It’s almost like I blinked and the year went from the month of May to the month of September. That’s it. We’re basically out of lockdown - not that we ever were in a particularly serious one - and I think it’s time for me to write about something that I’ve been told time and time again, but also something I ignored - time and time again.
If someone asked me my thoughts on how to get a job, make it in the industry, or improve their understanding of the creative world, the best advice I could give is to reach out to those you admire.
Seriously. Do it.
I get it, it can seem so scary. My sister used to say to me all the time,
“Find some companies who do cool work, find someone who works at those
companies, do some LinkedIn stalking, then find their email to send them a
message.”
I'm paraphrasing, but imagine my shock at this advice when I’d barely finished university. This idea that I’d cold-message someone out the blue only for them to probably ghost me.
Was it some sort of anxiety? I’m lucky enough to never have had too much of an anxious mind...imposter syndrome? Maybe - I’m sure they’ve encountered way more qualified people than I, so what would be the point? But...were these concerns even at the forefront of my mind? No, I think I was just scared of seeming like a keen, overly-forward NEEK (nerd and geek for those unaware) - a label which my young, entitled self wouldn’t dare to dabble with.
What I’ve come to realise is that it’s not those who are too cool to be curious that succeed, it’s the complete opposite. It makes you more interesting to others (and to yourself) knowing that you’re curious, proactive and like finding cool stuff to talk and learn about. Are you really gonna let peer pressure get in the way of your success? That was rhetorical. It's a resounding NO, so get to it.
Reaching out to people can help in numerous ways.
You learn about their career journey. Not just the high points, but also the lows and what they did to get through them. Whether that’s the professional moves they took, or how they changed their lifestyle to come out of their slump better and stronger than before. You also have a chance to unpick your confusion with each person you reach out to. What better way could there be to learn, if not from those who know best? Most of the time, these people you’ll reach out to will be incredibly thoughtful and able to relate to the strange uncertainty you’re feeling after graduation. The hardest part is sending that email or message in the first place, and the potential rejection that may occur, but more on that last bit later.
When it comes to finding companies or creative work that you like, websites like Campaign, D&AD, It's Nice That and Shots are great resources. They often credit the agency, brand and numerous people who were involved in the process, so it's a little easier to find out who's best to get in touch with based on your interests.
This can all be a lot to take in, so I'll be splitting the rest of this article into two more parts. I guess for now, delve a little deeper into those websites above and get a feel for the type of work you identify with. That could be purely for entertainment value, or it could really end up inspiring your curiosity. Exciting times ahead, right?
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Read Part 2 of this article.
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