I have received a flurry of emails and comments from various candidates regarding our “recession.” Many creatives are afraid to leave their current jobs, current homes, and are spooked by the impending change. The truth, change is inevitable – the economy, the market, and advertising ebbs and flows in different seasons. The key is learning to manage change, and proactively create change in your own career, taking the initiative to chart your own course. Change is the essence of growth. Rather than running and hiding from a great opportunity – take the bull by the horns and go after your…

The rare and beautiful species of the qualified candidate can also be a volatile predator. When in the safety of their job nest they are jovial, upbeat, and creative. They prey on new advertising positions, stalking, watching, learning. However, if that prey is removed from their grasp, even if it’s their own heavy footsteps that alarm it, they will attack. My most recent encounter with one of these enraged beasts happened while on safari in search of the elusive Flash Developer. I spotted one who, at first glace, seemed to be the perfect specimen. So, I dangled the prey. He…

Most of us in the advertising industry think that we are masters of the interviewing universe. We’ve been through the interview process at least two dozen times. We’ve faced the firing squad and we know that we can charm the pants off of any HR Director or hiring manager that presents a challenge. That being said, none of us can really call ourselves an expert. Even though you might’ve totally nailed your last interview, that doesn’t mean you don’t need a refresher course on how to have a repeat performance. Did you know that the first 10 minutes of your…

As we start approaching tough times in our economy, it might be a good time to re-asses your current career situation. With companies in every industry looking for ways to cut budgets, letting go of certain superfluous costs will become a priority…and if there’s a chance you are, in fact, superfluous to the bottom line of your current employer, it’s time to become very SELF-AWARE. Though, there will always be a need for talent, creatives, designer, writers, etc, there are certain times when these already coveted positions become even more competitive. Are you paranoid that you might be on your…

Lately, I have been battling candidates over the concept of an online portfolio.  I get it, we live in the Digital Age but we all don’t have to put on our robot suits just yet.  I know it would seem that displaying traditional work in the interactive medium would give you an edge but if it doesn’t work it doesn’t count for anything.  In fact, there is a strong possibility that it will cause unintended sabotage.  {tag]Copywriters[/tag] and traditional Art Directors, if you want to have an online portfolio make sure you get an Interactive Designer/Developer who is GOOD at…

Here’s the scenario…

A TZ recruiter calls you to see if you’d be interested in a certain job opportunity.  The more you learn about the job, the more you feel that it’s the PERFECT next step for you.  You ask us to immediately submit your resume to the agency and you email me a cover letter, writing samples and 5 references before we even hang up the phone.  A few days later, the agency tells us they want to meet with you.  The interview goes tremendously well and it seems that it’s going to be an excellent match.  And then comes…

Lying is consdered morally and ethically wrong by most people. If you aren’t one of those people, there are other tangible reasons not to lie on your resume. It will come back to to haunt you…

I have seen this go wrong - attenging a university or specialized school is not the same thing as graduating.

If you did not graduate, do not refer to your degree on your resume.

One candidate decided to forgo the details regarding his education and put that he held a degree.

After 3 interviews, the agency unexpectedly did a background check, and discovered that he…

While many things have changed in recruiting business over the years, there are some things that will never change and knowing the difference is how the “best” keep their winning edge in this business. In a recent article on www.ere.net, Lou Adler, a noted recruiting industry expert, shares a few recruiting ideas that have stood the test of time and will continue to do so…time after time. While nothing stated is life-changing, his ideas keep things simple while symbolizing what it takes to be great in this highly competitive field. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: recruiting, stood the test of time

Is it really so much to ask for candidates to know the industry their in? This is advertising. Remember? You probably went to school with the ultimate goal of breaking into said industry. It is rare that someone stumbles upon an agency one day and the Creative Director decided to role the dice and hire them on as a Copywriter even though they have an Accounting Degree. No, people strive for this. So why is it that I get random files in various formats incorrectly deemed, “portfolio”? How have you landed your last 2 jobs? A portfolio is a pre-compiled,…

Candidates… we love you. We simply would not have jobs without you. We will do most anything for you. We will connect you with amazing opportunities. We will talk you through interview hardships. We will get you as much money as possible. That being said, we beg you to be realistic with your requests.

Ad agencies have standards. They have very specific salary ranges for each position. Like most companies, they require you to work certain hours. They provide you with an exact number of vacation days that you’re allowed to use. They expect you to work your butt off.

Oftentimes, we…