Applying for a job in Zambia's Creative Industry

Quote- "In the modern world of business, It' is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create."- David Ogilvy

Since the design studio opened we've recieved quite a few queries from people looking for work... All of which have been overwhelmingly underwhelming.

The last one I recieved as a Facebook Message at 01:31AM, it simply stated "looking 4 work". Usually I wouldn't even respond to something like this but since my toddler had climbed into bed with me and I was officially awake at 4:30, I figured I may as well keep up the response-rate on my business page, so respond I did. "You're looking for a job? What's your skillset?" knowing full well it didn't matter if this guy knew how to use every single creative software on the market- he wasn't going to get hired, well, not by by me, simply because I found his first impression of three words (technically two words and one number) very offensive.

The way I saw it he didn't actually want the job- if he did he would have at least put some effort into getting hired. I ask you, how much effort does it take to spell out the word "FOR"? Really buddy...Really?

He replied four days later which, as far as Facebook Messages go, is four days too late. I started to feel bad for this guy as he started sending through images of photo manipulations that he had done- for those wondering, photo manipulation is not graphic design- it is an infentissimally small part of graphic design but it is not graphic design. To be honest I might have let go of the poor portfolio specimens ( you can always train and mentor somone in the right direction) but the whole attitude that came across was undesirable. How was this guy going to get a job? He simply had no inkling of how to approach the professional environment.

So here are some tips for that guy and anyone else out there who is looking for a job in Graphic Design, Web Design or pretty much anything in the creative field out there in Zambia.

Build Your Book

By this I mean you need to build yourself a good portfolio, whether it be digital or physical (preferably both). Get yourself a nice variation of creative projects (this is super important!)- they don't necessarily need to be real world projects- even if you create a brief for yourself out of thin air- I would say that this is the only time when spec work is okay for a budding creative- when you are doing it for yourself- for your portfolio (just make sure you pick yourself a cool project that inspires you)... Otherwise stay FAAAAAR away from spec work.

Try get a vast array of projects into your book to showcase your skill- a little bit of logo design, a little print work, a little packaging... but make sure the work is excellent. Extend your skill, challenge yourself, make your work striking and original. What's your best skill? Whatever it is, make it epic but also extend yourself into other projects so that you are not one dimensional...You're excellent at photo-manipulation? Well, where is that used in industry? How about Magazine's? Then you can couple your skills in photo-editing with editorial layout and find work with publishers or in the ad industry. Develop yourself- understand design - know that it is more about communicating with people than simply making things look attractive. You should have a minimum of 5-6 projects and a maximum of 15 projects- all of which should be awesome. Remember- "Less is more". Quality will always, always win over quantity

The very first page of you're work is where people will make their mind up- make sure your first project in your book is the best of the lot... In the words of creative director, Thomas Yang, "Wake them up and keep the momentum going".

Sell Yourself On Your Resume.

Unless you are an artist and you make your living by simply being your awesome self (lucky you!) the only reason people will want to use your work is to sell something , I know, it's so depressingly sad but true. I'd say almost all graphic design work ( the stuff that pays) is commisioned for the following purposes; selling an idea, a brand or a product.

The best way that you can get hired is by proving you can do just that. So do it! With your self! (that's what he said:-) The best strategy is to bring focus to your work, but to create cohesion throughout your portfolio in your own style, 'branding' yourself, if you will. You don't have to give yourself a whole new name- your own name is perfectly fine. Perhaps create a little logo out of your name in the same style that runs through all your work- believe it or not each graphic designer has their own style (or at least should have their own style).

Presenting yourself- if you are a creative who is using Mircosoft Word to create your resume; GTFO you are wasting everybody's time. Think about what you're best at and then create it- Packaging design? why not create something totally cool and surprising- I once saw someone present their resume in the form of a cereal box with infographics all over it telling the agency why hiring this particular designer would be "good for them". Now that's thinking outside the box. To be honest I'm not sure what was inside the cereal box- I'm assuming it was business cards and examples of work, and not cereal.

Anyway that's beside the point - the point is, if you are creative, then prove it. Don't just send a crappy Facebook message at one in the morning- nobody is interested in your sad sleepless nights. Get your ass up, take a shower and become someone punctual and passionate about creating beautiful things- and things will happen for you my friend.