I started off the traditional route by studying English Literature at university. After a few internships, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do. My graduate role was at an events agency, which was fairly corporate but I got to travel to Houston and Chicago a lot which was great fun.
Craving a more creative challenge, I sidestepped into the creative agency world. This included a two-year stint in Hong Kong (partly facilitated by Missouri), working across a range of luxury group clients in the APAC region. It was a long way from home but moving there was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
It was a big shake up. I learnt so much about the APAC region and it’s nuanced business practices. For example, interacting with clients and third parties via instant messaging apps (i.e. WhatsApp or WeChat) on projects is the pretty much the norm. I had the best time and made friends for life.
Be a fixer. You want to be the person that clients come to, being competent and calm allows your client to have faith in you. Also, having the foresight to pre-empt their needs sets you apart and makes your job easier.
Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions! Assumptions are often the root of lack of alignment between agency and client, so it’s always worth confirming something that isn’t completely clear, even if it may seem minor.
I love The Rochambeau Club’s branding and content, and I’ve rarely seen a brand go to such creative lengths to create a fictional brand around their product. Their pop up this summer at Shreeji News was fantastically put together.
Explore the creative industry, understand what specific parts of it you enjoy, and find a niche within it. Try your hand at as many different types of work early on, and it will provide clarity where you want to be.
I’d also recommend investing some time in fully designing your resume, it’s one of the things that never fails to makes a candidate stand out in a competitive environment.
