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So… are any NJ/NYC people planning a meet up?! 👀
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Best (non-agency) company to work at in Boston??
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Before email, this was the only way to do it. To set the scene, there’s an urban legend that a creative once got a job by sending a package to a CD with a realistic looking prosthetic severed foot inside. It had some kind of card or tag attached that said “now I’ve got my foot in the door, would you look at my portfolio.”
Another creative I know was visiting a city for a couple of days and sent cakes to all the ECDs he wanted to see. They were decorated with the line, “I’m going off in a couple of days.” There was also a card with the rest of the message. He got in-person interviews from that.
Admittedly, both these ideas are just bad puns, but I’m sure you can think of something cooler and more culturally relevant. Your brief to yourself is, think of the most creative way to get a response from a CD. Just don’t break the law or harm any animals.
GenZ has entered the chat
Here’s an idea. I had 2 students reach out to me and just asked if I could them a tour of my agency. Thought it was a great idea of them to ask cause it allowed to meet people.
Not very likely to work well at many agencies unfortunately. Most are in buildings that have security/door people. You wont even get to reception. It’s not like the old days!
Don’t do this. People have tried similar stunts at my office and it reads “creepy, unhinged & security concern,” instead of “tenacious go-getter.” Additionally, you won’t get past security in almost any corporate building.
Go to Bravos, become a “faceless man” and replace the receptionist.
Rising Star
A girl will put you through to voicemail.
Rising Star
How fast can you run?
On a good day I’m Forrest
In our year of the Luigi 2025? Cold message hiring managers on LinkedIn and attend networking events, hon.
GSD: insane response, hon 🤪
Rising Star
Clown suit, balloons.
Bill Skarsgård, Red Balloons
send an email like a normal person!
If you’re bigger than the receptionist, they can’t stop you.
Not necessarily bigger but I box
I think you’r better off reaching out to Junior and midlevel people who work at the agency.
Rising Star
We don’t even have receptionists anymore because nobody comes to the office anymore. Meaning clients etc don’t come by.
Hid in the room service cart
Remember when junior creatives used to hide their books behind the door in bathroom stalls at your agency? 5 minutes undivided attention with somebody’s work. That was smart. I wish there was a version of that for today.
Say please
Rising Star
Show up with a pizza and say you’re there to deliver it.
"Open sesame"
This is such a high risk move. It has a good chance of completely backfiring and looking unhinged or desperate.
And yet… a creative team at our agency got hired by dressing as fedex delivery guys and dropping off their portfolio. They knew our founder loved that stuff. They played it cool and their portfolio was excellent.
So know your audience I guess. I’d probably just reach out on LinkedIn.
The reason they don't let you go past the reception desk is because no one wants you to go past the reception desk (including the creative directors you'll weird out).
I don’t think there’s anything weird about wanting to interview for an agency you’d love to work at and have a chance to present your portfolio in-person
Run!
“Singing telegram for [target’s name].”