At some point I am going to publish photos, like Glamour magazine does, showcasing the Dos and Don'ts of creative portfolios. For now, the description of a major don't is all I've got.
First off, a candidate called yesterday and told me he left his book with reception and asked if I could have look. Sure, no problem. And, oh, could he get the book back as soon as possible. Again, sure, no problem.
After that brief conversation I naively equated his urgency to quality and I imagined this guy had scores of recruiters all in line to get a hold of his portfolio.
Yea, well, not so much. First, if you can't respect your resume I have a hard time being open to the work that follows it. This candidate's resume looked like it had be carried around in his back pocket since the 8th grade, was folded into quarters and, as an afterthought, had been shoved into the folds of his work for safekeeping.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to think. Isn't a resume your calling card? Should I just have been glad to get it no matter what the condition? Maybe I'm being a snob when it comes to the presentation of your work. But, I truly feel like your creative pieces should be presented to prospective employers as the evidence that you are a true creative professional. Now, I don't mean that every book needs to be gilded in gold, but to err on the side of quality and presentation would certainly be a good thing.
Chalk it up to a Don't and take heed.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
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2 comments:
Amazing. We work in a world of details and it is truly astounding that some people still don't get it.
I can tell a talented art director, just by looking at their resumé. How it's laid out, how it's organized and how it's presented. The sad thing is, most people get their portfolio back and wonder why there wasn't a favorable response–with no one clueing them in to something as simple as this. I hope your candidate is reading your post and learns something.
I think resume design has got to be the most stressful decision for a junior art director. The temptation to go overboard is lying in wait in your mind, as well as the knowledge of restraint and clarity. Well if not for most, most definitely that is the case for myself as I am nearing May....
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