Mailbag: Responses from a recruiter

Came across this post on Confessions of a Creative Recruiter and thought these answers would be helpful to you. Yes, you.

Q: When is the best time of the year to apply for jobs as a copywriter?

At first, I didn't really think there was a season for copywriter jobs, but when I thought again about your question I changed my mind. I can tell you the season when agencies and recruiters are flooded with other candidates - graduation time. This may not translate to a hiring season, but it certainly would be the time when you are competing against a larger than average pool of candidates.

I wrote a post a while back about two seniors about 2 months from graduation and they were already making their rounds across the country on informational interviews. They wanted to beat the graduation rush and that was pretty smart.

Q: Do you have any advice for a copywriter trying to get a job without a partner?

Have a great book. That's it. The best books get the job, partner or not.

Q: Does your level of creativity determine salary and/or title?

Not title. Right out of school you are a junior until you prove yourself otherwise. (I am assuming you mean juniors here). Now salary, perhaps a bit. If I think a person is super, super good and that they may be considering other opportunities, then of course I want to entice them with a higher salary. We just interviewed Jeremy Carson, an CSULB senior three days before his graduation. His book was fantastic. Right now he has more than one employer courting him and I can bet you the highest salary has the strongest chance of landing him.

Q: Do all ‘juniors’ have to start as juniors?

Uh. Yea. But that you put 'juniors' in quotes I am guessing you mean someone who maybe is older than the average student or had another career before getting in to advertising, then are they really a junior when they start? I met a guy at Brandcenter recently who went to portfolio school, became a copywriter then went back to school to get his masters as a Creative Technologist. He asked me the same question. He isn't a junior due to his previous years in the business, but he is a junior in terms of just graduating with a different degree.

I would image each recruiter has the discretion to make the hire at whatever level seems appropriate. I'd hire that CT from Brandcenter as a mid-level person, his experience as an agency copywriter would be a big plus.

Q: How long should I wait for a response before realizing that they are just not into my book?

Well, always remember that no response does not necessarily mean they aren't liking your book. It usually means the person is way too busy with way too many books to look at to either check yours out or to get back to you once they do. Wait a decent amount of time after sending it before following up. Then wait a decent amount of time after that before sending one last communication (email/vm) that says something like, "I recently sent you my portfolio, which I am hoping you've had a chance to review. I am very interested in working at ________________, yet above all I'd love to hear your feedback on my work. May I get a few pointers from your perspective that would make my book better?

No person in their right mind could ignore that. A genuine request for feedback. Then, in getting their feedback, you'll also get a clearer answer if they like your book. Or not.

Q: Should we try to get the Creative Recruiters direct email, or just send via the 'general way', like whatever their website provides us with?

Try to get the creative manager's direct email. My HR forwards me anything remotely creative, but you don't want to take the chance that other HR people don't or that your email gets lost in the shuffle.

Mailbag: Switching from Pharma

Q: I've been working on pharmaceutical clients for the past three years and want to transfer to more general/consumer advertising. Does my experience here mean nothing? Is there hope for me? I know what I can do and I know that I can do this...heck, it's what I've wanted to do since junior year of high school...I just didn't know it was called copywriting and I didn't know colleges specialized in it, I guess I just hope I'm not screwed. Any advice? - Brian

A: Your experience in pharma means a whole lot. It's experience. You have produced work and written copy and worked in an agency. that counts for a whole lot. as long as there are ideas and it's clear you can write/craft, then you're good to go.

You just need to present yourself positively to agencies.

Meet with people and ask questions.

Add some spec work to your book. Show how you can handle non-pharma clients and consumers.

Start thinking about your elevator speech. What have you learned/gained from your experience in pharma and how can you be an asset to the next place you go? Why should someone hire you?

What does your portfolio look like?

What are you good at? 

Read switching into advertising for some tips in there that will be relevant to you when it comes to selling yourself and knowing how to talk the talk to get into consumer advertising.

Hope this helps.
~N

Mailbag: What exactly do you mean by “Portfolio”?

Question: Here’s the thing, I'm unsure what a book is even supposed to be. I mean even the physical components I'm unsure of, is it glossy paper? How is it bound? I'm confused. I know also as a copywriter, they aren't really looking at the designs but my DIY designs are really CHEESY even though I think the copy may be strong.  - Nicole, copywriter wannabe.

 A: Yikes. This is a pretty big question. Ok. *rolls up sleeves* Let’s take this in pieces… (warning, this one is long. If you want the quick answer, scroll down to the end, I wrote it in blue.) 

What is a “book”?

Your book is your portfolio. Your portfolio is your book. It’s a collection of your work, showing an agency that you can think, write and have a deeper than average understanding of advertising.

It pretty much is physical or virtual evidence of how awesome you are. 

Is it really a book?

It could be a physical ie pages you print out, a PDF or a website. 

Art directors and designers definitely need a physical book since the way things look (type, paper, color etc) matter more for them. I think writers get a bit more leeway. I went to an interview once and we used my book as an expensive coaster.

Everyone should have a website with their work and a link to download a PDF. It’s 2011, if you don’t own www.whateveryournameis.com you’re failing right now. 

What do I put in my book?

- Your best shit. Only the best. Nothing you kinda like. Nothing that’s almost there. Nothing that’s kinda alright. If it’s not great, keep working on it until it is, then put it in your book.

“Shit” being fake ads, of course. Or real ones if you’ve freelanced and they are great. (Don’t just include produced work just because it was produced. If it’s not good, cut it.) 

-  Include around 5 – 9 campaigns. Anything more is tiring to look at and will give people a reason to hate you. Lean more to 5 in your physical/PDF book (when someone sees 30+ pages they get overwhelmed and look for the next shiny object) Lean more to 9 online.  

-  Show executions across various media – print, interactive, mobile, out of home, innovation and guerrilla. (Best practice is to leave out TV storyboards/commercials or radio scripts/ spots unless they are really, really great.) 

-  Online feel free to add a few extras, fun stuff you made/did/wrote – your paintings, photography, blogs, random videos – whatever shows your creativity, personality and style. But only one or two things, anything more is overkill and distracting. And make sure it’s separate to your work. Your work is the hero.

Who should I do campaigns for? 
- Pick products, services and special interests/causes to advertise and pretend that they gave you infinity billion dollars to come up with the most awesome and effective campaign ever to get people love and buy their brand. (Note I said “effective” so that means whatever you do needs to make sense and make them money in some way.) 

- You can do big, national brands or little, local names, but switch it up. Do one campaign for Tide and one for Tito’s Bakery & Salsa Studio. (Is that racist?)
 

-  Do not do any brand that already does amazing work. You’ll look stupid next to them. Unless you’re adding something amazing to expand something they’ve already done, or coming up something groundbreaking they (or their agency in Tokyo) haven’t even thought of yet, then leave the Coke/Nike/ Budweiser, etc ideas out of your book. 

- Include a social interest piece or cause. It’s a nice break in your book and gives you a chance to show a range of emotions. (Please note, not everything you do should be funny. You’re not going to be making ads for 24 year old frat boys. Be smart, be strategic and think about who you’re talking to and do something that is relevant to them. Not you.) 

- Do not do several clients in the same category. So if you do Sprint, don’t have an ad for Verizon later on. You have a wide range of categories to pick from - household goods, financial services, automotive, tourism, entertainment, food, medicine, blah blah blah. 

- Diversity is key here. You want to show the depth and breadth of your skills. Hey look, I can write long copy! Hey look, I can do a banner! Hey look, I can do something very serious! Hey look, I’m being funny here! Hey look, here’s an iPhone app! 

What my 5 – 9 campaigns should look like?

This changes from place to place and probably year to year so feel free to ignore everything I say, but here’s a basic idea. 

- Print: something type heavy and something visually driven – both idea-heavy and strategy-driven. Writers, there is where you show you can write and make things sound good. Art directors, this is where you show you can lay type and make things look good.

- Fully integrated campaigns showing a big idea executed online, in print, OOH, events, social media, mobile and anything else that shows how the brand would engage with people.

- Online/social/mobile ideas. How can you engage and involve people online in new and exciting ways? *jazz hands*

- A miscellaneous item. A poster. An app. A product enhancement. A new way to use media. An idea to change the world. (Thunder rolls and lightning strikes in my head whenever I read that sentence. Does that happen to you too? Maybe try saying it out loud. The thunder should hit right around “WORLD.” No? Just me? Oh.)

-    Use video case studies where necessary to show how your idea works. Make it short, lively and self-explanatory. If you're not around it should be able to do the talking for you. And make sure it looks amazing. 

 

And when I have my campaigns, then what?

- Put your book together.

- Put your strongest pieces first and last, so you start with a bang and end with a bang. 

- Spread the campaigns out to keep things interesting. Something copy-heavy is followed by something visually-driven, an big integrated campaign is followed by a super simple, one-page idea, a very manly product is followed by something for babies, and so on. 

- If you're an art director, make sure all the layouts, designs and visual elements are on point. If you're a writer, make sure the copy is smart, quick and engaging. Ugly layouts make good copy look bad and bad copy makes beautiful layouts look bad. So  no matter what discipline you are, make sure your work is creative, strategic and smart - you are responsive for the overall aesthetic and strength of your book. 

 - Include a quick description if an idea needs a bit of background. People don’t have time to Google Tito’s Bakery & Salsa Studio is the only Cuban establishment owned by Koreans. Say what problem you solved or what strategy you took to end up with your campaign then let you work be the hero. 

How do I make my physical book?

- Use high quality paper and ink. Get it professionally done to make sure it’s as top-notch as possible. 

- Use tabloid size print-outs or larger, but not too large that it’s cumbersome to carry or hold. 

- Try to avoid binding because you may get feedback to remove things or move things around and if it’s bound you’re stuck now aren’t you?

- Avoid plastic covers because they give a bad glare 

How do I make my online book?

-       There are great websites and templates out there, pick which best work for you or just design your own. 

-       Try carbonmade or cargocollective. Some copywriters can even get away with using blogs like blogger or posterous. Whatever you do, make it professional, clean, clear and classy. 

 - Make sure it’s easy to navigate, and I don’t know if I’ve said this before, let your work be the hero.

Ok, now what next?

- Read the Breaking In Book. It’s full of interviews from top CDs saying exactly what they look for in books and is far better than 93% of anything I’ve written here today.

- Read my post on Your Portfolio. Start contacting people. Email recruiters, head hunters, regular working folk and ask them for feedback (See emailing tips here) on how to make your book better, stroke their egos and try to get some face time. Try to do freelance or get an internship to get real-world experience. 

- Keep pushing and keep improving.  

Quick Answer: If this felt overwhelming and scary and borderline impossible, go to Portfolio School. There are people there whose job it is to help you and they know so much more than I do. 

I need a nap now. 

~N

Mailbag: Second Job Hunting Tips

Q: You have lots of good advice for juniors; any advice for mid-level creatives? People always focus on getting your first job, but what about preparing for your second? - Cameron, copywriter

A: So true. But honestly, it's pretty much the same, but a bit easier - partially because you're more aware of what you like and what you're good at, and less of a risk to potential employers because clearly you can't be a full idiot if someone else hired you.

* Talk To Yourself. First off, look at what you want next in your career. Where do you want to work and what do you want to work on? A new job isn't a magic pill to fix all your problems. You don't want to jump from frying pan to fire to boiling cauldron of lava and cayenne. So really take some time to think about why you want to leave this current job and what you're looking for our of your new job and where and how your needs can be met. And really take some time to think about what you need to change to be a better creative and employee as well.
Check yo'self before you wreck yo'self. (This sounds so awkward coming from me but I'm leaving it. Deal with it. *b-boy stance*)

* Update your portfolio and resume. Feature your best work. And only work you had a large contribution to. (Being in the room when it was presented or doing a resize for a banner doesn't count.)

* Use Your Connections. Talk to everyone you know who is at an agency you'd like to work at. Ask if they're looking and if so, if they can e-intro you to the creative recruiter or their CD. Even if they're not looking, ask to be introduced.

* Call in the Reinforcements. Reach out to 2 - 3 headhunters. Be clear on where you are and where you'd like to be in your career. The more honest you are, the more they can help. Also, make sure to let them know which agencies you've sent your work to on your own or through other folks so there is no overlap.

* Utilize All Resources. Contact creative staffing firms and see what they have. They usually send emails that fit your needs and there are sometimes little gems in there - especially freelance work.

* Search Your Networks. Look on LinkedIn, TalentZoo, mediabistro etc and see what's posted. Check out agencycompile, AdAge, AdWeek and other ad trades and blogs to see who is hiring, firing,winning and losing accounts. New business win = hiring, so go where there is water. 

* Don't Be Shy. Email people at places you want to work even if you don't have a contact there and wow them with your wit and skills and kick ass portfolio. Check out these email tips.

* Give It A Test Drive. Freelance if you can so you can get a feel for a place and they can get a feel for. There's nothing wrong with testing the milk before you buy the cow. (Is that how the saying goes? I'm not into cows nor milk so I'm not sure. I should've stuck with the driving analogy but I'm even worse with that...)

* Know Your Worth. Research salaries (ask your colleagues or try Glassdoor, Payscale or salary) to see what someone with your experience gets and think realistically about your needs then set a salary range that you can live with.

* Never Turn Anything Down. If they're interested and want to meet, follow through even if you're not sure. Think of it as practice. You never know who you could meet, what you could learn, or where something can lead.

* Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You. If you're still employed while you're looking, be sure to still give your all to work.

* Manage Your Expectations. Just because they reply to your email doesn't mean they'll interview you. Just because they interview you, doesn't mean they'll offer you a job. Just because they offer you a job, doesn't mean you should accept it. Weigh all your options and make sure you're making the best move for you and not just making a move because you're ready to move.
 
* Give It Time. Sometimes it can take 3 - 6 months to find the right thing. Patience is a virtue. (I'm never too sure what this saying is really saying, but at least I know I got this one right.)


Happy Hunting!
~N

Mailbag: Dealing With Deadlines

Q: So far, I have been given deadlines ranging from one hour to a few hours. Because I have so little time to work on projects compared to what I'm used to, I am usually not happy with the results. Can you please give me some advice on how to handle it all?
- Emely, a MAIP summer intern at JWT NY


A: First off, go in earlier and stay later.

This business is all about timeliness. You have to be quick. But you also have to be good. It's sometimes hard to manage the two. So when necessary, ask for a little more time. Don't do it too often, but if you think having another hour or two would make a significant difference to the quality of work, say that.

If you have several projects, try to prioritize and see which ones you can ask for more time on so you can focus on being really great when it really matters. Time management is your responsibility but if you need help/advice on what is most important, ask a project manager or your supervisor.

Honestly, some of the deadlines are probably stricter than they need to be because you're an intern. It's part them testing you and part them not trusting you. They need to see what you can do and need time for someone else to fix it if you mess up. (But don't tell anyone I told you that.)

Ask nicely and say in order to do quality work and prevent several rounds of revisions, you're going to need more time up front. Which is saving time overall because it means you can get it right the first go.

If you meet the deadline then find you have time, revise the piece later into to something you like more. This is good because you now have a piece you can use in your book that you feel good about. And you can submit it again and say you took more time and thought this was better because of xyz reasons. See if they'll take that instead or as well. Then you can say for the next round, if I have more time, I can do something really great like the one I redid that time. You've set a precedent now that more time = better work and they're more likely to trust you and try to get you more time.

However some times, you're going to have to just suck it up, work through lunch, ignore Facebook and put the pedal to the metal to produce something good in little to no time. It happens to everyone from time to time. Just take a deep breath and focus.

Put your all into every project. No matter how small or stupid it may seem. If you do good with small + stupid you'll graduate to medium + alright and eventually get to big + exciting. And that is why you got into this business, right?

Now get back to work.