Getting hired: The new design and advertising portfolio

One of the better blogs covering design is Speak Up, an off-shoot of the equally fascinating UnderConsideration. A recent post there asked the question, “What does a portfolio look like these days?”. It’s a great question, and one that was answered with aplomb by Tom Horton, CEO of Seattle integrated design-ad-interactive agency, Horton, Lantz & Low at a presentation he gave at SVC, otherwise known as Seattle’s School of Visual Concepts.

We’ll cut down on the links for the next several sentences to share some of the very insightful thoughts Tom shared with the 70-plus designers and design students who attended.

Tom’s first insight: It’s not about the portfolio. When his firm meets job candidates, they look at the person before they ever get around to their portfolio. And what do they hope to find in a person? Three things, according to Tom:

1. Can you think?
Horton says that there are countless design firms and ad agencies out there who can make things look good and work with a printer. So what clients are really after–and willing to pay for–is a firm’s ability to strategize. They don’t want the facts of their marketing situation regurgitated back to them. They’re looking for insight, meaning, and new ways of considering their problems and opportunities. It’s imperative, then, that job candidates (whether for a creative or project management position) be able to demonstrate that they can think their way through a strategic issue. You have to be a problem-solver, you have to be able to speak the language of sales and ROI, and you have to get all this across in the few minutes of an interview.

2. Can you write?
In an information-based economy, your ability to communicate that information is crucial. Good writing is the coin of the realm in today’s hurry-hurry email-obsessed business culture. Tom says you have to be able to get your ideas across clearly, logically, and quickly. We’re not talking about copywriting, but persuasive business writing–a skill Horton says is rarely seen these days.

3. Can you talk?
Thinking? Writing? Talking? Can’t everyone do that? Horton says no, and that speaking or talking might be the rarest skill of all of the three. He likens every presentation of creative work to a public address. Can you walk into a room full of 25 strangers and make them believe what you have to say is the answer to their needs? Can you move them from “I don’t think so” to “sign me up?” It’s absolutely necessary that you nail these skills, he says.

If candidates pass the think-write-talk test, then it’s time to look at their portfolios. What Horton and his colleagues look for at this point are broad, over-arching ideas or creative platforms delivered in a variety of media. “I’d rather see fewer things in a book,” Horton says, “but with those few concepts executed with some depth.” If you have a big idea, show the ad, the direct mail piece, the Podcast, the video, the whatever, that all spin off the core idea.

A portfolio must convincingly demonstrate that you can work across several media, Tom suggests. The age of the “I just do logos” or “I just do ads” creative person is long gone.

Another suggestion Horton makes is to use non-traditional media to show your wares. Yes, you’ll probably want to create a portfolio web site, a pdf file of samples you can email, as well as a traditional “showpiece” book, but Horton takes things a step further. Why not create a two-minute video that shows off a multi-media campaign? Or how about a Flash presentation? Use new media to show your technical competency and your ideas.

Finally, Horton believes that the successful portfolio will demonstrate your ability to work collaboratively. Since organizations tend to be flatter these days, it’s inevitable you’ll be working side-by-side with larger groups than used to be the norm. Show that you can build on others’ ideas, he suggests. One other piece of advice: check the brooding, suffering artist, goth personality at the door. Because of those collaborative working environments, happy people are much more likely to get the job.

Horton closed his remarks by saying that if you’re missing any of the skills he mentioned, you need to go get them before you venture too far down the career path. He recommended Toastmasters, doing probono work, and taking classes.

The School of Visual Concepts, to no surprise, offers workshops and classes covering many of the topics Horton touched on in his talk. Standard offerings at SVC include:

Business Essentials: Persuasive Business Writing Workshop
Business Essentials: Persuasive Business Speaking Workshop
Business Essentials: Basics of Marketing and Strategy Workshop
Presenting and Selling Creative Work Workshop
Information on these workshops and other classes can be found on SVC’s web site.