Surviving the Job Hunt

At times, it feels like every bit of advice on job hunting became obsolete overnight in March 2020. You can’t simply walk in the door, shake some hands and you're solid (though, if you tried that any year after 1990, you might get security called on you). You're likely tired of the job hunt already. The constant webinars. Awkward virtual interviews. LinkedIn influencers with bland advice.

The principles are the same, but the game is always changing. We decided to sit down and answer your burning questions on job hunting for today's world.

What was the job hunt like after COVID began?

Alex, Creative Strategist

“What helped me the most was focusing my time and effort on the few jobs that felt really right for me, instead of mass applying to a bunch of things like I did before. I wasted far less time, I could tailor my resume to increase my chances, and I could do my research on those companies to be super prepared. Virtual interviews are hard, so the more personality you can show & the more you know, the more likely they will feel like they're chatting with a coworker instead of interviewing a nervous person.”

What’s your advice for students who don’t have tons of experience outside of school or part-time jobs?

For everyone:

Adam, Director of Operations

“Your life story could be more compelling than you think. You had school, multiple jobs to support your family or you worked your way through school, etc. That takes guts and focus but it's not an internship, and that’s OK.”

Jess, Managing Director

“Equate the experience to something. Make it tangible and measurable but ONLY if you can. Don't overdo that part—it will look disingenuous. If you can't make it measurable, then simply list it as something qualitative. And for the love of god, stop telling us you are five out of five stars good at something.”

Aimee, CEO

“Share the experiences you do have and find ways to draw the connection between those experiences and the work. A team only gets stronger when it's made up of diverse backgrounds and often a non-traditional path can offer a significant contribution. Your journey is yours—if you can be thoughtful about how you present it in connection to the work, it might be what an organization really needs.”

For creatives specifically:

Jordan, Creative Director

“If you're a creative, the best thing you can do is just make stuff. Whatever stuff – design, videos, photos, doodles, write, whatever. Just stuff that you enjoy. I once partially got a job because they were impressed with seriously ridiculous stop-motions I made on Instagram.”

Cassidy, Graphic Designer

"One of my professors gave the best advice with this: ‘Non-design jobs are still professional experience. They just want to make sure you will show up and are willing to learn.’ Remember that you are still applying for a creative job! So get creative with the descriptions. Did you work as a cashier? Are you really good at noticing small details? Cool. Combine them. Mention that random game you made up in your head on slow days to pass the time. Talk about how you noticed on Wednesday's every 3rd person that walked into the store was wearing blue.”

Natalie, Strategy Director

“Sometimes you have to bust your ass for a short, temporary period of time to get what you want. I had no experience in this work when I decided I wanted it. So I went back to grad school and took every class project, every little freelance gig, every side hustle I got my hands on, and I worked on it to my highest standards, like it was my masterpiece. In a year I had a portfolio full of work I could show to get the job. I kept a full-time job and worked extra hours to do it all... It was a huge sacrifice, but it paid off.”

What’s your favorite question to ask a recruiter/employer in an interview?

Questions about the specific role:

• Why was this role developed? Where is there a gap on the team in hard skills and soft skills, and how do you see this role filling it?
• What’s the salary range? (Get comfortable talking about money. Your employer is comfortable, so you should be too.)

Questions about culture:

• "What changes to the culture or company have happened since the pandemic?" (This tells you what they truly valued in times of crisis, and how willing they are to be transparent about difficult times.)
• Do you feel like the leadership is focused on building an inclusive culture? How do you know this?
• What is the company culture like around learning? If there is an opportunity to attend a conference, workshop or training session is that something the company would support?

Questions about the overall experience:

• What’s one thing you wish you could change about your workplace/job? (It's an indirect way to ask them what they don't like, and gives you insight on any red flags of the company.)
• "What drew you to [company] in the first place, and what keeps you there?" (This question tells you about who tends to work there, what they value, and whether or not the company lives up to these expectations.)
• What are the company's goals for the next few years?
• What is the greatest point of feedback you've received from former employees?
• What do you love about working here?
  

How do you find an employer that shares your values?

Everyone seemed to agree here: Do. Your. Research. But how?

• Glassdoor reviews. Read them. Love them. But take them with a grain of salt. Look for overall patterns, not single outstanding quotes.
• Do some Internet sleuthing. “What kind of info do they have on their website? Are they mentioning important things in their bio? Who is on their team and what kind of clients do they work with? What do they share on their social media?”
• Treat your interviews like a two-way street, because they are. We heard two great things: “If they posted anything during 2020 about COVID or racial justice, follow up on it. How are those DEIJ initiatives doing now? Did they go remote or not, and why?” and “Talk about your personal values in the interview. Ask about the company's values—and dig into how they activate them in their day-to-day.”
• Reach out to former employees. Be respectful, reach out privately through DMs or email, and ask if they can share anything with you about their job. You can also ask your wider network about the agency’s overall reputation: mentors, professors, anyone with experience.
• “Actions speak louder than words here. Everyone says the right things these days, but it takes time to see if their actions match.” Similarly, “Culture, Team Member Experience, Learning & Mentorship ops are all a piece of the job.” If it seems like they aren’t eager to talk about any of the above, that’s a sign.

What’s one thing you wish you had known as a student/recent grad? Or, what’s something you did at that stage that helped you the most?

Bill, Art Director

“At the start of my career, I didn't have a lot of connections or a good network of colleagues or collaborators. I was just reaching out and trying to connect with as many designers or agencies as I could. I would reach out to a design studio I admired and just ask if I could stop by for a portfolio review, or see if a designer in their office would be willing to meet for coffee. This never guaranteed a job or work, but it did help me get my name out there and help me start building a network.”

Danuta, Account Director

“You're interviewing a potential employer just as much as they are interviewing you. Ask a lot of questions, and don't be afraid to walk away early in the process if it doesn't seem like a good fit for YOU.”

Any last words to share?

Jordan, Creative Director

“We live in a non-linear world so try not to stress yourself out if things don't fall in place as they ‘should.’ You'll get to where you need to be if you follow joy, trust your instincts, and don't put up with too much bullshit. Sometimes you won't have a choice, but don't let any job steal your joy for too long.”

Natalie, Strategy Director

“Work-life balance is less day-to-day and more seasonal. There are easy seasons and hard seasons. Don't give up if you're in a hard season, there's an easy one coming if you can hang in there. Also, hire a resume writer if you can! Best hundred bucks I've ever spent on my career.”

Torey, Community Strategist

“Ask questions, apply yourself, and find like-minded people who are looking to learn just as much as you are. Get a few mentors (mentors aren't just people in leadership positions, but they can be friends, family, previous or current peers and colleagues). Learn from your mistakes and from experimenting in different fields and areas of focus. There is no right way to do these things—it all depends on the person, their journey and their interests and passions. Take time and be patient in finding what works and doesn't work for you. It'll all fall into place, as long as you act with intention.”

Danuta, Account Director

“Don't just share what you've done, show the impact you created—whether that's in the work itself, for a client or for your team.”