insert lame joke about being able to read a book by its cover here

Over the past couple of weeks I've talked to a lot of students and those keen to elbow or dropkick their way into the business. Invariably the conversation has come down to the same basic topic.

"Do I need a book? How do I put a book together? Who do I talk to about my book?"

To which I can only say, yup, and I dunno.

You can chat with creative directors all you want (assuming you can get their attention long enough to actually converse with them), goad them into pontificating, pump them for insights into the kind of eager AD or writer they're looking for, but no one's going to hire you unless they like your portolio. Which means you have to have one, a really good one.

Meaning that the really pertinent issue is putting your book together. And for that I have no easy answers.

Because putting your book together is hard. It takes time and incurs lots of self doubt. And it's never perfect.

Each piece you put in your book is a calling card. It says something very basic about you, because it's telling the CD you're talking to what you're capable of. You can Gregory Hines around it all you want – and you actually do need to talk about the work in a strong and thoughtful way – but the work is either good and interesting, or it's not. No one is looking to hire a junior art director or writer who's average.

Each piece has to be conceptual, but also brilliantly designed (if you're an AD) or written (a writer). If you think a pun is a concept, good luck flipping burgers. If you think a cool design is a concept, good luck at Kinko's. So, sweat everything you're considering putting in your book, then wait a week, and sweat everything again.

And after you take a deep breath and start calling CDs, and after you've heard each CD say something different about each piece in your book, remember this: as much as I've said that you are your book, your book is only the first step. Every CD has seen a lot of good books.

What they really remember is you – if you're really well spoken about your work. If you can speak strategically as to why you've made the choices you have. If you can be engaged in the conversation. If you can seem at least a little funny or natural, in spite of being incredibly nervous. If you can be someone they want to brainstorm with, go to client meetings with, and work with every day.

Comments

[anonymous]

Harsh, yet sincere. Thank you for posting this.