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Contests Pt. 2: Are Design Contests Worth It?

2010-03-10T15:41:00Z

My final thoughts on advertising and design contests (at least for a right now):

Do I think they are good for exposure? Yes.
Hey, every win gets you another 15 minutes of fame. Whether you're a student or professional, I find it hard to fault anyone using every opportunity to stand out from the pack, especially if they are looking for work.

Do I think they're exploitative? Yes.
People know you're out there and hungry for opportunity. I ran across a blog (sorry, can't find the link now), where the writer encouraged people to create contests to get people to design logos and other materials in order to help them launch their businesses. The blogger admits it's a great way to see a huge variety of samples without hiring people to do exploratory work. Then you only have to pay for the work you like with your cash prize. (Talk about taking advantage of the workforce.)

Would I enter a contest? Yes.
It helps to have a healthy attitude about it. I see it as a fun, creative outlet. Since college, I think I've won a small handful of creative awards. As a student, they were great conversation starters during interviews. Once I was 2nd runner-up in a screenwriting competition and one of the judges optioned my script. Optioning is when they pay for the rights for a period of time for the "option" of producing it later (which never happened). So even when I lost, I came out a winner. Hey, I'm no hypocrite, I've solicited your votes for blog contests in the past. (Speaking of, this blog is entered in the Hive Awards. Winners will be announced Friday, March 12.)

Is it fair for professionals to enter contests? Yes.
Unless there is something in the fine print that states you have to be the contest's definition of an "amateur," it's all fair game. It's just like competing for work in the real world. If you're going to play, play to win and not whine about it if you lose.

For students and those starting out, I think design contests can help you build your book. I would not recommend it as the only method. If it gets you to create work you feel is good enough to be judged, it may be work good enough to help you get a job. When it comes to filling your book with class assignments, it's not always our best work. Admit it. Sometimes we did enough to just get by. If you have any "C" work in your portfolio, take it out now.

I ran across a thought-provoking post on Freelance Switch about professionals entering design contests. Read it and decide what is best for you.

Image courtesy of Stock.xchng.

Sometimes The Job Feels Like A Contest.

2010-03-08T17:05:00Z

I saw this logo design contest in a local paper over the weekend. Lately, it seems like a lot of illustrator and art director jobs are almost trivialized into contests. Design a logo or something for a cash prize that is often smaller than the fee you would charge if they hired you professionally. Sadly, it's the way of the world these days. Would I enter? Probably so. (See Games That Help You Stay On Your Game.)

If you win, it gets you exposure. If you don't, you may end up creating something that still may be nice enough to put in your portfolio. When I think about it, it's no different than being on the job. Sometimes you go up against several creative teams in your department, submitting ideas and hope yours is the one picked. It feels like winning a contest sometimes. You're not going up against as many entries, but the odds can feel just as great.

With all of that in mind, this is how I would break the job down for young students: Your job is a never-ending contest. You submit ideas. Sometimes you win. More often, you lose. So ask yourself if you are willing to consistantly play? If you don't think your work is good enough for a simple contest, is it good enough to get you into an agency? And if you don't like contest committees owning your work, regardless if you win, agency life may not be for you. Agencies own everything you create for them, even if it is not chosen to be produced. Contest entries are like being hired to do a job, but you only get paid if they like the idea. If you don't like it, then start thinking about other lines of work you may enjoy better.

Oh, and that contest I mentioned is for the 11th Annual Cruisin' Gratiot event. Detroiters love their cars and this is one of two events where people parade their classic cars down a major roadway.

Cut This Class.

2010-03-05T13:52:00Z

I thought I'd wrap up my "education" posts this week with a review of a text I initially thought would be useful to students and recent grads.

Portfolio Class With Clare by Clare McNally is a book I would have found useful when I was college student (in the early 90's). Unfortunately, when McNally says "portfolio," she means old school style, as in the physical cases with sleeves to showcase your work. Don't get me wrong. There is a need for a physical book, but you must have an online portfolio up and running before you even entertain the thought of looking for an internship or a full-time job. I found the "Internet smiley face" on the book cover to be a bit deceptive, especially since the book never really addresses developing an online portfolio. Remember, if anyone wants to see your work, they expect you to respond with a web address, not you requesting a mailing address to ship your physical portfolio. (Man, that brings back nightmares from the ancient days of advertising. Some agencies made this poor college student pay for his own shipping.)

Defenders of Portfolio Class may respond with, "The book was written in 2008." That's a little less than two years ago. Online portfolios were hardly new concepts then. (And I'm willing to bet that people with online portfolios in 2008 got hired much faster than people who didn't.)

In the opening pages, McNally says, "My focus in much of this book is on classic print advertising." "Classic" can also translate into "dated" and I've stated in previous posts that my creative director survey revealed that many CDs are looking for some new age thinking — ideas that translate well into multiple mediums.

But this is where I come to McNally's defense. Print campaigns provide better examples of what she is trying to teach.

"...I can show you how to generate ideas more consistently, how to judge work more objectively and how to keep pushing until you find something better," she claims.

Starting with how to read the creative brief, McNally offers creative exercises that a young professional may find helpful when creating his/her work. McNally's purpose is to help you create work samples if you lack experience. She currently teaches at the Miami Ad School in Amsterdam and she comes across as a pretty engaging instructor in her writing. For that, I can't give Portfolio Class With Clare a failing grade, but a young creative needs to know more than what this book offers to create a portfolio that will pass any ad agency's test.

Grade: C

To help you better your portfolio, read these posts in my Category Archives:

A Better Book
A Better Portfolio
Interview Tips

Ad Students Pay For Words Of Wisdom.

2010-03-03T13:12:00Z

Former ad students Eric Stiles and Nick Larson have taken online education to a new level. They say ad school is too expensive, so the pair have set out to complete their books outside of portfolio school with your help. They've started a project where they are paying people to provide the best creative direction to help them develop their campaign. They have $600 to spend for a "quality" education and they are paying rewards of $200 per level of the assignment. Level 1 is completed. If you want to pass on your knowledge to help them with revisions for level 2, you have until March 11. Eric and Nick have also recruited help from a creative at Crispin Porter+Bogusky to sort through the feedback to find creative genius among the garbage.

For the full story, check out: My Crowd School.

The two definitely aren't short on creativity. I'd be surprised if people didn't call them in for interviews just to see how the project turned out. And don't let this turn into an ad school uprising. Education and expense have gone hand-in-hand since early man first uttered the word, "college." I give them credit for being inventive, but I would hate to see more students apply their creativity toward getting out of a higher education. Street smarts will only get you so far. Still I'm interested to see what a $600 education will buy.

As promised, here's some scholarship info I've recently received.

In the US:
Robert F. Lauterborn Scholarship. (AAF Raleigh-Durham area. The link is an application download.) Deadline: April 2, 2010.
F. Andrew Warden Advertising Scholarship (Univ. of Florida). Deadline: March 15, 2010.

In Canada:
The Society of Graphic Designers Canada (GDC) announced its GDC National Scholarship Awards 2010. Deadline: April 16.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng.

They're Giving Away Free Money!!!

2010-03-01T18:16:00Z

College students have a strange relationship with money.

We'll apply for a credit card to get a "free" t-shirt in the student union.

We'll fill out those student loans applications and spend our entire careers paying it back.

But when you tell a student you're giving away scholarship money — free money — getting people to apply is like pulling teeth.

I applied for every scholarship I could find. I won one particular journalism scholarship three consecutive semesters, because no one else applied for it. That following term, I got a funny letter from the committee apologizing because they got three more applicants and they wanted to give them an opportunity to get some cash.

Sadly, in today's economy, you have to look a little harder to find the free money. A lot of those funds are gone now. When money goes unused, it goes away. I've worked on scholarship committees for various organizations and sometimes we couldn't give the money away.

With that in mind, please note:

March 5 is the deadline for the 2010 Adcraft Scholarship. Sorry, it is a local Michigan posting, but I will start making a point of notifying you of free money for school whenever I get the information. If you know a Michigan advertising student, please forward the info.

Junior ad jobs don't pay that well when you graduate. It's hard enough just finding the job, so why not start your career with as little debt as possible?

Remember that "free" t-shirt can end up costing you thousands in credit card fees.

Image courtesy of stock.xchng.

The Key To Getting Past Gatekeepers.

2010-02-26T14:25:00Z

Anyone can be a gatekeeper between you and a job opportunity.

Someone came to me asking for referrals for a creative position. I had four names. Two people I knew personally. I've never met the other two. And if it weren't for LinkedIn, I'd never know what they looked like.

Why would I refer someone I've never met?

Well Candidate #3 came from a trusted source and that was good enough for me.

Candidate #4 is the anomaly. I kinda stumbled across him. He started following me on Twitter. In turn, I always check out the people who are willing to listen to me, because I want to know if you have anything to say, too. He did. A nice book. We've had an few conversations and debates on LinkedIn groups and through email. This job happened to be in New Jersey. If he got the job, it wouldn't be the best commute (3 hours), but it was in the same state, at least.

It may not feel as proactive as submitting a resume, but networking is an active job search. The difference is that you are trying to get people to notice and pursue you. Those connections are no longer barriers between you and a possible interview. They are now key to helping you get a call to that first meeting.

This is not a call to start stalking people on social networks. I don't think the Glenn Close/Fatal Attraction technique ever worked for job seekers. When it comes to networking, be someone others want to know. Put yourself out there and see who wants to connect. They may end up being someone who wants to work with you — or refer you.

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng. Photo by Eva Schuster.

Creating Your Own Opportunity.

2010-02-24T15:22:00Z

In last Sunday's Detroit Free Press newspaper, I read how the movie tax break in Michigan was actually enticing some filmmakers, video game creators, and other production companies to relocate from LA and launch businesses here. Detroit is not about to become Hollywood Midwest anytime soon and this will not be the answer to our 30 percent unemployment. Hell, it's not even steady work for people in LA and New York.

But are there opportunities for our unemployed ad people out there?

Can someone in the film industry benefit from your skills?

Can you take your experience making commercials and take advantage of the crazy tax breaks to launch your own production company?

I'm not saying come to Michigan and try your hand at being the next Spike Lee or Steven Spielberg. I'm asking you to look at your local economy and see what they are attempting to boost themselves up. Then ask: can I take advantage of it?

Whether it's a green initiative or advancements in technology, are there new opportunities for a former copywriter, art director or web designer? The answers aren't always obvious, but you are imaginative people. You'll think of something. And if you see a need you can fulfill, act on it immediately before it becomes a job posting on Monster. By then it may be too late.

I really don't know who has the answers to give this economy the shot in the arm it needs. We may have to be a bit more inventive and show more imagination than our government.

Inventive?

Imagination?

Sounds like an ideal opportunity for creative people.

We Can Be Friends With Benefits.

2010-02-22T14:07:00Z

Last week's post, A Networking Site Is A Terrible Thing To Waste, emphasized the importance of networking to find the ad jobs out there. I thought I'd follow up with a few rules of engagement:

Reconnect with people you know first. Your best contacts are the people who already know you. Old classmates. Professors. Former colleagues. Where are they now? Maybe they're in positions to help you.
Unless your contact is a recruiter, don't treat them like one. If someone agrees to connect with you, don't follow up with a resume, unless they request it. Not everyone is in a position to help you get a job. Don't pressure them.
Give them reason to want to know you. You approached this contact for a reason: They are knowledgeable... They are well-connected... If they accept your invitation, turn the tables and get them to want to know you. They've given you valuable information. Give them something valuable in return. If you want a stranger to ever refer you for a position, become a connection worth keeping.
Be patient. If you've connected with busy or well-known individuals, they are not spending the day responding to every email inquiry. Some may eventually get back to you, but it may take a while. Most may not contact you at all. Still they are resources worth keeping. Don't take it personally.
Don't become a stalker. If you find yourself on the verge of sending angry emails or rants about someone who hasn't responded to you, you're about to cross the line. Again, don't take it personally.
Know when you're being treated like a number and accept it. Some people just like building buddy lists. To them, it looks impressive to have 2000+ connections attached to your name, yet you have no real connection with them. Again, don't let that stop you from following their work if it is beneficial to you.

Before all of this social media, we didn't call everyone who gave us a business card. In life, we only connect with a small percentage of the people we meet on- and off-line. So don't get frustrated now that the world is a lot more accessible. Your don't have to be buddy-buddy to benefit from the connections you make.

Honoring My Influences.

2010-02-19T14:03:00Z

I can't let Black History Month go by without acknowledging some major players in advertising who have inspired me directly and indirectly.

Vincent Cullers

A former art director with EBONY Magazine, Vincent Cullers was founder of the nation's first Black-owned, full-service advertising agency, Vince Cullers Advertising Inc. in Chicago, a business he started with his wife, Marian in 1956. His company created some of the first targeted marketing campaigns on television. Their client list included Sears, Roebuck & Company, Kellogg's, Ameritech, Amoco Oil Co. (BP Amoco), and Pizza Hut. Mr. Cullers passed away in 2003.

I met Mr. Cullers well over 20 years ago. I was recently laid off — for the third time in two years. I decided to use the moment to make a new start and possibly relocate to Chicago. I made frequent day trips from Detroit (about a 5-hour drive). I set up interviews by telling companies I was in the area and I'd ask if they could spare a moment to critique my portfolio. So even if they didn't have openings, some of them agreed to meet with me. One of those individuals was Mr. Cullers.

We hit it off and talked for a couple of hours and I almost missed my other appointment. He was full of helpful tips and stories. Unfortunately, the Chicago plan never worked out and Mr. Cullers also wasn't in a position to hire me at the time. Still, he asked me to stop by if I ever had the time during my day trips. He always made time for me.

Harry Webber

If he's not a familiar name, you know his work, unless you've been living in a sealed cave for the last four decades. Inducted into the Clio Hall of Fame, this is the man who co-created:

"I Am Stuck On Band-Aid Brand." (Band-Aid)
Obviously, this is a newer spot. I couldn't find an older one that would download properly. People were singing this song when the parents of these kids were babies.

"A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste." (UNCF)*

"Quality Is Job 1." (Ford)*

"Chow Chow Chow." (Purina Cat Chow)*

*(Sorry - I couldn't verify if the last three examples were his ads or extensions of his campaign.)

Currently, Mr. Webber is founder and chief creative officer of Smart Communications, Inc. He dubs the current phase of his career as "NeoAdvertising," which involves mastering new skills and technologies to creating more effective engagements and evolve the marketing business model. We've never met, but his interest in new trends mirror my own. And he's also a Campbell-Ewald alum from back in the day in the late 60's. Mr. Webber had a blog, madisonavenew.com, that's unfortunately down at the present time, but you can check out his background here or on "Harry Webber" on my blog roll.

A Networking Site Is A Terrible Thing To Waste.

2010-02-17T15:02:00Z

If you're looking for a job or business contacts, networking works, but it's not for impatient people. Once you join a group, people do not flood your email boxes with contacts and job referrals. How you present yourself determines if you'll make the right connections. Things were quiet during the holidays for obvious reasons. Now I'm hearing about interviews — real interviews again. More companies and agencies are starting to look at candidates again — with the intensions of hiring. (Patience, please. The process is still slow.)

Referrals are the way to get noticed. If somebody is hiring, they always check out referrals first. How do you get noticed? Socializing helps. Here are a few places to grab some attention:

LinkedIn? Seriously? How insightful of me, right? The most obvious is a given. But if you're not getting anything out of it, it may be because you're not doing anything with it. Sure, you joined a bunch of groups. Do you do anything besides scan their job sections? Participate in a few discussions. Post a few thought-provoking discussions of your own. A voice of reason and authority makes you someone others will want to know. Just don't turn into a spammer. Respect the groups' rules and eventually you'll start seeing that people are checking out your profile. Then a few others may ask to "link" up with you.

Have you gotten the scoop, yet? AgencyScoop is one of those relatively quiet sites that creatives hear about or stumble upon, but it's starting to garner some attention. I think with a bit more interaction and activity, they have the makings of a decent site to bookmark.

Industry news is provided my AdWeek Media.
You can post your portfolio.
It has national and international job postings.
And it's free.

If you sign up before 5pm EST today (2/17), you'll be be able to catch an online screening of the documentary Lemonade and participate in a Q&A with creator Erik Proulx.

Named after the Eddie Murphy character in the film, Boomerang, Lincoln Stephens has created an impressive (and growing) grassroots movement to develop the next generation of leadership in advertising and media. (And I'm not just saying that because the site features this blog.) The program mentors and trains "ethnically diverse men between the ages of 16 and 34 in all aspects of the media industry." Speaking of mentoring, The Marcus Graham Project is launching their summer boot camp program again and is taking applications until March 5, 2010. Click here for more information. This program has already caught the attention of Ad Age, Black Enterprise Magazine and Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

Some people might say I was an "Adhole" long before I joined this group. Here I get involved in engaging debates, covering everything from Tiger Woods to unemployment blues. I just wish I lived in Chicago or New York to attend an event. It's a social site, with an emphasis on social. You have to put some time in to get to know the locals to get something out of it. If you check out my profile below, I'm ranked #3 out of the Top 40 Adholes (guess that's a good thing). And I am also designated as a "Top Blogger."

Hopefully, you are taking advantage of local clubs in your area. I believe the Adcraft Club of Detroit is one of the oldest in the country. Over the years, I've served on Adcraft PM (under 30 social group - that was years ago) and the education committees. I've made some close friends and colleagues through this organization. And every time I've been laid off, it was an Adcraft member who helped me back on my feet. In fact, a fellow Adcraft PM member played a role in helping me get a job at C-E. (A post for another time.)

Click any of the logos to learn more about these organizations. After you join, Link Me, Friend Me, whatever, Just don't spam me.

Lemonade: Detroit Gets A Pitcher.

2010-02-15T14:00:00Z

I got an email from Erik Proulx, creator of the documentary Lemonade. If you haven't heard of it or caught a screening, Lemonade is about advertising professionals who find themselves out of a job, but turn the opportunity into a moment to redefine themselves and make more fulfilling changes in their lives. Check out my review of the Detroit screening: (My New Year's Resolution Movie).

Presently, a Lemonade book proposal is in the works.

Another film is being planned, too, and Detroit is the focus. (No one is thirstier than us.)

Here's the project in Erik's words:

Lemonade, Detroit will not be about the advertising industry nor will it lament unemployment. Rather, it will focus on a city that is embracing the reality that it can no longer depend on a single industry for its livelihood.

There's no denying the dire circumstances in Detroit. And no film about the city's reinvention can be told without acknowledging the hell it has seen. But there's an amazing insurgence of the entrepreneurial spirit in Detroit, and the takeaway of this film will be about the disarming resilience of the people who live there.

These will be stories you don't often hear about in the news, yet they are stories need to be told.

In the coming weeks, we'll be shooting a trailer. We're looking for stories specifically in and about Detroit -- people and businesses that have found a way to turn the economy on its head and make something great. If you happen to be one of those people, or if you know of any inspirational stories like these, please email us here. We'd absolutely love your involvement.

Once the trailer is done, we will then use it to seek funding and sponsorships. If anyone reading this would like discuss that possibility, please email us here.

To get up to speed, here are four ways to catch and support Lemonade.

Games That Help You Stay On Your Game.

2010-02-12T14:24:00Z

I've been writing headlines all day and nothing seems to be working. Sometimes you crank out pages of lines before you get that one headline that everyone is happy with (or mildly satisfied — you take what you can get). The average reader never sees past the headlines, so you've got to get the message right. I've never been the type who feels my first draft always hits the mark. Then there are days where I just can't hit the target at all. Sometimes a good approach is to not think about the job (and the looming deadline). I still work through my issues by writing, but it needs to be a departure from the work.

I recommend contests and word games. They seem to help me anyway.

There's a contest on Syfy that's been entertaining me on days like this. "Name That Movie" asks you to come up with a title for this upcoming film:

Demon Knight? (Nah, that was a movie with Jada Pinkett Smith)
Unholy Crusade?
I Dub Thee Sir Satan?

When it comes to titles, Syfy looks for sophistication. After all, this is the cable channel that gave us classics like Mansquito (half-man, half-mosquito) and Anonymous Rex (a velociraptor P.I.). So you have your work cut out for you. Hurry, the deadline is February 14, 2010. The winner receives a film credit, a camera and a computer loaded with film editing software. You can get the plot info and official rules on syfy.com.

Art directors, I didn't forget you...

Hatchwise is a logo design contest site. People "hire" you through posting competitions. Every contest offers a cash prize for your work, an average of $200 per contest. If you want to keep your design skills sharp, subscribe to Hatchwise as a fun departure.

I never expect to win these things. (Maybe it's because I tell everyone about them.) It's mindless entertainment that frees my mind. While coming up with eight stupid movie titles, I also came up with a dozen new headlines. If I'm lucky, maybe 2-3 will make the cut for the ads and direct marketing pieces I'm working on.

The Super Bowl's Real MVP

2010-02-10T15:35:00Z

I've got to give it up to Tristan Smith, a copywriter with Google Creative Labs. He's only been out of school for one year. His first campaign is a Super Bowl spot. And it's not just any Super Bowl spot — it's one of the game's most well-received spots. (FYI — It was one of my top 3 picks.) My last post, I ranted how new creatives should count their blessings for just being invited to pitch ideas. This man throws a touchdown on his first play. (I know - In my last post, I promised not to use sports metaphors, too.)

His story is rare — raw steak rare, but it's an upbeat story to pass along. Use it as a little inspiration during your own pursuits.

Now Tristan's story does confirm something I've been saying for some time: you don't have to go to an agency for an ad job. In-house departments are stepping up their game and producing solid work. If you're new to this blog, check out Ad Grad Project Wk 4: In-House Are No Longer The Outsiders.

And with that in mind, Google Creative Labs is looking to fill a few positions:

Lead Copywriter

Digital Creative Director

For laughs, check out the haters and debaters on Agency Spy, if you haven't done so yet.

The Perfect Pitch Starts With Going First.

2010-02-08T14:40:00Z

Despite the title, I'm going to spare you of baseball metaphors. Today is my first day of mourning the end of football season anyway (congrats Saints!).

If you're lucky (and at the right agency), after months of grunt work, interns and junior creatives are sometimes rewarded with a shot at the big time — an opportunity to pitch for a TV spot or some other high-profile project. It's a looong shot that your work will survive the first round. If you want to better your chances, I always give the same advice: go first. If your work shows a glimmer of promise, this may help you survive.

If you have several creative teams pitching concepts , there's a very good chance some of you are going to have similar ideas. My experiences have shown that by pitching the idea first, you own the idea by default. Unless the other creative teams come up with a much better twist, chances are you may be asked to help develop the spot under more senior supervision. And if no one has a similar idea, a senior team will still be assigned to help you with your concept — or take it over completely. (Sorry. It happens. You're just an intern.)

Whenever a team starts their pitch with "we had an idea similar to (NAME)," your idea further sets the bar others will be compared to.

Now there have been times when going first hasn't worked in my favor. I've had moments where my ideas stunk up the room so badly, I made everyone else look like creative geniuses. But failure has never stopped me from volunteering to present first. And if you are afraid to fail, maybe this isn't the right career for you. As creatives, we are always in the forefront. Agencies build their reputations on your ideas. So get ready to be highly scrutinized for your entire advertising career.

Sometimes interns take my advice. The ones that do are more often given more opportunities to pitch other projects. And those that keep showing initiative are the first to be offered permanent positions over applicants trying to break in the old fashion way.

If you're lucky, you may also have the start of an actual reel at the end of this project, which puts you miles ahead of the competition.

Teaching Your Parents The Facts Of Life.

2010-02-05T15:00:00Z

There comes a time in everyone's life where you're going to have to sit your parents down and tell them about the facts of life — your life.

Did you ever have this conversation with your folks?

"Mom, Dad, I've given this a lot of thought... I - I want to work in advertising."

Did they give you that "crazy stare" that made you run to your bedroom? Or, did they go completely off? How long did it take until you regained consciousness?

I tried to spare some kids from the pain when I spoke at a high school career fair. Surprisingly, there were a lot more parents in attendance than usual. Normally, I just try to connect with the kids, but the adult presence made me switch gears a little bit.

I asked the students, "How many of you like to draw?" A few hands shot up.

"How many like to write? Stories? Poetry?" I continued and I got a few more responses.

"Parents, your kids can make a living doing this," I said. "I'm proof of that."

Have your parents tried to talk you out of pursuing a more artistic job for something more "sensible," like law or medicine? I know people who were "talked" out of advertising careers and other jobs with creative outlets. I think part of the reason may be that parents don't understand the work we do. I know members of my family don't fully understand my work. According to my grandmother, I'm responsible for every Chevy ad created in the last ten years. (And I would never deny her top bragging rights among her friends.) Fortunately, I have parents who fully supported their son's desire to pursue a career in this business. Not everyone is that fortunate. So I figured I could better help these kids by educating their parents.

After showing them some work samples, we talked about portfolio schools and universities. Then I immediately addressed that all-important question: How much money can you make?

We pulled up some stats on salary.com. I didn't win any fans with starting salaries, but the earning potential made sure I didn't lose anyone either. The kids were a bit disappointed to find out you don't earn TV star salaries, even if your work is on the air. Still, I connected with several parents that night, understanding that their kids could make a livable wage drawing pictures and writing stories.

"Breaking into this business is not going to be easy," I concluded. "But it won't be as hard if they have your support."

So I told the students don't let anyone talk you out of the life you want for yourself. And if they ever needed help talking to their parents about pursuing advertising and other jobs that let them express themselves artistically, I'd provide information to help their parents understand.

That offer always stands.

Professors Sing Your Praises And Not A Note From You

2010-02-01T04:33:00Z

A professor bought me a beer at an Adcraft Club event. An acceptable bribe. He invited several students to the program and was talking up one of the students to me.

"He's a brilliant illustrator," the professor said. "You should see his work."

The professor pointed out this "genius" from across the bar. His student was laughing with some woman over a beer. He wasn't coming over to meet me anytime soon. I didn't blame him. She was cute. I wouldn't waste time with me either. So I gave the prof my card. "I'll have him call you," he said.

You know where this is leading. Genius didn't call.

I didn't have a job for his student or any leads, but I would have answered any of his questions. Thing is, every semester, I meet instructors who love to "sell" their students. Do you know those teachers? Are they talking about you? More importantly, are you taking advantage of it?

These instructors are your first important job referral. I said it before, but it needs repeating: Ad jobs are often filled through referrals. And if you are a student with no experience and no contacts, who else is going to speak for you?

So how do you get in that prof's good graces? (Take your mind out of the gutter for a second – I knew you were going to go there.) It helps to be a good student or a likable one. I can't help you there, but you can start by not doing the mad dash out the door when class ends. You've got to start building a rapport. The best instructors don't just complicate your life with exams and papers with ridiculous due dates, they help open doors.

I've stood on the internship soapbox long enough (for now, at least). If you are looking for a summer internship, now is the time to apply. If you're a more "seasoned" professional, who has gone back to school or is looking for a fresh start, internships are ideal opportunities. And if you've been out of school for a while, don't be shy about reaching out to the prof who inspired you in the past. There's no law saying your relationship ends after graduation. (Anyone read "Tuesdays With Morrie?")

Besides, if you're like most of us, you're probably still paying your student loans. You might as well get your money's worth.

Photo courtesy or stock.xchng.

Recovering The Lost Portfolio

2010-01-29T14:05:00Z

How often do you test your online portfolio?

Are all of your videos running properly? Are you seeing that annoying "broken link" icon where your images used to be?

Hard drives and servers crash.

Files get corrupted.

Someone proposed an interesting question during a conversation: Have you ever lost your online portfolio? I can't say that I have. But as I thought about it, anything is possible. It does make you panic a little. You've got to protect your work to get work. So I put the question out in the universe and tried to get a consensus on the best ways people protect their portfolios.

The Mozy ad campaign seems to be paying off. People are swearing by the online computer backup. But what if you can't afford the minimum $5/month backup plan? Here's a cheap alternative:

Open a free email account like Yahoo!
Send file attachments to yourself, without exceeding your file size limit.
Store all of the emails in backup folders on the site.

That's worked for me for the last ten years. And I have had to go to those files to recover work. Others recommend the usual: multiple external hard drives and/or flash drives. No one recommended brand names. It's also a one-time expense over a monthly one. No, it's not groundbreaking info and many will say that's common sense, but let me ask: If your work was suddenly lost right now, do you have backup?

It's all sitting on the computer you're using right now, isn't it?

If you are sending out resumes fast and furiously, I would check every bell and whistle on your portfolio daily. We know that no potential employer is going to send a friendly email saying, "I couldn't get your video to play. Let me know when it's up and running — I'll wait."

Summer Internship? Apply Yesterday.

2010-01-27T16:12:00Z

Please tell me that you've started applying for summer internships.

Now is the time.

The first jobs to go are generally the paying ones.

So if you are hoping to get more out of a summer job than just college credits, get on it.

Stop thinking about the frat party this weekend. And hold off on trying to find the best hotel rates for spring break for just a moment. If you wait until the end of the semester in May, it's too late.

I told you it's getting more competitive, especially if you factor in the older adults returning to school and the unemployed. I've also noticed that some of the positions from The Ad Grad Project have been filled, but YouIntern is still a good starting point. Next, start hitting up those professors for a few job leads. And now would be a good time to find all of the cards you collected at job fairs and start making some contact. And speaking of spring break, if there are job opportunities in the area where you are vacationing, let a potential employer know when you will be in town to schedule an interview. Believe me, it works sometimes. (And it won't kill you to be away from the beach for a couple of hours.)

Now before you step away from your computer, promise me that you'll send out at least one resume right now. Good luck.

Photo courtesy of tome213 and stock.xchng.

It's Almost As Good As A Bigfoot Sighting

2010-01-25T13:21:00Z

They've been spotted.

People talk about them, but few have seen them... until now.

They're almost legendary.

Who are they? Sasquatches?

No. The 40-year old interns.

No longer are they those wide-eyed, enthusiastic, barely-legal college students. These are older students with a lot of life experience. And they are growing in number. Believe it or not, spotting the older intern is a positive sign. Many may be starting over, but they are pursuing their dream jobs. The best part is that companies are recognizing their value and giving them a chance.

So stop thinking you're too old. It's never too late to make a career change (especially if no one is hiring in your old profession). And you have nothing to be embarrassed about. If anything, it's inspiring as it becomes more common. It should give you hope, if you find yourself in the circumstances of starting over.

I met Mya, a 40-something intern, at a college job fair last year. After high school, she went to work on the assembly line for one of the Big Three automakers. Two years ago, she took a buyout over risking a lay-off and enrolled in school to study business. Instead of building cars, she now wants to market them. Last fall, she landed an internship with a Detroit ad agency. I recently got an email from her saying the company doesn't have the funds to hire her full time, but they did extend her internship to the summer.

I like a good Bigfoot sighting in the tabloids as much as anyone, but the older intern sightings are great breaking news.

Check out:
"Never Too Old to Intern." Good story about a woman who learns to write for the web.
"Hiring older interns." A survey of a growing trend.
"A Sprinkling of Maturity in '09 Intern Crop."

And if you want Bigfoot, here are the best Bigfoot sightings of all time. GOONIE GOO GOO.

Top photo courtesy of stock.xchng.

Does Grasshopper Have The Legs To Kick DVR's Ass?

2010-01-22T14:05:00Z

I've been challenging traditional marketers to adapt to new formats. While the DVR isn't new, TV advertisers are still trying to combat our commercial-hopping ways. Now Grasshopper has launched a salvo in the ongoing war.

At first glance, there's nothing remarkable about this ad. In fact, it's not good at all. From a technical standpoint, you'll notice that the character icon never moves from the center of the screen. Apparently, some study shows that your eyes automatically gravitate to the center of the screen when you hit fast forward on a DVR. So the grasshopper character will have 1-2 seconds to make an impression, because he doesn't blur out. Still, you won't know the message he's delivering. Maybe they should have kept the web address stationary throughout the spot, too.

I give them a "B-" for effort, but a "D" for execution. At least somebody out there is thinking untraditionally for a traditional medium. And I still think a DVR-fighting tactic might smarten up that TV portfolio you may be putting together. Creative directors have told me directly that they are looking for smart thinking, not just clever words and pretty pictures.

And I believe Grasshopper's thinking goes much deeper...

I'm not the only one who's been blogging about this ad (and how bad it is). At the time of this post, the ad's received over 90,000 hits on YouTube. Personally, I've watched it three times while writing this post. And here I am telling you to check it out.

Forget commercial air time. This ad has already gone viral.

I bet that's what they wanted all along.

We've been played.