Rapier are recruiting...

Hi gang.

Short and sweet one. Rapier are looking for an account exec (ability with an actual rapier is a quality I don't think you need, but i'm sure it wouldn't hurt).

EDIT: Rapier are now interviewing. Thanks to everyone for applying.

Lowe Grad Recruitment Film..

That's the logo. Just in case you forget.

Some more activity on the Lowe front.

As you can see in the sidebar, the grad scheme has begun. But, along with that, we've made a cheeky short film for you guys to have a look at, as well as some real life employees' (shock!) views on life at Lowe.



The deadline is the 25th of July, and you can download an application form from the main site. Keep an eye on the Youtube channel - there's some more employee videos to come.

Gifted Amateurs..

He was pretty good, no? Picture via Don3rdSE. Usual rules apply.

Advertising's not your typical career. It's not something where you need to spend a few years converting your degree and winning a training contract, like Law. It's not like Dentistry, which takes seven years of study, with many different specialisms. It's not even like becoming an Actuary, which requires a degree, and then passing many, many exams over the next five years or so (hell, it may be even more than that).

In fact, you don't need a degree at all. And, God knows, with degrees not being the mark of the academic elite, it may even be better to get a bit more life experience, or try your hand at something entirely different - quite a few planners I know are wannabe rock stars.

I'd go so far as to say it doesn't matter your exact background, as all the people who succeed in advertising are gifted amateurs. It's not to put them down, it's more to say there's no precise formula for getting in and on. You just have to persevere, and use your instincts.

Obviously, there are things you can do to improve your chances - such as looking and tailoring what you offer to the agency you're applying, so they can't easily turn you down. Some are more trendy and appreciate extra-curricular bits and bobs; others like some proof of organisational skills. Either way, both are really after gifted amateurs.

You have to be gifted, in that you have to want to understand people to discover things and do well. This is not something that'll happen tomorrow or by next Tuesday. It's something which requires you to put your head down and watch and learn, whether you're an account handler, planner or a creative. It's this which leads to the most interesting lateral thoughts; seeing what everyone has seen and thinking what no-one else has thought (yes, i'm ripping off Albert Szent-Gyorgyi).

You'll never really know for sure that you're gifted; it only happens at the end, when you can look back on a career founded on perseverence, thoughtfulness and a bloody minded devotion to doing the job to the best of your ability.

Also, the amateur part is equally important. If you try to enter the business as a po-faced, incredibly serious 'professional', it becomes difficult to do well. First of all, people will wonder what led to that rod being inserted up your arse. Far better to acknowledge that you DON'T always have all of the answers. Why can't you admit you just have an intelligent opinion based on your own knowledge and research, rather than assuming you know it all?

This helps stop smug planning, over officious account management and junior creatives who make a TV ad and assume they've inherited the combined skills of Bacon, Dali and Shakespeare.

If you have an instinct for people and care about your work (that means taking care of your own output, NOT on getting qualifications which you can point to and say you're an 'advertising professional'), you'll do well.

In short - don't assume you've got all the answers. Do believe in yourself, like ol' Cassius, and keep trying. People will like you a lot more, and you'll do more interesting work.

Opportunities Galore

Pic from eyeballstew. Don't copy it baby.

Greetings.

There have been a bunch of opportunities that have been slipped through our proverbial mailboxes in the last week or so, so here we go.

Lowe London have a grad scheme going for start in January 2010, they're recruiting for both Account Handlers and Planners. As a bonus, you get to direct your gaze upon Will Humphrey every day if you get in - I don't think you need much more incentive to get your application on.
Apply here (click "Join Us").

Next up, Protein OS (which is run by my homeboy William Rowe) is looking for a Media Sales grad to help the awesome Protein Network get up and running as they stretch out to world domination. Mr. Protein is looking for someone with a year's experience in media. If you're interested email me your cv at samismail [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Lastly, an integrated agency in London (that has asked me to keep their name secret) is looking for a creative team with a years integrated (online, dm, and above the line) experience AND an art director with a years experience also. If you're interested send me an email, again at samismail [at] yahoo [dot] com.

So just to recap

Lowe London are recruiting account handles/planners for 2010.

Protein OS is looking for a media sales graduate with a years experience.

An integrated London agency is looking for a creative team and an art director with a years experience.

Every. damn. department. covered. Good luck!

Boogie Marketing

The kind folk at NABS asked me to speak at the IAB a little while back to a roomful of creatives about getting down with digital. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to unleash some Boogie (Boogie is something Eaon and I have been talking bout for a while, inspired by inimitable Marcus Brown).

I think/hope it went quite well, or maybe people were just being nice. Regardless, as requested by the powers that be at NABS, the Slideshare deck of what I said is below. Thoughts/cyber tomatoes thrown at me are welcome. Boom.

Burying the Banner Ad

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Dialogue Show: You Should Go..

Pretty much what you need to know.

Hello there. Been holding off posting this, to ensure it got a little closer to the deadline.

Anyway, some lovely 3rd year students from Farnham, on the BA Advertising and Brand Communication class, are holding a show at the Truman Brewery, running from the 28th to the 1st of June.

More details about it are here - along with an interesting blog. You can follow their efforts on twitter here.

Best of luck chaps.

London Digital Week and Application Workshops

This is a little bit of a sneak peak, but I thought it's worth letting y'all know this early.

I'm involved with London Digital Week (also on Twitter @digitalweek - follow us!), which is scheduled to run from the 21st to the 27th of September. The plan is that on the 27th (the Sunday) there's a day of AdGrads; some stuff from industry heavyweights, some stuff on applications and some interview tips. It should be awesome and hopefully helpful as it's at just about the right time that applications will open.

Soooo if you can, try and be free on the 27th, more details to come soon.

And if you happen to go to Warwick University, we should be doing a workshop for a small number of people, totally ripping apart application form questions and some more in-depth advice. We're really looking forward to it. If you'd like to have some similar stuff go down at your university, shoot us an email and we'll see how we can help.

In the meantime, here's a little presentation I did for Brett and his homeys at Warwick. Criticism, comments and questions as always are most welcome. Have a great weekend everyone.

This Ain't a Job, It's an Adventure

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