Inquiring minds want to know—what’s the best way to land a job at a creative ad agency?
According to Anselmo Ramos, founder and CCO at GUT, an independent ad agency for brave brands, intangibles matter most.
Most important factors to take into consideration when hiring creatives (from most to least important):
– Referral
– Spark in the eyes
– Potential
– Ad Nerdiness
– Chat
– Resume
– Portfolio
Don’t hire portfolios.
Hire potential.— anselmo ramos (@anselmoramos) September 23, 2019
There’s a universe of advice available for people seeking jobs. Few of them are as honest as the short list above. The truth is you spend years developing technical skills at school and then on the job, but it’s not enough. You must also present a pleasant personality to go with your hard skills.
We spend countless hours with the people on our work teams. It’s human and natural to team up with people we like and respect.
When The Ad Nerd Factor Is High, It’s Hiring Time
I think it’s interesting that Ramos is also seeking “Ad Nerdiness.” I’m currently preparing a live half-day workshop for Ad Nerds.
One of the goals of the workshops is to create a greater understanding of the fundamentals of advertising. A secondary goal is to get everyone on the same page by helping to connect the dots for creative people.
During the workshop, I will show how today’s living advertising legends are carrying the torch for the industry’s forebearers.
We will also explore big questions, like:
- What happened to the Creative Revolution?
- Why was the Creative Revolution necessary in the first place?
- How has digital disruption changed the score?
- Now that we’ve been disrupted, what comes next?
The need for nerdiness can also be expressed as a need for community. People who make ads look to others who make ads for inspiration and guidance. Hence, Cannes, One Show, and all the rest. I’m not a big fan of the trophy giving ritual, but I am a fan of the ad industry adopting broader measures for judging, hiring, and promoting talent.
There’s a ton of talk about inclusive hiring practices, but not as much action. Are you prepared to take Ramos’ advice and hire for potential, not portfolios?
