Past Me Gets It

Funny thing happened recently - I searched* my blog to look for advice.

Luckily, Past Me is kinda smart and super helpful when Present me is kind of a mess.

I kicked myself pretty hard for being a dummy. I know that stuff. Past Me was on the ball. Present Me needs to get her life together ASAP.

Then I was reminded of the fourth lesson of the Four Agreements: Always do your best. 

Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist

I often write notes to myself. Not because I'm insane (Well...partially because of that) but mostly because writing things down helps me remember  and seeing words in all caps is like a silent yell from my inner self. And it's really hard to ignore my inner self.

I have a few around my desk, "It's only impossible until it's not." and "Complaining doesn't change anything. Action does." 

In February I added "Perfection is the enemy of done." 

And as much as that note yells at me, it’s been a tough lesson to live. 

Confession: I have a thing for Perfection. Or better yet, my personal idea of Perfection. I want things to be as buttoned up, as impactful, and as shiny as possible. If it's a representation of me, it has to be quality. Like Barney's level quality.

However, my problem is that I go miles past Kmart in to Nordstrom territory - which is a very, very good place to be -  but keep pushing, fighting, stressing and obsessing to get to Barney's. And I wear myself the eff out getting there or beat myself up for having not made it all the way. 

And those times I do get there, I’m not sure the store windows are clean enough, or the AC is at the right temp. What if someone thinks the revolving door is completely idiotic? (These are just metaphors of course. I’m talking about work – creating an ad or writing a headline and all that jazz, not building a department store.)

It's not that I'm scared of failing. (Read Mistakes Won't Kill You) And I totally believe in trying as many options as you can and doing multiple versions, and editing and re-editing. (Read Edit, then Edit Again) 

My issue is that I have a really hard time with things not being just right. Even if it’s at 98.9% right – I want that last 1.1%. So I often overthink, overedit, overanalyse, overwrite and pretty much drive myself mad.

Perfection is the enemy.

When you have an 8 a.m. deadline, Perfection will have you up all night, drinking unhealthy amounts of 5 Hour Energy and ignoring your body’s pleas for basic things like sleep and bathroom breaks.

When you need to present 3 versions of an ad, but the 2^nd one isn’t just right, Perfection will have you staring at a screen until your eyes twitch. Perfection will make you have 4 browser tabs open, all on Thesaurus.com, combing through lists and lists of ways to say the same damn thing, agonizing over every little detail. Perfection will leave you with one really great version, one good version and one red-headed-step-child version.

Perfection will make you look bad in front of your boss and coworkers.

Perfection will make you late for meetings.

Perfection will leave you with stupid, amateurish mistakes (like its/it's.)

Perfection will make you doubt yourself, your abilities and your entire purpose in life.

Perfection will wear you supermarket-plastic-bag thin.

Perfection will keep you from actually getting shit done.

 

I’m not at all saying just focus on just getting to the finish line, whether or not it’s any good. I’m saying if you’re aiming for exceptional and end up with great – be thankful for great and move on. It's better to have something complete to show than something half-baked but beautiful. (Or worse, a very shiny turd.)

There will be time to edit and re-edit. Trust me, your boss, project managers, account people and client will find always something wrong with what you did, no matter how perfect you thought it was.

You’ll have time to go back and make it better. To Barneyfy it. And you’ll come to realize that sometimes, Nordstrom’s is exactly what they wanted. Or that your Nordstrom’s is someone else’s Barney’s.

What you never want to do is mis-manage your time, miss deadlines, drop the ball on things, burn yourself out or sacrifice your health in chasing this ideal of Perfection.

Don’t be so hard on yourself.

No one expects you to be perfect. No one expects you to have Barney’s quality all the time. Or to never make a mistake. 

But  everyone expects you to deliver. To actually get shit done. And to do it well. (Whether at work or in school.)

If it's a good idea, that will show. Even if it's written on a napkin. It's better to finish it and have something to show, instead of spending hours polishing what turns out to be a very pretty Dollar General idea and realise you stressed yourself out for nothing. 

Focus on completing first, then get to finessing and polishing. Everyone is going to have feedback on what you do anyway. And you’re probably going to look back in a month and see how you can make it better. (Read Your Book WillNever Be Done.)

I’m going to take my own advice and finish this post. It’s a good post. And it doesn’t have to be perfect. (Read Be A Mess)

Wait. Let me just pull out my thesaurus and red pen and read it one more time.

No. I won't do it. I'm done.

Hi, my name is Neisha and I'm dangerously Virgo and an insatiable perfectionist. And I'm working on getting over myself.

Here's some notes you can write to yourself to help you get over yourself too.

Be a Mess

Baseball is not my thing. I've been to one game in my whole life, and was coaxed there with the promise of beer and popcorn.
However, I recently heard this quote and was a. very moved and b. inspired.

"In the beginning, I used to make one terrible play a game. Then I got so I'd make one a week, and finally, I'd pull a bad one once a month. Now, I'm trying to keep it down to one a season." 

Being a creative is kind of like that.

Your first year in advertising, you're pretty much a mess with legs. And as time goes by, you become less and less of a mess -- and one day, if you're lucky, you are only an intermittent mess - like a leap year.

If you take away anything from that quote, it's that it's okay to make mistakes. And things will get better.

I guess that's two things.

Internship 104: 8 Ways to Network

That saying "Get your foot in the door" means so much in advertising. Connections are (fortunately/unfortunately) everything.

Now that your foot is in there, start working on how you can stay there. (And I guess you should figure out how to bring the rest of your body in too. It starts getting cold around November.) 

While you're interning, make sure you take the time to socialise and meet people.

Eight Quick (and seemingly obvious) Networking Tips: 

Go to events at your agency. During the summer, most agencies are a little slower and do fun things like Summer Fridays (half or full days off) and have lots of socials and events.
Read Drinking Is Good For Your Job

Go to events at other agencies. Be on the look out on LinkedIn, Facebook and with your friends who work at other places to find out what's going on, when and where.
Read What to Do When You're New 

Meet other interns. Whether or not they're in your internship program, department or even on your floor -- reach out to them, hang out with them, get to know who they know. You never know -- you may end up being  an usher at one of their weddings.  (Happened to me, could happen to you if you played your cards right.) 

Meet recently-hired people. Talk to other entry-level people and juniors. Find out about how they got in, what they know, who they know and learn all you can from them. Except for bad habits. Don't learn those.
Read Shyness Will Get You Nowhere

Ask people to lunch or to grab a coffee. Whether it's a junior, another intern, an ACD or a planner on your team, a smile and a simple "Hey, wanna run grab a coffee with me?" or "Hey, wanna try to grab lunch on Tuesday?" will get you far. Smokers have smoking breaks, which are amazingly social (and life-threatening). I use lunch and coffee/tea breaks to socialise in a way you don't usually get to sitting in conference rooms or cubicles.
Read Small Talking Series 101, 102 - Use the News, 103- 5 Questions, 104 - Introducing Yourself  

Use LinkedIn. Update your profile, add all your links, work and relevant experience, join groups and share articles, and reach out to people you meet along the way to keep their contact information and get access to who they know. (BTW I hate when people give me business cards, I lose them and feel like a litterer. I prefer whipping out my phone and adding them on LinkedIn right then and there. It's 2013 after all.) 
Read: How to Get Ignored on Linked In

Ask questions. Seriously. Even if you think it's dumb. Even if you think it's something you should know. (Maybe then, just ask one person, quietly. Or Google it. But definitely ask -- knowing is always better than not knowing.) 

Be yourself. Or be Chuck Norris. Either one of those works.

Here are some related posts with more advice, tips and information
Networking & Following Up Tips to Help People Remember You
Seriously, You Have to Make People Remember You 
How to Make Small Talk  
People to Always Be Nice To 

Internship 103: 5 Ways Not To Suck At Email

Never, ever, ever hit send before you read what you just wrote at least twice. Do it out loud
if necessary. Then do it one more time, just in case.

It's easy to say "I'm too busy" Or "I just need to say this real quick" Or "Let me do this on my way to the kitchen/bathroom/next meeting..." But doing that is almost as dangerous as not using condoms. You may get away fine a few times, but one day... you'll surely be fucked.

When it comes to emails -- ESPECIALLY work emails -- you have to be very conscious and very cautious.

Here are 5 Ways To Deal With Emails: 

1. Make sure you're saying what needs to be said in the most concise, professional and clear way.

2. Say only what needs to be said. Nobody has time to read an essay. Cut out anything that isn't essential. (For instance, those  last two sentences I just wrote)

3. Don't make yourself look stupid by making foolish gramatical mistakes and typos. Seriously. Don't do it.

4. Never respond when you're angry, scared or frantic. You'll regret everything after you hit send.

5. Don't fill the send field until you're done writing, editing and proofreading your email. Sending something too quickly or to the wrong person is an epidemic. Don't become a statistic.

The five things probably look simple enough. But there's really an art to it. Being able to properly represent yourself, your opinions/feelings and your agency in writing is something that comes with time.

Here are some related posts about emailing. Have a look while I go re-read this post and make sure I'm not embarrassing myself.

Dos & Donts of Emailing
The Art of Emailing
Follow Up Email Template
Email writing tips

Internship 102: 12 Things You Must Do

The Creative Wannabe Work Commandments was one of my very first posts, and probably
one of my favourites.

If you've never read it, take notes. If you have already read it, read it again and refresh your notes.

Today is a great day to be awesome.


Twelve Things You Should Chisel Into Your Memory

Whether you're an intern or junior, there are certain rules you need to conduct yourself by to make people like you and want to work with you.

Sure you're great. You know it and I know it and your mom knows it. However, these folks at Agency X have no idea, and quite honestly are too busy trying to show off their own greatness to care.

I went up to a mountain top (aka sat on my bed) and meditated (tried real hard to remember things from my internships + first year at work) and spoke to the advertising gods (napped) and put together this list of
Creative Wannabe Work Commandments.

* Never be late. Ever. Lightning will strike you down and kill you if you are. (Or not.) Get in before everyone and leave after them. 5:30 pm is midafternoon break time. Some of the biggest client changes - and biggest opportunities for you to get called to do some work - happen at the very last minute. Which is usually about 5 minutes before you're ready to go home. 

* Dress like a creative, only better. There's no official dress code for creative types, so vans, torn jeans and Random Band #7 t-shirts are perfectly fine, but don't dress as if you're going to school, your friend's house, a party, a sleepover, the beach, the bathroom or a cocktail party. Dress in a way that if someone met you, they'd never assume you were an intern or junior and if the client were in the office the team wouldn't be ashamed to introduce you. Pick the best dressed person and use them as your template. 

* Never get drunk around co-workers. Even if you're at a bar. Even if they're drunk. Even if it's your birthday. Even if they encourage you to have just one more. There's a lot of socializing over drinks in advertising, sometimes at work (shh) or outside of the office. Don't ever confuse your colleagues with your college buddies. You'll have to see them again tomorrow morning, sober and straight-faced. You can't take back anything said or done over scotch and tequila shots. Remember that.  


* Keep busy. If you have no assignments, ask for one. Ask your supervisor, ask his supervisor, ask her partner, ask everyone around if they need help with anything, if you can sit in on their meeting, if you can look over their shoulder creepily. If you're finished your work, Oliver Twist out in the piece and ask for more.Volunteer yourself, offer your services, step up and slide yourself into every opportunity to do some work and - here's what really matters - impress people.

* Limit Idling (On and off line). I love Facebook and Twitter as much as the average bear and I often use them to do research, but when people walk by my desk, there's no way they can tell if I'm skimming our competitor's fanpages to see what we can do better than them or if I'm buying a cow on Farmville. And that's what they'll assume. They also assume you're taking a long lunch if you're away from your desk too long, you're gossiping if you're talking to a coworker in the hall and you're taking a nap if you're in the bathroom for too long. (Confession: I've been guilty of this.) Always look occupied and engaged so they feel like they need you there.

* Don't say no. Never turn down an assignment or feedback. You're at the bottom of the totem pole and the best way to work your way up is to (wait for it) work. So if someone asks you to do something and it's late/you're too busy/you don't want to do it - don't say no, say you'll try to work something out, or you'll see if So Andso can help or ask for more time to get it done. Don't ever turn down an opportunity to show you're dependable, hardworking and amazing. If the client or account people ask you to do something creatively outrageous, you'll learn more diplomatic ways of saying no. My favorite is "Oh, that could be interesting. I'll try to work something out with that and see what other solutions we can come up with."

* Overdeliver. If they ask you to do three versions, do four. If they ask for "some" headlines, write ten. If they say "come up with a campaign" come up with three and flush them out in a wicked presentation that shows how your idea works across all media. Go above and beyond. Treat every assignment, no matter how big or small, like it's your final assignment and your entire grade depends on it. 

*  Save the drama. I was going to say for your mama, but she doesn't want it either. This is a place of business, so put your personal life on mute once you step through those doors. Limit personal calls, conversations and visits. Don't stress about your boyfriend on company time. And God forbid, don't talk about that girl you may or may not meet up with later before/during/after the status meeting. No one cares. And you don't want them to. They'll look at you different and possibly like you less. You want them to know that you're a hard worker, a quick learner and a creative genius - nothing else matters. Nothing.

* Get a mentor and an ally. Find someone on your team or on another team who you respect and can ask for guidance, advice and introductions. (Advertising is very much about who you know and who they know. So make those connections.) And find an ally, someone on your team who you can share your work and ideas with, discuss projects and day to day things, and who can say they know you, like you and think that you're a hard worker, quick learner and creative genius.  Neither of these people should be your boss, and they don't even really have to have a big title or anything, your mentor should have about 5 years on you and your ally at least 2. Just make sure you have two people you can turn to if you need rescuing or a recommendation. 

* Always take notes. Write that one down. Always have a pen and pad with you. Write down all the important things to remember during the meeting - and things to Google later (People throw around terms like "top of the line" and "POP" and "MCOW" like they're Skittles.) Jot down your first thoughts, doodle, write tag lines, make product pro + con lists. Plus having a pad always makes you look much more serious and involved than everyone else. 

* Be professional. Creative Departments are super laid back. People skate board, play Wii, drink beer, curse, slam doors, blast Kanye a little too loud and throw balls across the room. However, these people have been working there far longer than you have. One day, you will be that person. But today, you're not. So be on your Ps and Qs. Don't get too casual in conversation or email. Avoid slangs, curses, sexist/racist/homophobic statements or jokes, oversharing and being loud. Your coworkers are not your friends. Your office is not your house. You are here to work and make sure everyone sees that that is your #1 priority.

* Keep track of your accomplishments. People may not notice how much you're doing, what you've contributed or the kind of progress you've made. So create a folder or make a list and keep all of your wins so in 3 or so months, you can see how far you've come and most importantly, prove that you're an asset to that agency. Feel free to title the folder or list "Evidence of My Greatness." I won't judge you for it.

Internship 101: What Are You Doing?

Good morning interns!

Welcome to the "real world." Come in. Have a seat. Just don't touch anything.

First off, congratulations. Getting an internship can be challenging, so congrats on being chosen. And getting the real world experience of an internship will help your career, so congrats on being on the right track. (Read: Internships Matter) 

Now, to business.

As an intern, you are there to do two things. Help and Learn. Say it with me: "Help and learn."
Be effing awesome at both.

How to Help: 
Deliver work on time.
Stay on top of it. ("It" being everything.)
Offer to do something for someone.
Pay attention to details.
Solve a problem. (Big or small.)

How to Learn: 
Ask questions.
Shadow people.
Listen.
Take notes.
Practice.
Ask for feedback.

This post is the first of a 4-part series dedicated to you and how to be an awesome intern and get hired.




Assignment #1
Take some time out today and make a list of the things you want to learn and accomplish this summer.





Read this post below for an idea of how to get started.  Get What You Want.

Came across this quote the other day on Twitter and thought it was the best thing since wi-fi.

"Go in knowing what you want to get out. If you go in empty minded, you'll come out empty handed."

If you're in school, about to be in school, interning or looking for a full time job, ask yourself - what do you want to get out of it?

What do you want to learn?
What do you want to get better at?
What do you want to conquer?
What skills or experiences do you want to leave with?
What points do you want to add to your resume? Or campaigns to your book?

Really take a minute (or few days) to think about what you want to get out of the next 3 to 6 to 12 months. (Personally I can only make concrete plans for 3-6 months ahead. Who knows when the pigeons are finally going to rise up and rule the earth?) 

Make a list of where/who you want to be in the next 6 months then make a list of the steps you need to get there.

* Who do you need to talk to?
* What do you need to do?
* How can you strategically place yourself in the right situations and around the right people to make sure you're on the right path?


 Be honest and clear about your intentions:

If you want to work with a certain copywriter because they're good at long copy and you need a long copy campaign in your book, say that.

If you want to take a certain class because that professor usually sets his students up with internships, talk to the (I can't remember what they call the person who helps you pick classes. But talk to him/her.)

If you want to go to a recording or shoot to learn about what it's like, tell your creative director.

If you want to work on this project so you can get exposure to digital campaigns, speak up.

Yes, you should also be thinking about what all you're going to give, but also think about what you'd like to receive out of an experience. Who do you want to be at the end of it? How do you want to grow from it? How will having done this make you better?

No one else will really decide this for you. After high school you're pretty much on your own to determine your own path. In this business, whether you're in school or on the job, how far you get largely depends on how far you're willing to go. If you don't perform, you'll fail. If you fail, it's your fault. 

Your success depends on you.

How to Fail

Excerpt from Augusten Burroughs' book-  This is How: Surviving What You Think You Can't. I read this a few months ago and thought this section was especially relevant to all things in life. Love, work, personal goals, art, health, work... everything.

Create an Idea Well

Even if you graduated two years ago or ten years ago, you should never stop being a student.

You should always be learning, not just about what's happening in the ad world -- the current big thing, the next big thing and the failed big thing.

Not only will this give you things to talk about in conversations with other ad folk, but sometimes just looking at other ads (ads about anything and everything) inspires and motivates you.

Go to sites like Ads of the World to see what people are putting out. Read industry blogs and publications like Adfreak and Creativity to get a broader grasp on the work being done, the agencies doing it and the industry on a whole.

And most importantly, collect things that inspire you. 

Pinterest actually has a whole category called Illustrations & Posters where they have everything anyone else has posted under that topic.

Create your own collection, whether it's on Pinterest* or using the Pocket Chrome extension or a folder on your desktop - start holding on to anything that sparks something in you or makes you think "I want to do something like that." Or stuff you just think looks/sounds amazing.

*I'm using Pinterest as an example because it's sooo easy to pin from any website and repin from other boards on Pinterest. You can search for specific things like fonts, typography, headlines, ads, banners, resume layouts... just about anything. Ok yes, I'm a sheep. 

That day will come where you feel like your brain is empty and you have nothing new to offer.

And there's also that day when you have an idea, but aren't sure how exactly to bring it to life.

Oh, and that day when you want to do something in a specific style but don't have hours to spend going through Google's 569,988,987 results.

So start your collection right now. Call it your Inspiration Box or Idea Well or whatever the hell you want. You should always be on a hunt for inspiration and staying thirsty for new ideas.

Someone's Idea Well: Concepts & Ads I Love 

And with a take off the famous Glengarry Glen Ross line "Always Be Closing" -- Here's two bits of the best advice I've ever gotten:

"Always Be Curious." - Nancy Hill

"Always Be Concepting." - Desmond Hall. (Said with the same passion Alec Baldwin had in the movie clip above.)

Look At Me

You have a good portfolio -- now what? Well, now you have to figure out how to get people
to look at it. And then to want to call you in for an interview. And that's when you can hit them with the one two - great book, great personality POW - you're hired!

But how do you go from step 1 - to steps 2 and 3? 

The basic idea is of having a portfolio is to show people how you think. How smart and creative you are. How you can solve problems. And what you'll bring to table. 

So start thinking about how you can do that even before someone clicks on your link.

Here's a great example of a creative way to get noticed. 

Two students put their books in bathrooms at agencies around New York -   showing that they can come up with creative solutions - which is what you're going to do every day when you get hired. 

It's all about how you can get the right message, to the right target, at the right time. (Well in this case, right-ish.) 

The Toilet Book from Akos Papp on Vimeo.

Read this article about how and why they did it. Junior Ad Men Drop Off Portfolios In Bathrooms And Get Jobs

Back2Work: Edit then re edit (then edit again)

"But I thought you said... But you told me to..."

You'll utter this to yourself quite a bit as a junior creative.

Here's what happens: Your ACD (Associate creative director aka next in line to be creative director) or CD gives you feedback to change X and put Y here and delete Z.

And, whether or not to fully get it or agree, you do it.

Sometimes, you're like - "Amazing. That changed everything." But there are those times when you present the updated work, they go "Errr, this isn't working. It needs some Z. And the Y shouldn't be there."

Your first thought is probably "Really???" -- But as I've gotten more experience (and patience) I see that sometimes you can't tell if something works or not until you try it.

Creating an ad isn't a direct science. There are several right answers. And even more wrong answers. And everybody, including your boss, will make mistakes sometimes.

We're all just trying to figure out the best mixture of ingredients to create something good - and like with cooking, sometimes you have to try a bunch of different things, a bunch of different ways, before you get it right.

That's why I suggest exploring 100 options. Move X to the left, to the right, make it orange, do every variation of the layout or the line until you can securely say - this one right here, this is it.

Present 2 or 3 options to your boss, showing the best ones of your exploration and ask for feedback.

And if your boss says Move X you can say, "Actually, I tried it, it didn't work. It was missing something. Let me show you..."

And voila. You look like someone who was really thinking, really trying, plus you've opened up an opportunity for you to truly learn - not just do what you're told to do because you were told to do it - but to know and understand next time why this doesn't need Z or X or whatever.

And that's how you grow.