Here the next 5 tips for grads and juniors. Go back through this blog to see all the earlier ones.
And if you think they might be useful for others then send them this way.
Tip 21 // Beat the best. If you can.
I’d a campaign in my grad book for a well-known brand, one who’d done great work in the past.
People would say ‘this is good but not as good as… (big famous award-winning campaign)’.
All I was doing was reminding them of the great work someone else had done. Which instantly made my work look not as good (to be fair it wasn’t).
So be careful about filling your book with brands like Guinness or Nike.
Unless it is genuinely better or different than what they’ve done.
Tip 22 // Don’t dilly-dally.
The month I graduated I read an article in Creative Review which said more people were graduating from design courses that year then there were designers currently working in the industry.
My first reaction was ’that’s a bit horrifying’, my second was to use it as fuel.
If I ever had a week when I wasn’t improving my book or contacting agencies I’d remember that article. And that some other recent grad was cracking on.
It drove me to get my pens out.
Tip 23 // Get loads of opinions.
I guarantee that in one crit you’ll be told a piece of work is spectacular, unique and amazing.
And in the next that it’s absolutely terrible, abysmal, appalling, garbage.
That’s not helpful when you’re trying to craft a book.
So make sure you get crits in batches.
Speak to a lot of people across different agencies, take notes about what usually does well and what usually does badly.
Rework your book. Then repeat the same process over and over.
Tip 24 // Use your difference.
When I used to tour around with my book, I’d often get remembered as the guy with the Geordie accent.
It helped me stand out amongst the sea of other grads and students doing book crits.
I’m not suggesting you put on an accent.
But we’re all different. From interests and skills to appearance, approach and background.
Work out what sets you apart and use it to your advantage.
Tip 25 // Know how to sell ideas.
Selling ideas clearly and easily to clients isn’t easy.
You have to construct a story that gets across the why and what. While getting everyone onboard and excited.
And nowadays that usually means ‘decks’. Certainly for a lot of work.
Recently I’ve heard of agencies asking creatives at interview to show some of the old presentation decks they’ve put together. They want people who can create ideas and then sell them.
Practise and refine that skill with the projects you present in your book.
