Five Ways Not to Introduce Yourself to an Art Director

**Jason Snair** · April 21st, 2008

Originally Posted by DavePalumbo

my advice on this for portfolio reviews is, if you get nervous during a review, the best thing you can do is shut your mouth! And that goes double when the reviewer is giving you a crit. Listen, nod, take notes, DO NOT ARGUE!

I agree with this. I sat in on some portfolio reviews for the SND conference in Boston this past year. I was with some friends, other designers at different newspapers from the area and we were all at the same table looking at portfolios. I remember having one student in particular who seemed nervous at first and told us back-stories to every single page in his portfolio. Things like, who his roommates were and why their girlfriends, sister did something to the star football player who...blah, blah, blah. We critiqued his work and tried to be constructive on areas where he could improve. He began defending his work by arguing with us. I'll never forget his last words; "Well, that's just how we do it where I'm from." (fyi:I think he was from Atlanta)

After he walked away, it took a second or two for the four of us to realize what just happened. I've never experienced anything like it. He had traveled all the way to Boston to tell newspaper art directors how things are done. It was a first. So, yeah, please don't argue.

**Burtzum** · April 21st, 2008

Originally Posted by Meli Hitchcock

Though I have to admit, when Manley looked at my work I was nervous as all hell.

haha, I heard he was being really tough on people. I'm sad I didn't get a chance to get beaten up by him. I got smacked around plenty by some of the other reviewers though. Fun times.

**Pavel Sokov** · April 21st, 2008

3) hahaha,
does that really happen?

people just come up to you with their phones and they are like "yo bro, check this shit out!"
and you are just like "ummmm cool bro, ahemmmm"
"so i'm hired?" no, not really.

that's how i imagine the conversation to go like.

**Interceptor** · April 21st, 2008

Another thing I've seen is people who have to swear every other word when they're talking. Even if it's not at you, but to you... super unprofessional.

**Steph Laberis** · April 21st, 2008

God yes, LESS IS MORE at a portfolio review. I can add one from my own experience:

8.) Do NOT bring original 16x24 charcoal life drawings and cast studies to an interview, particularly if it's for a graphic design position at a major newspaper.

My neighbor worked at the Boston Globe and wanted to do me a favor, so he set up an interview there for me during my sophomore year in college. I didn't want a job in graphic design anyway and was caught totally off guard, since my body of work until that point was all student stuff. I wasn't considered for the job of course and the nice interviewer was patient with me, but I could tell she was thinking "What the hell am I supposed to do with these... and oh crap, now there's charcoal all over my computer desk."

Also, I've been on the other end of things and done some portfolio reviews, both for the sake of my employer and recently at workshops. Take-aways are very important - DON'T give me a generic CD with your contact info written on it in Sharpie. Not once have I popped an art CD into my computer after an interview, it's been my experience that CDs just get filed away and forgotten. (If your demo reel is on the CD, this may be a different story, but having a personal portfolio website is always preferred.)

Plus, I am really crappy with names and faces (like most people), especially if I've seen like 50 portfolios that day; give me something visual to easily remind me who you are! PUT SOME KIND OF ART ON YOUR BUSINESS CARD!!! I also recommend printing up inexpensive booklets to give to art directors. If you decide the job isn't for you, you can always take it back but to give it to a potential employer is not only a great reminder to them of your body of work, but it's also like giving a little gift. I have had a lot of success with giving out the books, if nothing else for the sake of networking.

**Matsign** · April 21st, 2008

people resort to profanity when they have nothing better to say. So again, keep the lips locked and keep in mind where you are.

good tips here!

**jrr** · April 21st, 2008

oh man, i didn't know you were at ny comic con, i would have brought my portfolio over.

**Qitsune** · April 21st, 2008

I admit to being guilty of #2. They still hired me though, so I guess I was just too awesome (no seriously I just have good connections.)

**Idiot Apathy** · April 21st, 2008

Heheh loved this.
What's particularly funny is somehow when I was showing a friend at the Seattle Workshop some of my art on my iphone it ended up in your hands afterwards.

**Ilaekae** · April 21st, 2008

"I just got this mental image of someone doodleing on napkins, back of recepets and the inside of foil gum wrappers trying to pass that off to you as a portfoilo....wow..."

WOW! Things have really changed since my first interview in 1876, Juju-bee...

I'm going to transfer my napkin things to real paper now...

**Rocul** · April 22nd, 2008

I will keep these tips in my heart forever.

I was almost guilty of 2 as well with the person who interviewed me about an art scholarship. She seemed to like the older ones

**Irene Gallo** · April 22nd, 2008

Excellent points, Jason and Steph. And everyone else. I'll be doing portfolio reviews in May so I'll be sure to incorporate a lot of this discussion into my blog before then.

IdiotApathy -- That was different -- you were hanging out with a bunch of friends sharing sketchbooks. In that case, having a quick access to a gadgety portfolio (with good work on it) was a cool thing.

By the way — it’s easy for me to say what’s wrong with a presentation from my side of the desk, but there is a reason I never became a freelancer. I’d starve to death while falling into everyone if these pitfalls.

**DSillustration** · April 22nd, 2008

Originally Posted by Idiot Apathy

Heheh loved this.
What's particularly funny is somehow when I was showing a friend at the Seattle Workshop some of my art on my iphone it ended up in your hands afterwards.

naw, that was actually cool.
You had a LOT of work, and all of it was good.

**strych9ine** · April 22nd, 2008

Originally Posted by DSillustration

naw, that was actually cool.
You had a LOT of work, and all of it was good.

Plus his wonderful hand grease was all over that screen... it's a healing agent, he has the fingers of a god.

**Kristina** · April 22nd, 2008

This is some excellent advice guys. And while it mostly seems pretty common sense, having it in writing like this makes it easy to put on that mental checklist. I usually think of myself as fairly poised, but I know nerves get the best of me plenty of times- especially with that self-critiquing tendency. I don't think I've ever done it in front of an AD yet, but it's probably a habit to avoid period.

Here's something: Plain ol' figure drawing/painting. Does it ever have a place in a portfolio? I noticed a lot of that from my fellow hopefuls over NYCC and didn't feel it was MY place to knock it, but to me it created the impression of unnecessary filler. No matter how pretty, there's just no content.