Luke Hoehn's Design Blog

I started my portfolio site as a reaction to not getting a marketing position. I felt that one reason that I did not get the position, at the time, was that the position in question was a combination of marketing experience with design skills. The corporate listing wanted a marketing person, but the local marketing manager wanted a design person who could learn the marketing tasks – someone that could create print and web ads and have the ability to write good copy.

When I found out that I did not get the position, my reaction was to finally start a website, or at least, create a public place under my name where people could see what I could actually do. Less talk, more presentation. I figured it was a healthy reaction to an overall bad situation. If I couldn’t get experience and knowledge through work, then I would have to find another way to get it. Three months to the day later, here we are.

I went to school for Marketing and Management, which is more or less a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration  or Management with a Marketing minor. One thing I remember when taking Marketing, Advertising, and other classes under that umbrella, was that they told you what to do and why, but not the how. There was a serious lack in vocational skills and, in my case at the time, experience to compliment those lessons.

This made it rough after graduation. I worked a series of long-term and short-term temporary position while polishing my technical and, eventually, design skills. Recently, I have completed an associate’s degree in Computer Information Systems. What does that mean now?

I have time. After years of class and working while in class, I have time. I am happy with how the portfolio site is coming along since its inception. The progress I have made has made me a better programmer and designer, and I feel that I am finally hitting my stride.

In the coming weeks, I will be adding more elements of CSS3, HTML5, Google Analytics, and Flash to my site.  In addition to these new skills, two more mock-ups are in the works, with the second mock-up upgrade using JavaScript, DHTML, and PHP coming down the pipe . I’m excited for the first time in a long while. I do so love it when a plan comes together.

Regards,
Luke Hoehn
www.lukehoehn.com