LITTLE CHERRIES OF WISDOMTHE OFFICIAL/UNOFFICIALCREATIVE JOBS HELPGUIDE

TELEPHONE(PLUS)44(0)2076!228!018AMY(AT)WEPICKCHERRIES(DOT)COM

AT THE START... So, this is it. You’ve decided to hold your nose and jump into the heady

heights of creative advertising. How exciting.

This little helpguide should offer some helpful hints and tips to help you

And it all starts with…

YOUR BOOK!... Once upon a time, we used to carry around big and hefty black portfolio

books with plastic sleeves. They would often be so heavy that they were in danger of giving us pulled muscles and back ache!

These days the options for our portfolios are far greater, if not physically lighter, as is the media we choose to promote ourselves and our work with.

WEBSITES... Are a great way of showcasing all of your work in whatever media you

like. You can have one created for you, but remember this can take time and be costly/slow if you are outsourcing to a Designer friend. There are some great template sites out there that you can just simply upload your work into and look professional; at the moment our favourite is “Cargo Collective.”

Remember to think about the chronology of your work, don’t just upload

they will think you’re old school. They will assume that if recent work for some reason isn’t running that you may have lost the edge or that you can only really do a certain area of advertising well. Keep it fresh and up to date whilst keeping your historical work (post 5 years ago) in your own

PDF SAMPLER... When you are emailing your work, you have about 7 seconds to make an

impression. If your website is too full, too clunky, or takes too long to click through, no matter how good you are, you could be overlooked.

The best way to make an impression quickly is to have a PDF portfolio (under 5MB’s) that can be sent to give the highlights of your creative

to get your audience interested… but not give away so much that they feel like they feel they have seen the plot already!

BLOGS... Like it or not, social media is here to stay and is HUGE! Anyone in

advertising and especially digital, should have a social media footprint.

funny or cool from words to pictures to video. They can also act as a kind of online resource for you that you curate and share. So, get blogging!

YOUTUBE OR VIMEO SHOWREEL... Showreels are especially effective for advertising creatives specializing in

‘mash up’ of your favourite work. Consider it a little like Video Jockeying or Vj’ing – for those Motion Graphics, you may want your own sound track, have one made, or chose an aspirational song. Or just let the work speak for itself.

DIRECT MAIL... Who posts things any more? Doesn’t this make the idea of posting

something clever to generate interest in you far more attractive? Creating a beautifully creative piece of direct mail straight to your chosen contacts, creative directors etc can be a fantastic personal project, portfolio piece, PR and interview generator. We’ve even known some successful pieces to get trade press coverage!

A BOX OF TRICKS... Remember that in an increasingly online world, there is real value in

holding and touching something real. Perhaps you have some lovely pieces of DM or 3D printed objects that relate to a campaign or project. Bring a box of tricks and see the childlike joy they create!

A SKETCHBOOK... Shows that you have so many ideas, you can’t keep them in your head and

is totally refreshing to see. It shows you have a passion for creative above and beyond your job! Very few creatives interview with sketchbooks these days, but they can be an excellent way of showcasing your raw creative thinking.

Summing up

When you are interviewing, remember to keep things fresh. Go from one media to another, talk straight to your interviewer passionately about the projects before you show them. If you don’t feel passionate about your

You may also want to consider a leave behind.

A fun postcard/toy/object that can go on your interviewer’s desk that willremind them of you!

Remember that your book is your passport to your creative career, the value of your creative work throughout your career will equal the value of the job you get next and the one after that. It must be loved and just like it’s owner, change over the years.

That’s you. It tells your story. Make that story one to remember.

GIZZAJOB! INTERVIEWING THE INTERVIEWER... It’s so important to have faith in your own self worth. Having self

interviewing you to assess your suitability for them, you should also be interviewing them to assess their suitability for YOU. If you believe in

believers too!

• Have some quiet time before interview to research the company and to a smaller extent, your interviewer.

• From your research, write yourself 5 or 6 really penetrating questions related to the company and role. If you like, you can memorize the questions, if you are sometimes forgetful you can take your notepad with you.

• If you choose to take your notepad with you, you can sit and rehearse your questions beforehand, or you can take it out and refer to in your interview and take notes. Either way your interviewer is about to get interviewed!

• If you go the memory or the notepad route, remember that asking

your own self worth.

• polite. Getting your book straight out is too forceful and business

important thing – is there a cultural match?

What work do I show & how much:

• Our creative attention spans are often lower than 10 minutes and in

campaigns that you LOVE and only talk about them. You should aim for only talking for a max of 10 minutes.

• Don’t get bored, it shows you’re not interested in your own work.

• If you do not completely remember the brief and how it was solved on each project, write it out and refresh it for yourself at home. Rehearse it.

• Be positive! LOVE YOUR WORK! We know it is often the British

It is easy to discuss your work through a positive lens without appearing cocky or arrogant! Don’t highlight problems or negatives, only talk about the good stuff.

ATTITUDE... If you are currently in a permanent role, you are often asked the question:

“So why do you want to leave?”

fest and rip your current agency and Creative Director or Boss to shreds. Remember that if you are talking in those terms about your current role, the interviewer will see that you could also talk about them like that one day and it is not too attractive!

Find a way to diplomatically frame your answer. For example,

“ I feel I’ve hit a bit of a glass ceiling.”

“ You guys are making some GREAT work at the moment, I’d just really like to be a part of that”

“ I think I could be challenged far more than I am at the moment and really need to step up in my next role”.

Avoid

“I just really hate the way that our MD wears brogues on a Wednesday,

“Yeah my CD is a complete egotist and then Sam from Project

“ I don’t even know what my company means when it says ‘we’re all digital wizards’, seems really stupid to me”.

As much as we may desperately want to say it…! Keep this stuff under your hat! PLEASE!!!

BODY LANGUAGE... We obviously communicate verbally, but remember that our body talks

this logic, it’s super important to get that right too!

• Give out positive, open messages with your body. Don’t have defensive arms crossed, this suggests fear, anger or trying to

shows nervousness.

• Mirror Image! Mirror your interviewer’s body language to help build a rapport. Not so much that it looks obvious or comedic.

might try the same.

•

BE EYE CATCHING!... • Ladies! Wear something eye catching (maybe not full fancy dress!)

tops can really aid your interviewer in remembering you. Guys!

people in the creative industry, so why not play to that and be remembered?

At the end of the interview:

• Can I ask what the next steps are?

• If you want the job, tell them how much! eg “Really great to meet you, this is a fab company, I would love to hear more.”

• Thank them.

Now.

Relax and take a deep breath.

Ahhhhhh.

After getting your book structured and all your research and mentalpreparation, you are going to feel relaxed and ready for anything. We know it sounds weird, but enjoy your interview. It’s like a mental game of chess, it can actually be fun and not scary at all…

FREELANCE " SHOULD I OR SHOULDN’T I?... At some point in your creative career, you may sit there and wonder “I’ve

been at this company for 5 years, should I go freelance?”

If you are thinking this, then perhaps it is time to go free range and experience life and work in different agencies.

Pros:

• super adaptable.

• affairs. It can feel like running your own business and you are your own boss. Nice!

• Greater freedom. If for example you are an Author, Artist or Comedian in your spare time, when you are not booked one week, you can focus your down time as ‘me time’ and adding some serious meaning to your life!

• Your network expands. If you are full time for a long stretch, it is easy for your network to just be comprised of the people you work alongside and your friends. Freelance gives you the chance to really expand your horizons by meeting a real variety of contacts! So get

• You can sometimes create a role for yourself if you get on well! Agencies have become lower risk in their hiring policies as a result of recession, it is far lower risk for you and for them to try before you buy! If it works out, then you can sometimes create a role for yourself either long term contract or full time, this way you’ll have far more

Cons:

• As your own boss you are responsible for your own tax affairs, pay and whether or not you work or not from one week to the next. Those of us who are low risk or who have family commitments/mortgages may feel this as pressure after a time.

• You may not get the cream jobs. Sometimes you’ll get the jobs that others in the department don’t want to do, cannot crack or are tough clients/briefs. As a freelancer you do pretty much have to do what

• Your book may suffer. Too much time freelance can have an adverse affect on your portfolio, sometimes it’s hard to get your work back from the agency, or that your original idea may be changed so that you may not want to take credit for it! Keep an eye on your book.

Many agencies will pay for training in latest technology etc, if you are freelance your own professional development and training is up to you.

• If you get sick there is no sick pay, if you do not work, this is your

carefully…

FREELANCE MONEY STUFF... If the pros outweigh the cons for you and you still fancy freelance, let’s

talk about how you get paid. Freelance sure is different from when you were an employee going through PAYE.

LTD Company Vs Umbrella Company

A LTD (limited company) is your own company that you open at Companies House: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/ once you select a name and it is not already taken, you pay a fee and start your own

1 Your Payroll including national insurance, tax, student loan deductions, VAT (after you reach the threshold), corporation tax

both company and personal.

an expenses Spreadsheet. Keep all of your receipts for client

and software.

3 Getting paid! You must invoice your client agency and chase them for payment, sometimes they will be overdue, you have to take this risk onto yourself and do personal credit control.

Dental? If so, your freelance must account for this.

If you are not into Maths or Admin, or receiving lots of letters from ourgood friends at HMRC, having an accountant to sort this nonsense out ishighly recommended. Their costs vary from £100 + V.A.T. to £300 + V.A.T. depending on how much involvement you want them to take and

you often get what you pay for and a good accountant will often save you as much money as they charge you. Make your choice wisely and ask forrecommendations from other freelance friends.

Umbrella Companies

Will sort your admin, tax and pay you, you are essentially their

They are cheaper and less admin than running your own LTD Company and will agree terms with your agency, therefore giving you greater back up, especially in terms of agency workers rights (AWR) and legals.

service levels at Umbrella Companies can vary greatly, especially if you are doing just 1 week stints here or there. They are far better for 3 month contracts or more, as sometimes they take time with their admin and your

payments.

Therefore, we recommend Umbrella Companies for those seeking a short period of freelance between permanent roles and not for more than 6 months to a year and that they are better employed on sorting your admin for longer term contracts.

HOW TO GET PAID!... Yes, we all need to get paid. As a freelancer, this is your responsibility.

Take it lightly and it could be crackers and beans this month!

* Sounds obvious, but always pre agree the rates before you start ;o)

their terms for payment are i.e. 30, 45 or 60 days lead time and if you like, agree before you start that your invoice will be cleared by x date beforehand.

don’t get! Have faith in your own self worth, don’t get paid for lower than you’re worth as this will impact on your output!

* Invoice weekly so that there is always something coming in on a

from their clients not paying them and that may be more understandable ( freelance are sadly bottom of the pile from perm staff ).

* Take a different view with each agency, taking into consideration your differing relationships. If they do not pay 14 days after your

5% every week). Remember that the more you escalate, the more chance there is of not having repeat business there, so be as sensitive

However, we’d say there’s a difference to the duty of care a small business has to you, than a large business turning over billions in

empathic. If after trying these routes, nothing is working, try sending a 7 day letter. Always good to have a good lawyer to back the 7 day letter up too.

IT’S MY LIFE!... Above all, remember that your career is a very personal thing and how

and creative needs but also remembering your emotional ones too.

Do what’s right for you. Follow your instincts. Follow that happy feeling.

Ask yourself often “What do I want from this year? What are my priorities? Where do I want to go?”

This means we must truly own it.

We’ve only got one.

And remember…

We Pick Cherries are here if you need us.

ABOUT... Author: Amy Hart

Disclaimer: Any views or opinions contained herein are solely those of the author and may not necessarily represent those of We Pick Cherries Ltd.

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