Putting in the Work: Chicago Portfolio School
Jeff Epstein from Chicago Portfolio School speaks to AAF members at the CPS Guest Speaker Event.
Speakers Geno Schellenberger and Jeff Epstein spoke to American Advertising Federation members on Tuesday, October 5th. If you missed the event, consider this your recap on some of the most important takeaways.
Working Backwards
“Let’s figure out where you want to go. Let’s figure out how to get there,” said Epstein. His opinion is that narrow is better when it comes to not only job searching, but preparing for a career, since there are numerous types of jobs available in the fields of advertising, marketing, public relations, and media. The more specific, the better.
“It might seem limiting, but it’s not,” said Epstein, “it’s actually liberating.”
The Portfolio Blueprint
Everyone should have a portfolio: That includes brand strategists, graphic designers, sports marketers, and beyond.
Epstein and Schellenberger said their standard outline for a successful portfolio is the following:
5 to 6 branding campaigns
Every campaign must have a point
Show 7 to 8 executions per campaign
Use multiple channels to reach the subject
1-2 side projects
Portfolios are essential to creatives, Epstein said, because recruiters don’t see the meetings or analysis that go into production. They just see the work.
“Ninety-five percent of what you create isn’t going to be good,” said Epstein, “and that’s great, because that’s how it gets done.” Quantity leads to quality, he emphasized.
Networking
Regarding students’ concerns about networking, Epstein insisted they shouldn’t worry too much.
“Don’t be distracted,” he said. “It’s the work. It’s always the work.”
The real world is messy, Epstein said, and employers want to see results. Make one hundred sketches for a campaign, each centered on a different idea. Do research and analysis to find the most interesting parts of a subject.
“The person who does the most bad work is the person who will do the most great work,” he added.
Where To Start
So, what were the biggest takeaways from this speaker event?
Don’t hurry too much, find what you are passionate about and excel at that
Say YES to opportunities for work experience, even if your skill level isn’t high yet
Have a website for yourself, and start thinking about or building a portfolio
Questions about this speaker event? Email Jeff Epstein at jeff@chicagoportfolio.com . Don’t miss AAF’s next speaker event on Tuesday, 10/19 with Indira Midha, AAF alum and Copywriter at Ogilvy.
