Your “book” is the key to a creative career.

So you have graduated and are now qualified with copywriting, media, art direction, graphic design or multimedia design. But where to from there?

A C.V is not enough to get you through the door. That’s if you want to take that direction. (Some agencies nowadays only want your book. A C.V is for protocol. Your book will dictate, if you are in or still outside their door). What gets you through the door is your thinking and your book.

When I say your thinking I mean that you have to have initiative. Gone are the days when one used to get on the job training. You have to be ready to get the work done. Today, the learning curve is faster.  If you are a graphic designer out of college or varsity. And you don’t know a size of a business card. Then you are not serious about your passion. That’s another topic for another day.

Your book or portfolio is a collection of brand relevant work executed in either speculative or real life campaigns, one shots and content that shows how you think.

Your book or portfolio can come in many forms either as a website, blog, or a collection of pdf’s. It should also live as a hard copy for interviews. 

Your book is ever evolving and as you grow and accumulate more skills and experience, it will take new forms.  Your book or portfolio shouldn’t just showcase that you can be able to use photoshop, illustrator or other computer software programs. Any curious monkey with a computer can use those programs. Those are just tools that you use to build your work from and part of the creative process. Your work should be about big ideas and concepts. That’s where you start.

Your book should be able to show that you can think creatively and talk to different people, not just your own demographic. Your ability to understand a range of people, cultures, ages and perspective is important.

Enough said – your book is your entry ticket or should I say key. 

By Morrel Shilenge