Networking
I joined the Guardian forum and asked about getting into digital. Freelance web designer Phil Thompson got back to me with a very insightful answer. You can find my question here. Below is a good piece of advice I decided to pass on:
"Where can I get hold of the right people to talk to at my Top 5? I can never get past the receptionist, or 'Sir/Madam' names, and I want to get in before the next load of graduates are on the market"
Three ways:
* local meetup groups e.g. Designer Breakfasts in London
* twitter
* linkedin.com
As you have discovered - if you send an generic email/letter you get nowhere fast. Agencies get these all the time. If you can't find out the relevant person you'll have to send a generic letter or email but make it creative - these people breathe creative ideas so they want to see some from you. This guy* wrote his details on a teapot and left them at LOVE Creative - they liked it so much they blogged about it. I liked it so much I've linked to it several times.
Tea with James and Lauren
If you can't get into your top five expand your horizons to a top ten or twenty and get some experience there and maybe you'll end up at your number one choice in one to two years time.
I hope that is useful information - like any creative career, digital is a bugger to get into - but at least you're asking the questions and thinking about how to get involved and not just twiddling your thumbs - I think you'll be okay.
Good luck.
Phil Thompson
"Where can I get hold of the right people to talk to at my Top 5? I can never get past the receptionist, or 'Sir/Madam' names, and I want to get in before the next load of graduates are on the market"
Three ways:
* local meetup groups e.g. Designer Breakfasts in London
* linkedin.com
As you have discovered - if you send an generic email/letter you get nowhere fast. Agencies get these all the time. If you can't find out the relevant person you'll have to send a generic letter or email but make it creative - these people breathe creative ideas so they want to see some from you. This guy* wrote his details on a teapot and left them at LOVE Creative - they liked it so much they blogged about it. I liked it so much I've linked to it several times.
Tea with James and Lauren
If you can't get into your top five expand your horizons to a top ten or twenty and get some experience there and maybe you'll end up at your number one choice in one to two years time.
I hope that is useful information - like any creative career, digital is a bugger to get into - but at least you're asking the questions and thinking about how to get involved and not just twiddling your thumbs - I think you'll be okay.
Good luck.
Phil Thompson
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