I get it. Looking for a design job is tough. Sending countless emails a day, the undying hope shortly followed by the crushing subject line “thank you for your application however…”. The need to tell yourself every day to keep applying, in the mean-time convincing your parents that this is definitely a viable career and you’ll be able to move out soon.
When I left college, the recession had just hit. I think about 3 of my 30 classmates were hired straight after college. On the first day of our grad show the course head took us aside and told us about the new Jobs Plus scheme, and advised us to sign on so we’d be eligible - this turned out to be the right advice, my first position was only made possible because of this. We didn’t have the big tech companies hiring then and there were only a handful of agencies hiring, so about a third of my class went abroad to look for work. Not me though. I wanted to stay. I really wanted to stay and be a part of Irish design.
But here’s the thing: really, really wanting a job isn’t enough to get you one. You can live and breathe design, you can close your eyes and hold your breath as you open an application response, you can gush in an interview about your passion and drive. But based on my experience, I know that’s not enough. Really good portfolios are often prefaced by disappointing cover letters, brilliant portfolios regularly have glaring mistakes.
At Good as Gold, we see so many people firing out CVs without considering the basics. Even if we’re not actively hiring, I’ll always take time to respond to each one and will offer a phone call or a coffee to give some constructive feedback on their CVs and portfolios if I feel they’d benefit from it. I find myself repeating the same 5 points regardless of the application, hence the blog post.
Stand Out
An old student of mine was determined to land a job in an agency in Dublin, so he got his face printed onto doughnuts and hand-delivered them to the studio along with his CV. He was offered a job the following week. I’m not suggesting that will work in every instance, but make sure you’re remembered - for the right reasons.
Think of it like Tinder, maybe a bit less ruthless, but what’s going to stop me from swiping left? My time in education, the last 4 years judging the IDI graduate awards, and my experience as a Creative Director has meant I’ve had the privilege to review countless portfolios. I still remember the few who stood out. Although a strong first impression might not be enough to get you a job straight away, it will mean you stick in peoples’ minds. I’ve reached out for collaborations and job opportunities years after them making a lasting positive impression on me.
Make us feel loved
It’s hard not to eyeroll opening another email with the same tone of voice, same structure and same obvious sense of “this was sent to 50 agencies I googled”. We want to feel special - we want to know why you want to work with us. Was it a particular project of ours you liked, and why? Do you follow our social channels? It’s very helpful when I can see that someone understands us and our culture. We’re a small agency based in Wicklow, not the right fit for everyone, have you considered that? Have you read about us to know that honesty is one of the cornerstones of our organisation? Showing small bits of understanding about a company’s culture is very important, it helps us to see you’ve researched us and you see where you might add value to the studio. It’s also worth researching who to send the work to. A quick email asking who the creative director is instead of just sending to the general email will be well received.
Adapt your portfolio
Now you’ve grabbed my attention, you’ve shown that there’s a connection there, show me that you know about our area of expertise. We’re a digital agency. That doesn’t mean we expect you to have designed multiple apps or can tell me the top ten ways in which html and CSS will adapt to accommodate web 3.0, we can teach you all of that. We want to see that you understand digital. If you’ve completed a brand identity, show us how you’ve considered that brand to be communicated online. Show us any clever Instagram posts you’ve done yourself, examples of how you’ve used the platforms in creative ways. Show us you understand content and how digital can communicate a brand message. If you can’t bring years of industry relevant digital experience, show us your personal understanding of the web. Your generational insight when it comes to digital is vital in an agency that adapts as the landscape changes. You might have more to offer here than you think.
Be honest about weaknesses
A really common mistake I see is that instead of being transparent about where the gaps are, candidates tend to plaster over weaknesses with unnecessary work. You’re a recent grad, I get that you won’t have a lot of websites in your portfolio, but be honest about that, tell me that you know your UX experience isn’t extensive and say that you want to learn more. Weaknesses are an opportunity to learn, a willingness to learn and listen are fundamental when applying for a new position.
Take any chance for connection
“Thank you for sending your work and for getting in touch. We’re not hiring right now but I’d be happy to jump on a call and give you some feedback on your portfolio.” I’ve written this line about twenty times and only twice have people taken me up on the offer. Our studio operates on collaboration and open creative criticism. We don’t pretend to know it all. If there’s an opportunity to connect, take it. We’ll be more likely to remember you when a big project comes in and we need to hire quickly. Or, we might recommend you to a client or a peer that’s hiring.
Lastly, keep going, keep applying, keep working on side projects and keep looking for opportunities. You’ll find the right job eventually. Also remember, if a studio doesn’t think you’re the right fit, you’re better off finding that out sooner rather than later.
