT of amazing stuff out there) so I look at what is said in the application, what is in their gallery as far as composition, photography, font work, etc and if I feel someone is a good fit with my style, I have no problem asking them to join my team whether I've seen them scrap with my goodies or not :)

Where the Babes are concerned, we absolutely look for people who love SSD and are using products from our shoppe. If you're going to represent the site, you should be a fan.

Do you like to see the applicants wearing your blinkie?

It's cool (who doesnt love free advertising and feelin the love seeing their blinkies around town) but it isnt a deal breaker for me. Honestly, I'd much prefer to see you wearing the Sweet Shoppe blinkie and hanging out here than wearing MY blinkie specifically. I like getting to know people who are part of our community.

Do you look for individuals who are active in the forum?

I dont look for it, but it's a plus. I think one of our individual teams is a great way to ease into the Sweet Shoppe community and honestly for me is a first step toward wanting to be a Sugarbabe.

Most of our SugarBabes started out on our individual teams and became more active in the community as a result of supporting one of our designers and ended up as a Babe because they earned the respect and friendship of one or more of us on a personal level.

How often do you have creative calls?

I've honestly stopped doing calls because I like a smaller more intimate team personally. So I send personal invites out to people whose galleries I just love when I have an open spot. I'd like to add a fresh face here and there - so we'll leave it as "you never know when I'm looking" :)

Any other advice?

Be a positive force in the community at large especially if you want to be a SugarBabe, we really look for people who are encouraging, enthusiastic, warm, funny, genuine and of course talented.

Dont be afraid to contact your favorite designer to let them know you love them. They wont always have a spot, in fact most of the time, they probably wont - but you never know when they/we might be looking and your inquiry may be sitting in the back of their mind or in a special folder in their inbox somewhere :)
 
Wow Kim - what a great thread - thanks for posting it! I have really enjoyed reading through all the answers. I will say all the designers at SSD rock, and I am thrilled to see how open they are with answering questions from their fans!!! :)
 
This is a wonderful thread! thanks so much for your answers and suggestions, designers! It's nice to know and keep these things in the back of my mind--I want to be able to promote my designers well and also do good layouts :) I do love working with templates, but I try for not too generic ones--and I am still in the process of finding my own style myself :)
 
I would love to add something that I've learn in my experience as CT.
Please, please, please JUST APPLY FOR THOSE DESIGNERS YOU TRULY LOVE AND FIT YOUR STYLE.

When I started CTing (like 2 years ago) I went crazy and I was on 8-9 teams plus some guest spots now and then. I use to do between 20-40 LOs monthly (my personal record is 61 LOs in Jan 2007) but with the time my LOs started to look boring and wasn't fun anymore. Then for personal reasons I had to quit all my CTs last year

Bottom line, now that I'm only full time for 2 CTs with a low requirement and I'm enjoying my LOs a lot. I usually do more than the requirements because I really enjoy what I'm doing not because I HAVE to do it. And even when I'm not GSO material I truly can smile when I see my gallery and this is VERY important.
 
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