Natasha Ehlen | Just About It

The final module of the Interactive Art Director program at Hyper Island, the Agency, has started! For seven weeks, we are going to run our own agency working with real paying clients. Like a real-world agency, we’ll have a CEO and project managers, we’ll handle budgets and keep track of our time and revenues. We can also chose to pitch for clients, and the agency who wins the pitch, gets additional resources to do the job. Given the real-life clients, this module will probably be one of the most exciting, and I am looking forward to getting my hands dirty.

We are a team of 11 people, a new constellation that I feel quite happy about. The three clients we are going to work with are Aftonbladet, United Stages and Fjords – varied enough for everyone to be excited at least about one. After a surprisingly short brainstorming session, we  picked a name for our agency. Next Week was born.

Karl Wikström from DDB Stockholm talked at Hyper Island about personal portfolios. He gave us the recommendation to view portfolios as a branding acitvity reflecting kind of person you are and what drives you.

Here are some interesting insights on portfolio and hiring that he shared with us.

1. The position is irrelevant. All agencies are looking for independent problem-solvers. Being able to do meaningful work independently is the most important thing.
2. Agencies have no time. Help them create it. Make a teaser trailer for your portfolio. Identify windows of time.
3. Show the person behind the portfolio, the telling details that make you memorable (sth in your portfolio show bear proof of what kind of person you are)
4. Don’t be perfect. Be personable. (even work that is not great shows that you can grow)
5. You want to learn. Be able to teach, as well. (agencies want to hire people that can teach them something – mix your ability with a little bit of attitude)
6. All agencies are secretly divas. Do your research.
7. A portfolio is not a campaign in itself. Make sure people see it.
8. Hiring is a group decision – support sharing (make sure the portfolio can be passed around)
9. Share a vision – what do you want to achieve in the future?
10. Create talk value, but keep it simple.