If you’re in an interview and your excuse for not having done something interesting is because the brand you work on is boring, just know that’s telling the interviewer you didn’t take any responsibility in trying to turn that around.
It doesn’t matter if you work on car tyres, deodorant or cough drops, our job is to find a way to make people care and even if you failed in getting the client to buy your thinking, it’s much better than trying to put all the blame on the client.
And even if you are convinced it was all the clients fault [which it won’t be, but I’ll humour you for a moment], at least explain what you learnt from the situation and how you used it – or intend to use it – in the future because to a potential employer, experience counts for nothing if you haven’t done something with it.
24 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
That’s a Monday wake up call if I ever saw one. I particularly like the last paragraph, that’s very true. Sorry about your elderly friend, hope you’re OK.
Comment by Pete May 19, 2014 @ 6:22 amThanks mate … yeah, I’m fine, just a bit bummed.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 7:45 amThe interviews are going well then.
Comment by DH May 19, 2014 @ 6:30 amBut cough drops might be going a bit too far.
Comment by DH May 19, 2014 @ 6:30 amA lot are, but there were a couple that were ‘interesting’ to say the least. Blamethrowing should be left to politics, not adland. Of course there’s 2 sides to every story, but a couple of people I met [and thankfully, it’s only a couple] seem to think their perspective is all that counts.
I informed them I had a different point of view to that.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 7:48 amMaybe they read this.
http://robcampbell.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/where-advertising-is-concerned-there-is-no-wrong-answer-just-lots-of-right/
It’s always your fault.
Comment by DH May 19, 2014 @ 7:52 amI will go sit on the naughty step.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 8:59 amHendrix will be happy to know his legacy is being used on an ad planners blog to talk about gaining employment.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 19, 2014 @ 6:41 amWell they have sold his name to all sorts of things so what’s wrong with adding him to a blog no one reads?
Admittedly, for free, but isn’t that the way of the music biz these days?
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 7:49 amGood point Rob. Experience, good or bad, has lessons you can learn from and if you don’t see that, you are actively limiting your ability to move forward.
Comment by George May 19, 2014 @ 7:00 amRead the post from yesterday. Sad news.
Entitlement generation. Ha.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 7:51 amFuck… Are you turning into Dr. Oz, or Seth Godin… What’s next… A Purple Cow?
Comment by adscamgeorge May 19, 2014 @ 7:27 amPurple bullshit.
Comment by DH May 19, 2014 @ 7:34 amI know … sorry George, it won’t happen again. On the plus side, no one reads this blog and if they do, no one certainly pays any attention to it.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 7:51 amThere are companies who want their employees to maintain the status quo, rather than challenge it. I do not understand that approach but it does mean there are occasions where someone who has failed to let experience shape their approach is not entirely to blame for their situation.
Comment by Lee Hill May 19, 2014 @ 8:41 amThey say McDonalds embraces the production line approach as this ensure no individual can excel – or multi task – which ensures they can manage salary expectations. That’s what they say … I’m not saying it.
[Lawyers take note]
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 8:59 amWhat’s even harder but more essential is letting others take credit when it goes right
Comment by Northern May 19, 2014 @ 2:38 pmYes. Lot’s of this.
Comment by Marcus May 19, 2014 @ 4:25 pmYep … it’s amazing how many people want to take the credit but share the blame.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 5:17 pmWho’s bringing you down?
Comment by Marcus May 19, 2014 @ 4:26 pmNo one. I’m fairly positive today. Mainly because I’m able to be pissed at something. I’m that kind of person.
Comment by Rob May 19, 2014 @ 5:17 pmFreak.
Comment by Marcus May 19, 2014 @ 6:07 pmMost depressing post ever.
Comment by John May 19, 2014 @ 6:19 pmyoure massively underfuckingestimating his other posts doddsy.
Comment by andy@cynic May 19, 2014 @ 10:46 pm