Advice to young creatives: Worth what you paid for it.

It’s that time of the year. The time when clients begin to stir after a summer spent slumbering, a rush of advertising agency work ensues and the ad jungle, after lazily looking at spec portfolios, inducts a new class of freshmen creatives into its ranks to help bear the load. Young men and women who, if we don’t kill them, will spend their first year in our industry dreaming up breakthrough FSI layouts and crafting perfect long-form pharmaceutical brochure copy.

Today, young people wanting to break in to the U.S. advertising market, and especially those wanting to become creatives, have a myriad of educational opportunities available to them to help get a leg up on their peers.

The Portfolio Center, Creative Circus, Miami Ad School and the University of Texas all have top-notch, industry acclaimed creative “tracks” that will attempt to open their eyes to creative possibilities while putting a spit-shine polish on their spec portfolios. Thanks to these wonderful institutions, Juniors come to our industry armed with the creative passion and drive they’ll need to push the envelope and get noticed in the ad jungle—even while brainstorming Cannes-caliber five-second radio tags.

In my fourteen-odd years of experience dealing with the graduates of these programs, I’ve noticed a few things often missing from their arsenal of skills, so of course I made a list. Hopefully what I’ve written won’t be your garden variety “givens.” You won’t find “take risks,” or “work hard,” or “find a creative outlet outside of advertising,” even though you should do all of those things (and more).

Instead, it’s a list of hard-won lessons I’ve learned—often by having done the opposite and living to regret the results—that weren’t taught to me in class (or perhaps lessons I slept or partied through). And they’re the things I often see lacking in the fresh faces pouring out of school. It isn’t comprehensive by any means, but hopefully you’ll find it of use.

1) Don’t play politics

There’s an element of politics in advertising just like in all things. There are egos to be stroked, tits for tats and angles to play—usually involving dealings with your clients. That’s fine, but avoid being sucked into internal agency politics. Those who play the bitch and gossip game are oftentimes compensating for their own lack of value added and are looking for allies to cover them. Don’t.

2) Fund your 401-(k)

Or whatever retirement plan your agency offers. When I talk to creatives, I am constantly amazed at how few do this. Look around your agency. How many grey-hairs do you see? Right. Unless your name is on the door, you won’t be doing this forever. Start off deducting a small percentage of your pay—say five percent—and add to your retirement plan every time you receive a salary increase. Get an eight percent raise? Toss three percent of it into your retirement and take home the other five. Step, repeat. You won’t miss the three percent you never saw and you’ll appreciate yourself for doing so later. Adding to your retirement plan is you paying yourself.

3) Don’t be late

To meetings, to recording sessions, to anything. It’s a matter of money and respect. Constantly being five, ten, fifteen minutes late is a trend I’ve seen on the up-tick with young creatives. Don’t do it. Not even to internal meetings with your Account Service teams. I’ve fired session talent, on the spot, for being late. Tardiness costs my clients money. I’ll fire you, too. It’s the same pool of cash and is disrespectful to boot.

4) Don’t be an ass, dickhead—you ain’t all that

Congratulations. You’ve won an award and, if you’re very talented and very lucky, it’s a Big One. Don’t let it go to your head. No one likes working with assholes, you included—especially if you’re simply an ass for ass’s sake. Karma’s a bitch. Remember, there’s a reason hubris is the most tragic of Greek Flaws.

5) Learn mechanics

Here’s another one that’s on the up-tick. Today’s portfolio schools teach screen-ready art. That’s great for your portfolio but learn print production technique so it becomes press-ready; the difference in Pantone sets, mechanical production, and even common sense things like naming your individual Photoshop layers. There was a time when everyone knew how to cut Rubylith (and if you know what that is you’re old like me). Now, no one knows how to make sense of your muddled, sixty-meg, thirty-filter Photoshop file, including you.

6) Think twice, speak once

There are a lot of very bold, bright people working in advertising, people who hold strong opinions and feelings about the work. Boldness is a virtue so, in meetings, you’ll be tempted to chime in with your own two cents regarding whatever point is being discussed. This is a good thing, but be sure to speak only after you’ve thought about what’s being said—after really digesting the comments and analyzing them fully—and not just speaking “from the gut.” Your words will match your intelligence and someone might actually listen to what you have to say.

7) Don’t be afraid to stay

Much has been said about jumping jobs in order to climb the salary ladder. I have friends who change jobs almost yearly. That’s all fine and dandy, but if you find someplace where you’re doing good work, are rewarded for what you do and feel at home with your fellow ad monkeys, don’t be afraid to stay. There’s more to life than moving boxes.

8) Concept on the fly

I learned this one from an old boss of mine, Jim Hradecky, and it has paid off in spades. If you are able, in a client meeting, to brainstorm on the fly and throw out breathtaking ideas that leave the clients nodding their heads, by all means, do so. You will shock and awe them in amazing ways, and buy-in on the back end will become amazingly easy. If, instead, the ideas you toss out amount to “make the starburst fifteen percent larger,” I may slap you myself in the meeting.

9) Learn the business of advertising

We work in a business, people. A business. Learn what your agency’s profit centers are. Hell, learn what a profit center is. Know how your agency really makes money—media, production, billable time—and work (and think about how) to maximize it. Your bonus check will reflect your efforts—and might lead to your owning a successful shop someday.

10) Help someone else

If you’ve found a job in advertising, I’m Ivory Soap-certain you owe your position, at least in part, to employed ad monkeys who helped you along the way. Pay it back. Look at student books. Offer feedback and advice. Pass out phone numbers and keep your ears open to who’s hiring. Help out up-and-coming juniors who, just like you once did, need encouragement and direction. You won’t regret it and those you help won’t forget it. I know I haven’t.

21 commentsEmail Article Sunday, September 10th, 2006 at 03:04pm Mack Simpson

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