Apply for Creative Jobs Creatively

What are two things that everyone in the industry has, but no two are (or should be) the same?

A resume and cover letter.

While sometimes overlooked, your cover letter and resume are quite literally a first impression for a potential employer. Why not use this to your advantage? In an industry that values creativity and unique thinking, be creative and think differently.

As someone who has been in the industry for close to a decade and hired numerous roles, as well as applied for 500+ jobs in their career, I cannot stress how important this is. Hiring a new team member is an arduous process. Going through applications, portfolios, reels, calling references, setting up interviews... it's not easy. With the amount of applications coming in, things also get lost in the shuffle. It's hard not to miss something when going through hundreds (sometimes thousands) of applicants for a given job.

This is something to keep in mind when applying for a job that is expected to garner a lot of attention. If you're already anticipating that things are going to get lost in the shuffle, you can take steps to make sure that it doesn't happen to you. The same Word template resume and cookie-cutter cover letter that you sent to the last 50 jobs is not necessarily the first impression that is going to get your foot in the door. If you were going in for an interview, would you say the exact same thing and wear the exact same outfit as the last 100 applicants? Of course not.

Be yourself and be unique.

I designed my personal resume in Photoshop to look like my personal Twitter account. Would I use this resume if I was applying for a job in finance? Probably not, but I work in social. I wanted something that screamed to employers, "this guy not only knows social, but knows his way around Photoshop too". It also showed that I'm willing to put the work in to make sure something is engaging. Could I have made a resume in Word in a quarter of the time I spent making this? No doubt about it. Would the potential employer have skipped right over it on accident even if my experience was there? Potentially. Will they remember my resume whether they give me the job or not? Definitely.

When putting together a resume, creativity is important but clarity is paramount. You could put together a visually beautiful resume that rivals van Gogh's The Starry Night, but if an employer can't read it, the effort you put in is pointless. Here are some things to keep in mind when developing your resume:

1. Make it easy to read. Creativity only matters in this case if it's easily understood and consumed by the hiring manager. Everything on your resume needs to flow in a logical way that makes the employer's job incredibly easy.
2. Try to limit it to one page. Employers don't need to know the classes you took in college if you have job experience where you put those classes to use. Focus on the experiences and skills that will matter to the employer.
3. Include relevant links. If applying for creative roles in social, include links to your personal social handles, your portfolio, demo reel, etc.
4. Read the job description of the position you're applying for and use it to your advantage. Employers put specific words in the descriptions that you can include in your resume, as well as skills that they're looking for. The job description is the treasure map and you want to be where the X is.
5. Be yourself.

Now to your cover letter... This is a piece of the application process that I value immensely as a hiring manager, while others find it less important. My thought is... If I can use this to my advantage as an applicant, why wouldn't I? It is just another opportunity to speak directly to the hiring manager in a way that a resume doesn't provide.

Still don't think cover letters matter? Let me tell you a quick story that might change your mind...

Earlier in my career, I applied for a position I was underqualified for. The position was my dream job and something I had been working toward since my first day in the industry. I had learned a lot in my current role, and was ready to put that to the test. I created my resume, but was almost positive that it wasn't going to be enough to get noticed.

I had written cover letters in the past, but most had been the templated versions you learn how to write in college. I wanted this one to be different. I dedicated all of my brainpower to knocking this cover letter out of the park. I spent hours writing, correcting, changing, writing again, and changing again. It definitely wasn't your typical cover letter which was satisfying and terrifying at the same time. I even had a few of my closest friends and family members read it to make sure I wasn't crazy. I read it a few more times, said a quick prayer, and sent off my application in hopes that all of the time spent was worth it.

Spoiler alert... I got the job.

A few months after I was hired for that role, I was told by my boss that it was my cover letter that got their attention in the application process. There were over 1,000 applicants for the position, but my cover letter cut through the noise in a way that spoke to them. I was able to showcase my creativity, passion, knowledge, and skillset in a simple, three paragraph cover letter. Again... if you can use it to your advantage, why wouldn't you?

The moral of this story, and entire article, is we need to take the same mindset we have when creating content and bring it into the application process. You're applying for roles that value creativity and authenticity, so be creative and authentic in the process. Your cover letter and resume are your first impression and potential foot in the door in the industry. Make sure they are given the effort they deserve. Just like in content, you need to give people (and employers) a reason to stop scrolling.

If you have any questions or would be interested in having me take a look at your resume or cover letter, feel free to send me a message on LinkedIn. I'd be happy to help in any way that I can.