| Hiring good people is the most difficult and important aspect of your job as an agency principal. It’s especially important when you’re small and/or just starting out. A mistake at this point looms very large. I’ve hired (and unfortunately fired) dozens of creative people during my career.
The bad news is, there is no hard, fast rule or guideline to go by, or one that works without fail. But over time, I identified the following attributes in creative candidates. By seeking these attributes, I was able to hire and keep good, talented people:
Look at both the work in the portfolio and how it’s presented. The portfolio of a creative should be his or her pride and joy. Every aspect of it, even the way it’s presented, should be the very best it can be. Ask about the perspiration behind the inspiration. Every good ad or design should be founded in a good strategy. Make sure the creative understood and embraced the strategy behind the work. Beware of pompous pomposity. The best creative people are either mildly self-deprecating or, at the least, a far cry from boastful. If they mention awards, that’s fine. (They’re the lifeblood of all creative people.) But if they’re too full of themselves, keep looking. Ask about the results of the campaign. Creatives should have as much pride in the results as anything else. If they don’t have a clue, that’s a problem. Not every creative effort can be measured in metrics. But look for something other than the proverbial “The client loved it!” Ask who else was involved in developing the work. Who was on the team? If they claim it was a solo effort, it’s either not true or a potential problem. Most one-man-bands work solo because they can’t work with other people. This is a problem you don’t need. Look for a sense of humor. You need one to survive in this business. That’s especially true on the creative end. Ask about their interests outside of work. Most writers are avid readers; art directors and designers are often avid moviegoers. (It must be the fact that most of them, like myself, “vant to direct.”) But that’s good. It’s an excellent way to get and keep the creative juices flowing. A broad range of interests is a very good hiring signal.
Finally, don’t worry too much about the actual authorship of the work you’re being shown. I once had an applicant show me ads that I had done as his own work. (I ended up hiring him. He may have stolen my work, but I admired his taste!) Besides, it’s virtually impossible to know for sure.
But once they’ve shown you their portfolio, judge all subsequent work based on the quality of what you’ve been shown. It will become apparent early on whether they can live up to the standard they sold you. If they don’t measure up, move on quickly. |
