Latest CAREER articles

The Portfolio of the Future

I know it makes me sound old but eleven years ago I was job-hunting for my first art director job. Since I’d decided to study web and art direction at the same time, I had a combination of interactive and print campaigns in my book. The advice I got from CD’s was always the same: “If you want to be a web developer, make a web portfolio. If you want to be an art director, make another one but don’t mix them up. We don’t care if you do web.”

How to Push

No one gets into this business to be average. Or at least no one would admit that to anyone. Including themselves. I’ve never met a young person trying to get into the creative field just to coast for while. We want to be great. If no part of you aspires to greatness, stop reading.

The Road to New Ventures: A Fury of Decision

When I think of the beginning of my advertising career, the genesis of this passion, three names come to mind. David Ogilvy, Donald Draper, and Helen Hunt.

When I was but a lad, 15 or so, I came across the endlessly acclaimed What Women Want. Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt play two advertising executives, competing for a promotion while chasing Nike. In the film, Gibson attains the ability to read women’s minds, which afforded me what would prove a revelatory experience. It allowed me to observe the mental maelstrom of a creative, to witness Hunt twist word and turn phrase to produce “Nike. No games, just sports.” I had an epiphany. I realized then that creation was a career. Immediately I was sold. From those strange beginnings was born a man bent on ideas, innovation, inspiration.

Swim: A Very Special Ask Jancy

At IHAVEANIDEA, we are always looking to better the future of the advertising industry, which is why we launched the category-less Tomorrow Awards, why we use the forward-thinking crowdsourcing approach of Giant Hydra, and why we try incessantly to link up-and-coming creative talent with a dream job through Portfolio Night and sage career advice like the “Ask Jancy” column.

Random notes about e-publishing my second book

Over the last twelve years, I’ve slowly been polishing a manuscript titled Thirty Rooms To Hide In: Insanity, Addiction, and Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Shadow of the Mayo Clinic. It’s a memoir, and the best way I can describe it is “The Shining… only funnier.”

Does the world need yet another touching memoir?

Advice to Ad School Grads: Think Small

Graduation season is upon us, and that means a slew of aspiring writers, designers, creative technologists, planners and brand managers from great programs like VCU Brandcenter, Miami Ad School, the Creative Circus, SCAD and others are polishing up their portfolios and looking for their first big break.

“Soldiers do not charge machine-gun nests for generals they do not love.”

A few words, if I may, on what I think makes a good creative director?

I once read that a coach’s main job is to love his players. I think the same holds true for creative directors. Advertising is so hard. There is so much rejection, so much brutality, so many late nights. To be able to motivate people in such a business, you have to love them and they have to know it.

Shit Disturbing Is Saying “I Care”: An Interview With Doubt

In a rare and candid interview, I ask Doubt, the sometimes revered and often reviled philosopher, about himself and his upcoming book titled DOUBT: UNCONVENTIONAL WISDOM FROM THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHIT DISTURBER.

The Only Strategy That Counts – Yours

Considering the fact the word Strategy is in my job title, you’d think I was adept at creating strategies, evaluating market conditions, making shrewd judgements and forecasts and developing plans to build brands. I certainly hope my colleagues and clients would give me a thumbs up for my efforts. Frankly though I’ve been piss poor at using those skills for the most important audience of all – ME.

ihaveanidea @ VCU’s Executive Education for CDs, Days Four & Five

The sun was shining bright and the weather was hot — but not too hot — when I stepped out of the hotel to head on over to the Brandcenter this morning. The concierge warned that the weatherman called for thunderstorms this afternoon, but I was in too much of a hurry to grab an umbrella. Besides, how bad can a little rain be?

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