[Ado]

Im about to head to UK and will approach some recruiting agencies. They give u tests to guage your abilities and wanted to be ready for it.
Anyone done a freelance recruiters test?

[Westbo]

Yes. iCreative, Aquent, The Creative Group etc., all have similar tests. Typically you are asked to replicate an ad, brochure or sales sheet. You are provided a hard copy to follow and access to a computer which will have the necessary apps and folders with the components/art, fonts, etc. You then format the art and recreate the layout. Your accuracy following the original and how long it takes is evaluated. In some cases, how you set up the document, style sheets etc can also be a factor. These results along with your interview and portfolio establishes your level of expertise and hourly rate.

[andi*pandi]

I did an aquent test a long time ago. It is as westbo describes.

[JonoMarshall]

That kind of thing annoys me greatly... some of the best designers I know still express all ideas and development on paper before generating digital work.

Where's the test for idea generation? What if your communication skills result in less understanding and therefore productivity?

[andi*pandi]

presumably your portfolio will speak for your creativity, but for agencies who are looking to fill the "can you pour these magazine ads and quickly" positions out there, the simple "match the mockup" exam is best. Also weeds out the so-called "indesign experts" out there who don't know their paragraph styles from character styles.

[art_director]

IMHO recruiting agencies, and recruiters for that matter, are a waste of time. Not to mention they snag some of your money in the process of doing what ever it is they do.

How can I say this?

Fifteen years ago, when I was a young buck in the biz, a recruiter did a cattle call for a well known creative agency (at the time). I sent my book as did many friends. Just before the call for books I had met with an art director friend who asked my opinion of his work. I gave him some input and he asked that I show him what I meant. In a nutshell, I redesigned much of his book very, very, very quickly on the spot on his computer. Turned out that he took what I did -- which didn't represent his starting point -- and put them in his portfolio without so much as altering a thing. When I found out I told the recruiter and she blew me off. The guy got hired and promptly fired because he couldn't deliver on what his book displayed. The recruiter didn't care, she got a commission while screwing me.

Then, nine years ago, I sent a book to a top-tier agency in another market. I also had a copy of my book with a recruiter in the same city. The agency liked me and hired me. The recruiter, who hadn't done squat with my samples, demanded a commission for placing me despite the fact the she didn't have a darn thing to do with the gig, other than the fact that the agency was a client. I excused myself from the debate between the two companies. After all, I had what I wanted, a gig with that shop. To my knowledge she never collected.

When I started freelancing I looked at some placements firms and found their commissions, non-compete agreements and overall rules to be crap. Besides, you can get better quality work going it on your own. And make more money. And avoid drug tests, which I loathe.

[art_director]

Advice to those who want to freelance:

Find a good, well-connected account person and make them your best friend. Better yet, find a few. They're the people with the Rolodex full of marketing directors. Much of my business comes via former colleagues and clients who want to work with me again or they pass my name to people who need work done. As a result I spend very little time and energy prospecting. For the most part the work comes to me.

[eyevaan]

art_director is all over it. I couldn't say it better - it really is all about those six degrees of separation, and who's in your personal top two tiers. Meet people, shamelessly distribute your name and business cards, never say "NO" to work in the beginning - and never - ever - do it for free... unless it's bonofide nonprofit [those are good for tax purposes].

[Westbo]

Indeed A-D, recruiters are a certainly a waste of time, but unfortunately for many, they HAVE become a necessary evil – and yes... they are whores. Most creative people may have their buds from their last job or may know someone who knows someone who is working someplace and is looking for help. But usually they don't have a solid network of contacts, nor can they effectively present themselves and their work.

It has become quite common for clients and ad agencies to delegate their staff, contract or freelance needs to recruiters. It insulates them from the hassles of interviewing, hiring, firing, paying and most important, keeps their head count and benefits costs down. If they don't like someone, a simple call to the staffing agency and a replacement shows up. To get an idea how saturated it is, just browse Monster.com or CareerBuilders postings. If there's an upside, it's the potential of a regular stream of work (if you are good, flexible and affordable), regular paychecks and in some cases - benefits. It's not for everybody (including me) but may be perfect for others.

In my neck of the woods, most of the major pharmaceutical, consumer products and finanical services companies (eg B-D, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Shering Plough, Johnson & Johnson, Campbell Soup Company, Merrill Lynch etc.), will only offer assignments through staffing recruiters.

[eyevaan]

Hey I know that neck of the woods!

[Westbo]

Yep, you sure do! The guy who runs Campbell's internal Marketing (Creative) Services requires all freelancers to register and go thru Aquent. Another big recuiter/staffing agency in the Philly area is Boss Staffing.

[Ado]

I've seen first hand examples of what "ART DIRECTOR" has explained.


I Think after reading all these replies its put me off Design and advertising (7yrs).
I was hoping to goto London to find good opportunities but now read that its even a wanker field over there as well.
I think its time i get out and do something else. I've never seen a positive outcome or people helping each other in the design world. Its all about fakeness & looks.


Thanks to all for saving me money.

[JonoMarshall]

I think its time i get out and do something else. I've never seen a positive outcome or people helping each other in the design world. Its all about fakeness & looks.

Please elaborate on the above...

If you feel that way then change things, you're a designer, it's what you do.

For the record there are some AWESOME companies here in London, I know some founders who are doing amazing things simply because they felt that things needed changing.

Sure, rubbish subjective design and inflated egos can be a real pain, but true problem solving and idea generation will always get recognition/respect.

If Art Director's work was "about fakeness & looks" do you really think the work would come to him longterm simply by networking?

[eyevaan]

This is TOTALLY unrelated except it does deal with that very delicate subject "about fakeness & looks" and "uniqueness and making a statement". Fashion is about both whether print, video, web or the clothes on your back. All of us, who aspire for our creative blood to fuel our lives, would like to have a piece of us remain, a lasting footnote on the everchanging face of fashion.

[JonoMarshall]

All of us, who aspire for our creative blood to fuel our lives, would like to have a piece of us remain, a lasting footnote on the everchanging face of fashion.

Not sure about that, I guess so, but I do what I do because I get a kick out of creating something new and solving a problem. The idea of being a part of the "cool"/"false"/"fashion" thingy exists in my identity as an individual, but it's not what gets me out of bed in the morning, or what I strive for in my working life... to generalise I meet many more individuals who are interested in bringing out the substance of a given element rather than applying the latest layers/signifiers of "cool".

[Ado]

I wasnt saying ART DIRECTORS work was fake, I was saying in my experiences the general Design and advertising scene, well here in Melbourne from what ive seen is full of fake people and wankers who just rip off Euro designs anyway.

I was thinking about going to UK to find positive experiences but it seems its the whole industry abroad.

[Westbo]

I have no idea where this thread is going... and maybe that's a good thing, or I need a martini or something stronger.

But back to the topic: Ado, it's no big thing to go take a test and get your skills/capabilities evaluated. If you're good (assuming you are of course), it won't pose a problem. If they decide you've got the goods their client(s) are looking for and start offering gigs, good deal. If you don't like the compensation, negotiate or pass on it. You are not required to take their offerings. Everybody had good, bad or no experiences dealing with staffing agencies. When it comes down to it, you should develop your own. Who knows, you're may stumble onto something good.

Forget all this sage advice. Go to England, check out ALL the opportunities. Have a great time.
Then come back and tell us what happened.

W2

[art_director]

First, the business of advertising and design is about appearances. The hot shops have the cool digs and they tend to staff eye candy -- male and female alike. The reasons are fairly obvious, IMHO. Doesn't mean I liked the practice when I was on staff at any of my former agencies but I'd lie if I said I didn't like the perk, so to speak.

To those in school or new to the biz do know there are lots of jerks in this biz. Often it seems nice guys and gals finish last. Show me a biz that's different.

This biz was until recently rather unhospitable for women. I'm happy to say that's changing. Slowly.

In many respects Ado is right, this biz is rough. Again, show me one that's not. If we, as a community, work together we can change it. A friend worked at one of the world's hottest shops here in Mpls. (i'll let you guess which one). My friend told me about a guy who worked there who had an immense ego. Everyone hated him. Rather than getting pissed they turned him into their private joke party. Their favorite past time was to pass gas in his office every time he left. Childish but funny.

My work experience has taken me from the halls of one terrible agency to some pretty damn good ones. I've been lucky and I worked my ass of to get there. Was it worth it? Depends upon when you ask me. Some days I'll say hell yeah. Others I'll sob about squandering my 20s resizing logos and reworking ads to satiate the ego of some marketing prick with an MBA but no clue about real world advertising. In the end I'm happy, I do what I like to do and my mortgage is paid. Who am I to complain?

I have another friend who established himself early on as an expert in a particular b2b market. It's hard working, unglamorous work akin to breaking rocks. When the hot shot creatives are slaving away over the weekend on what they think will be award winning campaigns he's enjoying life. He gets paid MUCH better than they do because of his expertise. On the other side, creatives mock him as the hack who works on Account X. Who's right?

Damn, stopped in mid-post. Sorry, gotta run.

[Westbo]

Originally Posted by art_director 

First, the business of advertising and design is about appearances. The hot shops have the cool digs and they tend to staff eye candy -- male and female alike. The reasons are fairly obvious, IMHO. Doesn't mean I liked the practice when I was on staff at any of my former agencies but I'd lie if I said I didn't like the perk, so to speak.

To those in school or new to the biz do know there are lots of jerks in this biz. Often it seems nice guys and gals finish last. Show me a biz that's different.

This biz was until recently rather unhospitable for women. I'm happy to say that's changing. Slowly.

In many respects Ado is right, this biz is rough. Again, show me one that's not. If we, as a community, work together we can change it. A friend worked at one of the world's hottest shops here in Mpls. (i'll let you guess which one). My friend told me about a guy who worked there who had an immense ego. Everyone hated him. Rather than getting pissed they turned him into their private joke party. Their favorite past time was to pass gas in his office every time he left. Childish but funny.

My work experience has taken me from the halls of one terrible agency to some pretty damn good ones. I've been lucky and I worked my ass of to get there. Was it worth it? Depends upon when you ask me. Some days I'll say hell yeah. Others I'll sob about squandering my 20s resizing logos and reworking ads to satiate the ego of some marketing prick with an MBA but no clue about real world advertising. In the end I'm happy, I do what I like to do and my mortgage is paid. Who am I to complain?

I have another friend who established himself early on as an expert in a particular b2b market. It's hard working, unglamorous work akin to breaking rocks. When the hot shot creatives are slaving away over the weekend on what they think will be award winning campaigns he's enjoying life. He gets paid MUCH better than they do because of his expertise. On the other side, creatives mock him as the hack who works on Account X. Who's right?

Damn, stopped in mid-post. Sorry, gotta run.

Don't ya just hate it when he ups and leaves right in the middle of it?

W2

[art_director]

I came back to finish that post and realized it's probably not something people want to read. In no way is it helping anyone. Sorry to this community for my rant.