Who Do You Work For?

I imagine most of you already read Seth Godin’s blog. In case you don’t here’s a very good post about what you should be looking for in a job.

To apply this to art directors and copywriters, it’s a truth worth repeating that what agency you work for usually matters much less than what creative director your work for. Which is why you need to pay attention to the credits on Creativity, and the annuals.

When you’re interviewing, to get a vibe of what your bosses will be like, I recommend asking the creative department the following questions:

• What’s it like working for [CD’s name]?
  
• Do they make themselves available?
  
• What would be the biggest difference if that CD left?
  
• What are your clients like? Do they really hunger for great work?
  
• What’s the best part about working at this agency?

If the answers to the last question are along the lines of “This is a really cool city,” or “They usually bring in free breakfasts on Friday” run in the opposite direction. Very fast.