How does a new graphic design grad get the attention of an ad agency?
April 14, 2010 3:26 PM Subscribe
How does a new graphic design grad get the attention of an ad agency?
I'm a new graduate from the Dallas area with a BFA in graphic design. I want to get into an ad agency (preferably a large one with national clients) but I'm not sure about how to even set myself apart from the crowd. I know I'm a talented designer (I won best portfolio for my graduating class) I also worked a year long internship along with freelance clients. I've been told be career advisers and professors at my school that "you can go anywhere" and "it will be no problem for you". Now that I'm completely in the "real world" I'm getting a good dose of reality. I can see the job market is tough and the competition is stiff...
I've tried sending emails to employers, I've gone through job boards, and even tapped all of my network resources without much luck. So I'm about the begin the cold calling process. I'm unsure if I should try mailing a physical copy of my resume and leave behind or send it in an email? Should I call or just pop in at some agencies? I want to be professional as possible and don't want to give off a "desperate to get in" feeling.
Any advice would be most appreciated as I am ready to get my career off the ground.
I'm a new graduate from the Dallas area with a BFA in graphic design. I want to get into an ad agency (preferably a large one with national clients) but I'm not sure about how to even set myself apart from the crowd. I know I'm a talented designer (I won best portfolio for my graduating class) I also worked a year long internship along with freelance clients. I've been told be career advisers and professors at my school that "you can go anywhere" and "it will be no problem for you". Now that I'm completely in the "real world" I'm getting a good dose of reality. I can see the job market is tough and the competition is stiff...
I've tried sending emails to employers, I've gone through job boards, and even tapped all of my network resources without much luck. So I'm about the begin the cold calling process. I'm unsure if I should try mailing a physical copy of my resume and leave behind or send it in an email? Should I call or just pop in at some agencies? I want to be professional as possible and don't want to give off a "desperate to get in" feeling.
Any advice would be most appreciated as I am ready to get my career off the ground.
I'd find an aspiring copywriter and between the two of you put together an amazing Spec Book. Then I'd send it to the creative director at every agency you might possibly want to work for.
I had an informational interview with the CD of Ayer in the mid 90's. That's what he told me to do. I decided against advertising, but I don't think I can argue with the advice.
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:44 PM on April 14, 2010
I had an informational interview with the CD of Ayer in the mid 90's. That's what he told me to do. I decided against advertising, but I don't think I can argue with the advice.
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:44 PM on April 14, 2010
Caveat: I work for a small botique design firm. But I do chat with folks in larger agencies and I think many of the same rules apply.
Definitely have an electronic version of your work. This could be a well designed website or a PDF. There's a lot of designers out there to sort through and seeing your work upfront is crucial. We get resumes all the time but they generally get filed away after a glance through. Seeing a couple of your best works right away will help me remember you, especially if it was a joy to look at.
Do research, get a name, find out what sort of stuff they do, try to tailor your initial contact samples to that then follow up with a phone call. You definitely want face to face time (like circular said). Most jobs are found by word-of-mouth, so the job board thing will likely not get you far.
Don't worry so much about Finding a Job quite yet. Instead, think of this as an opportunity to Show Your Work. Assuming your initial contact was good, ask to stop by just to show your portfolio and get some tips. (As Dale Carnegie said, best way to make friends is to ask a favor). Show off your stuff, ask questions about how you could present better, ask them about what they do, ask if they have suggestions on what other companies you should visit. Its like a date.
Stay in touch. Projects come up and it is entirely possible that you will get your first try-out freelance gig by calling on just the right day.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 3:46 PM on April 14, 2010
Definitely have an electronic version of your work. This could be a well designed website or a PDF. There's a lot of designers out there to sort through and seeing your work upfront is crucial. We get resumes all the time but they generally get filed away after a glance through. Seeing a couple of your best works right away will help me remember you, especially if it was a joy to look at.
Do research, get a name, find out what sort of stuff they do, try to tailor your initial contact samples to that then follow up with a phone call. You definitely want face to face time (like circular said). Most jobs are found by word-of-mouth, so the job board thing will likely not get you far.
Don't worry so much about Finding a Job quite yet. Instead, think of this as an opportunity to Show Your Work. Assuming your initial contact was good, ask to stop by just to show your portfolio and get some tips. (As Dale Carnegie said, best way to make friends is to ask a favor). Show off your stuff, ask questions about how you could present better, ask them about what they do, ask if they have suggestions on what other companies you should visit. Its like a date.
Stay in touch. Projects come up and it is entirely possible that you will get your first try-out freelance gig by calling on just the right day.
posted by Wink Ricketts at 3:46 PM on April 14, 2010
side note: The job market for entry-level positions in ad work is really, really tight right now, so a couple of months to a year of looking for work should be expected. Show your work to as many people as possible, get involved in projects your other ad-creative-whatnot friends do and keep improving your portfolio. I thought my work was hot. shit. 3 years ago and now I can;t even look at it without wincing.
Good luck!
posted by The Whelk at 4:04 PM on April 14, 2010
Good luck!
posted by The Whelk at 4:04 PM on April 14, 2010
Join AIGA, the national professional design association. If there isn't a Texas chapter, try to organize one. Attend AIGA events and workshops for professional development and read their job boards. Attend any Pecha Kucha happenings of creative professionals in your community. Volunteer to work on Pecha Kucha gatherings so you can network there.
posted by Elsie at 4:33 PM on April 14, 2010
posted by Elsie at 4:33 PM on April 14, 2010
I was in a similar position as a graphic designer. E-mails, job postings, etc. just didn't work for me either. So I just started my own agency.
We have several clients, all of them quite notable within the state I live in. For my agency, getting clients was all about who we knew. The best way to start making contacts if you're looking to do freelance work or even start your own LLC is by going to chamber of commerce meetings and make sure you have an absolutely kick ass, unforgettable business card. Whether it plays music, is made of metal, is a pop-up, a hologram, big and thick, or a mini tri-fold portfolio, or three dimensional - that's your way to make an impression. It's definitely cost you more to make them, but it's well, well worth it for the impact it'll have within the networks you want in with. There are also organizations and companies that are membership based that bring together business owners and decision makers from a surrounding area for activities and networking. It is often not too hard to become networked with such organizations.
I would also try to find industries and businesses that you know would benefit from a good designer's eye and proposition them. For instance, dentist offices are horrible marketers (in general). Whip up a couple ideas for visual campaigns or a website, i.e. a slick card for patients to be able to right reviews of the dentist, and then post those on a web site where Google will pick them up and attach them to their Google local business listing. (Companies that do this well are Demand Force and Rate Point.)
Maybe even make contact with a media buyer, or even learn how to media buy yourself (hint: it takes plenty of negotiation to get a fair price), that way you'll have a viable way to put your designs into effect. Media buying is mostly about a buyer's relationship with a print shop, radio station, newspaper, TV station, or other company, so taking a couple months to build a relationship with the sales people within those companies could turn you into a savvy media buyer, especially when they know you'll be bringing them business (and with little overhead). It gets a bit trickier with radio and TV buying (OK, a lot trickier), but you'll mainly be concerned with print and web buying.
The more you start thinking like a marketer or entrepreneur, the more likely you'll be to make it on your own or fall into company with an agency. The ideas will start flowing - both for how to market yourself and other companies.
(Sorry these thoughts are so random and unorganized. I just sort of started typing with little organizational forethought. Good luck!)
posted by Detuned Radio at 10:21 PM on April 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
We have several clients, all of them quite notable within the state I live in. For my agency, getting clients was all about who we knew. The best way to start making contacts if you're looking to do freelance work or even start your own LLC is by going to chamber of commerce meetings and make sure you have an absolutely kick ass, unforgettable business card. Whether it plays music, is made of metal, is a pop-up, a hologram, big and thick, or a mini tri-fold portfolio, or three dimensional - that's your way to make an impression. It's definitely cost you more to make them, but it's well, well worth it for the impact it'll have within the networks you want in with. There are also organizations and companies that are membership based that bring together business owners and decision makers from a surrounding area for activities and networking. It is often not too hard to become networked with such organizations.
I would also try to find industries and businesses that you know would benefit from a good designer's eye and proposition them. For instance, dentist offices are horrible marketers (in general). Whip up a couple ideas for visual campaigns or a website, i.e. a slick card for patients to be able to right reviews of the dentist, and then post those on a web site where Google will pick them up and attach them to their Google local business listing. (Companies that do this well are Demand Force and Rate Point.)
Maybe even make contact with a media buyer, or even learn how to media buy yourself (hint: it takes plenty of negotiation to get a fair price), that way you'll have a viable way to put your designs into effect. Media buying is mostly about a buyer's relationship with a print shop, radio station, newspaper, TV station, or other company, so taking a couple months to build a relationship with the sales people within those companies could turn you into a savvy media buyer, especially when they know you'll be bringing them business (and with little overhead). It gets a bit trickier with radio and TV buying (OK, a lot trickier), but you'll mainly be concerned with print and web buying.
The more you start thinking like a marketer or entrepreneur, the more likely you'll be to make it on your own or fall into company with an agency. The ideas will start flowing - both for how to market yourself and other companies.
(Sorry these thoughts are so random and unorganized. I just sort of started typing with little organizational forethought. Good luck!)
posted by Detuned Radio at 10:21 PM on April 14, 2010 [1 favorite]
Contact the united Way and find a non-profit that would like help with an ad or pr campaign. Do great work, make new connections.
posted by theora55 at 11:28 PM on April 14, 2010
posted by theora55 at 11:28 PM on April 14, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you won best portfolio for your graduating class, have you gone through your instructors and college faculty to see if they can help? I would think you'd be in a great position to get serious help that way. Again, just drop in, maybe call, don't email.
Forget the emails and job board stuff. It just isn't real. You need face time and that will turn into portfolio time. I wasted so many emails when I should have been walking in the door...
I also would suggest that having a "desperate to get in" feeling isn't necessarily a negative thing for a fresh college grad. They want to know you want to work there, in the first place. In the second place, if you're a recent grad and not very desperate, it may be harder to get the empathy from agency staff that can be so important for your progress.
You didn't mention anything about graphic design temp agencies either...have you looked at that route? You can get some absolutely killer contract work that way, and might get your foot in the door at an agency or two.
Good luck!
posted by circular at 3:36 PM on April 14, 2010