[KeriVit]

Can you spare some time to answer a few questions?

I am finishing up my MFA in Advertising Design. As I get ready to re-enter the working world, I am putting together my portfolio for the official job hunt. The main are of interest to me right now is Austin. So, I was wondering if you might answer a few questions showing my portfolio.

When you look at a prospective Art Director’s portfolio, what is the most important thing you are looking for? (i.e.- big ideas, design, comprehension, etc.)

In terms of the Art Director’s role, what amount of importance is placed on brand strategy in your firm?

What is one thing that a new hire did not know that made you think, “My god, what are teaching in school these days?”

What is something you find missing from applicant’s portfolios?

What is something you are tired of seeing?

What’s the best thing I can do to get noticed and make an impression if you were interviewing me?

Is it best to show a little bit of everything or a lot about something? (Quantity vs quality)

Is there any more advice you can pass on to help me get started down the road to AD greatness?

[art_director]

When you look at a prospective Art Director’s portfolio, what is the most important thing you are looking for? (i.e.- big ideas, design, comprehension, etc.)
It's all about the idea for an advertising AD.


In terms of the Art Director’s role, what amount of importance is placed on brand strategy in your firm?
The role of the AEs, in part, is to craft the strategy. Unfortunately, in my experience, good AEs are in short supply. Often you'll find that creatives -- art directors and writers -- influence the strategy in many cases. In some instances we guide entirely new strategic direction.


What is one thing that a new hire did not know that made you think, “My god, what are teaching in school these days?”
Schools are sending art directors out with books that need to be edited. More than once I've had someone come in with drawings, photography, etc. rather than ad samples. If you want to be an AD in an agency then gear your book to that position, not to being an illustrator or a photographer. Including such samples just makes you look clueless.

Then there are the bad ideas and layouts. Prospective ADs need to show good ideas. Anything less than a good idea should be tossed.


What is something you find missing from applicant’s portfolios?
Range. Range of products / categories and creative approaches.

A big mistake people make is only doing campaigns for sexy clients like Apple, Nike, Harley Davidson, Porsche, etc. Those are the easy categories and clients to do work for. In the real world most creatives will never touch those clients, they'll spend more time on other accounts. So demonstrate how you can problem solve on real world problems.

When I look at a book it gets higher marks for great thinking on a mundane B2B account than it does for a great BMW campaign. Other hard-working categories include healthcare, financial services, packaged goods, agriculture, etc.


What is something you are tired of seeing?
See the previous answer.


What’s the best thing I can do to get noticed and make an impression if you were interviewing me?
Smart creatives know they should network extensively. Start informational interviews well in advance of your job search. Be respectful of the time people give you, write notes of thanks (with some mention of your conversation and advice / input given -- this says you listened) immediately afterward and stay in touch with those you meet. When the job search begins they'll remember you.

Beyond that your book will determine what kind of job you get. Personality plays a role but you need to demonstrate the ability to deliver for the agency's clients.


Is it best to show a little bit of everything or a lot about something? (Quantity vs quality)
Would you rather have four Hyundais or a Mercedes? IOW, quality wins out every time.


Is there any more advice you can pass on to help me get started down the road to AD greatness?
In the current climate a dynamite, comprehensive campaign -- crossing over into all media -- would be a home run. If a person straight out of school were to show me a GREAT idea blown out across the board, I'd be very impressed. Thus far I've never seen that from someone straight out of school. Heck, I seldom see it from people with experience.

Once you get a job go out of your way to listen. That's a big problem with juniors, especially ADs. There tends to be an 'I know everything' attitude coming from many people getting out of school these days. In every case, those people get that view beaten out of them in one way or another. Don't be one of those people. And mind you, that's not to say you need to drop your confidence level, just don't be a cock.

[KeriVit]

Thanks. I appreciate the thoughts. I'm getting a wide variety of answers in my research. Looks like the agency itself and its structure affects many of these answers. I'm finding that I am going to have to find the right agency just as much as they are looking for the right fit.

[art_director]

Responded to this post in great length the other day but Safari puttered out on me and I lost the post.

You're smart to be asking these questions. Keep 'em coming.

[KeriVit]

OK! Here's one for you. I have put a lot of thought into how to make myself stand out in the job market. I have a BFA in Graphic Design, 8 years experience as a designer, manager and prepress person. Now I have the MFA- well almost. What I feel my strength is this: my campaigns are well thought out and well-integrated. I use tactics based on relevance. Some campaigns are print, some tv, some campaigns call for more. I have a couple of campaigns that include viral, interactive, and alternative components.

My thing is this: while I have a strength in print, I make other decisions based on what will work best for the particular brand. HOWEVER, I have little or no ability to actually produce these tactics. My knowledge of Dreamweaver, Flash and interactive software is basic. So, is it necessary to produce these parts or can I get by saying "here is the idea- here's how it would look- here' why it would work"?

I have actually created a couple of websites and interactive components, but realize there is a reason that people get paid to do certain things. Do I really have to know HOW to do everything?

[KeriVit]

I see now that you added to the previous post. Thanks for that. Let me look have a look at that in more depth now.

[art_director]

Do I really have to know HOW to do everything?

No, you don't. Unless you work for a small shop, you'll have support for the varying media. The creative team ( art director & writer ) usually comes up with the big idea and shows how it can blow out. The experts for each media then step in to help bring it all to life.

Say it's a web component, create a few pages to show how the idea works and add them to your book along with the rest of the integrated campaign(s).

That make sense?

[KeriVit]

Originally Posted by art_director 

Do I really have to know HOW to do everything?

No, you don't. Unless you work for a small shop, you'll have support for the varying media. The creative team ( art director & writer ) usually comes up with the big idea and shows how it can blow out. The experts for each media then step in to help bring it all to life.

Say it's a web component, create a few pages to show how the idea works and add them to your book along with the rest of the integrated campaign(s).

That make sense?

Yup. That's what I thought. Just talked to some guy yesterday that said,
"If I could give advice, learn digital. I think you’re crazy if you’re not learning about mobile, online advertising, social media etc..."

I am aware of it, I use it when it makes sense. Just wasn't sure if he was implying the how aspect.

[Westbo]

Originally Posted by art_director 

Do I really have to know HOW to do everything?

No, you don't. Unless you work for a small shop, you'll have support for the varying media. The creative team ( art director & writer ) usually comes up with the big idea and shows how it can blow out. The experts for each media then step in to help bring it all to life.

Say it's a web component, create a few pages to show how the idea works and add them to your book along with the rest of the integrated campaign(s).

That make sense?

I sorta agree... No, you don't need to know everything, (although I do know too many people who think they do). Indeed, there are experts to turn to who can bring your idea to life. However, you'll probably find yourself more often than not, in situations where you'll be expected to be somewhat literate on how it does get done. Doing a little homework on your own before hand, will go a long way in managing yours and your clients' expectations.

Take the trouble to learn how ideas get produced. For example, take an HTML class not necessarily to know, but to understand that there are complexities and limits involving coding, color, type, and art that directly affect how your idea will come to life on someone's monitor. The same holds true in print. Take a production course. or better yet, spend a few days at a printer. Get a realistic understanding of how an idea gets from your mind to paper.

I've seen too many creatives get in project h*** and fail because they either have completely unrealistic expectations or are ignorant and have sold their big idea to an equally ignorant client, who is expecting to get what they want.

I applaud your post, KeriVit. Getting answers to these questions from folks such as A-D, who have certainly been through it, will greatly help you to identify and avoid many of the pitfalls that are out there. Good luck!

W2

[KeriVit]

Thanks Westbo. I'm on it.

[art_director]

Westbo has brought a good point to light -- understanding the basic concepts behind production -- of all sorts -- will serve you well. You don't need to be a coder to make a good site but you do need to understand the potential and limitations of the medium. Same could be said of other media.

Thx, Westbo, that was a relevant and well-placed bit of wisdom.

[KeriVit]

Understood and taken to heart. Thanks guys.

[Thorzdad]

A-D, as always, makes some excellent points.

As far as the question about whether one needs to know how to do everything, though, I have to add one caveat...

While it is true that, in larger agencies, you will have specialists to lean on when it comes certain details (especially web technology and coding), the same cannot be said for smaller shops. Indeed, the trend is strongly heading in the direction of requiring visual creatives being "jacks-of-all-trades". Most of the open AD or design positions I'm seeing these days have, in addition to the normal design-related skills, requirements for various coding and web technology skills.

The question is, of course, where do you draw the line? How much of your valuable (and satisfying) creative time do you sacrifice to learning enough CSS, PHP, javascript, Ruby, Flash, etc. to be able to actually do the work? I definitely agree that one should have a solid understanding of what is possible (or limiting) with these technologies. I'm just not sold on being an expert on every hot new tech.

It's kind of an odd time to be a designer...

[KeriVit]

The thing is, with so many media outlets, there's simply no way I can be an expert at everything. I would have to be able to create print ads, shoot and edit television, write and produce radio, design and code web, write flash, do 3D rendering, oh the list goes on. Thorzdad has a good list going.

It reminds me of my first job. It was at a place called any thing p rinted. We did color copies, offset, thermal wax, dye sublimation, silkscreening, offset, vinyl, oh it was ridiculous. All in a 3 person operation. Needless to say, the company folded. If we had only outsourced some of the stuff instead of trying to do it all, it might have worked out better.

Believe me, I want to know how to do everything. I want to be a valuable asset to whatever agency I work for. But, I do not want to be working on every aspect of a campaign, I'd never leave the office. Perhaps knowing a little about a lot will work?

[Thorzdad]

Originally Posted by KeriVit 

The thing is, with so many media outlets, there's simply no way I can be an expert at everything. I would have to be able to create print ads, shoot and edit television, write and produce radio, design and code web, write flash, do 3D rendering, oh the list goes on....

About a year ago, I put my book in for a position with a regional medical clinic that had its own marketing department. Turns out they were looking for one person to perform the following duties:

• graphic design
• photo editing
• copywriting
• web design
• Flash/Director
• web developer
• audio recording/editing
• video editing/recording
• marketing planning
• creative direction

All for the princely sum of.... $15/hr. To add insult to injury, they made applicants jump through a hoop by requiring them to do some basic Photoshop editing/retouching of photos they provided (all before they revealed the specifics of the position, of course)

[KeriVit]

Wow!

[Westbo]

Originally Posted by KeriVit 

The thing is, with so many media outlets, there's simply no way I can be an expert at everything. I would have to be able to create print ads, shoot and edit television, write and produce radio, design and code web, write flash, do 3D rendering, oh the list goes on. Thorzdad has a good list going.

It reminds me of my first job. It was at a place called any thing p rinted. We did color copies, offset, thermal wax, dye sublimation, silkscreening, offset, vinyl, oh it was ridiculous. All in a 3 person operation. Needless to say, the company folded. If we had only outsourced some of the stuff instead of trying to do it all, it might have worked out better.

Believe me, I want to know how to do everything. I want to be a valuable asset to whatever agency I work for. But, I do not want to be working on every aspect of a campaign, I'd never leave the office. Perhaps knowing a little about a lot will work?

How can anyone think "out of the box" if they don't know what a box is?

[Westbo]

Originally Posted by Thorzdad 

A-D, as always, makes some excellent points.

As far as the question about whether one needs to know how to do everything, though, I have to add one caveat...

While it is true that, in larger agencies, you will have specialists to lean on when it comes certain details (especially web technology and coding), the same cannot be said for smaller shops. Indeed, the trend is strongly heading in the direction of requiring visual creatives being "jacks-of-all-trades". Most of the open AD or design positions I'm seeing these days have, in addition to the normal design-related skills, requirements for various coding and web technology skills.


The question is, of course, where do you draw the line? How much of your valuable (and satisfying) creative time do you sacrifice to learning enough CSS, PHP, javascript, Ruby, Flash, etc. to be able to actually do the work? I definitely agree that one should have a solid understanding of what is possible (or limiting) with these technologies. I'm just not sold on being an expert on every hot new tech.

It's kind of an odd time to be a designer...

How true, Thorzdad.

(Forgive my waxing for a moment) After many years being a creative guru, an agency pooba and otherwise great maven, I needed to reinvent myself. 12 years later, I think I've been reinvented at least a half a dozen times and (like the flu) now feel another one coming on.

Successful creatives are constantly "morphing". We are assaulted every day with new sights, sounds, experiences – whatever. How often do we look back at something done last year or even last week and think what was great then, really sucks now. And to add to it... keeping up with an changing media and technology is a full time endeavor. It truely is an odd time, and it's certainly not boring.

For me, it goes back to something my very first boss said: "The day you stop growing and love what you're doing, you're toast".

W2

[Thorzdad]

Originally Posted by Westbo 

For me, it goes back to something my very first boss said: "The day you stop growing and love what you're doing, you're toast".
W2

Very true. Especially the "love" part.

Though, for me, the issue is "growing within something you love (i.e. design and illustration)" vs "growing within something that holds little or no interest to me", which is how the increasing requirement to be a code-jockey hits me. I understand the technologies and what can be accomplished with them. But I also know that, if you want it done right, you really should engage the services of a specialist...or, at the very least, someone who does the stuff on a daily basis.