Hasta La Ideas

Among recruiters for the creative professions, New York-based Wert & Co holds an enviable position, both in its effectiveness and its longevity in an often fickle market. Co-founder Judy Wert, a former graphic designer who started recruiting in the early nineties, has since become one of the three or four definite go-to people for companies in the US looking to fill high-level creative positions. In that capacity she’ll be anchoring the panel discussion that forms the heart of the Coroflot Creative Confab event that hits the Art Director’s Club in New York on May 15, just in time to kick off New York Design Week.

For such a high-powered, hyper-connected individual, Judy still comes across in conversation very much as a designer, with the sort of gee-whiz fascination with the creative process more often associated with starry eyed recent grads. Words like creativity, spirit, and love pepper her explanations of the recruiting process, along with a clear understanding what does and doesn’t work in portfolios and applications, the result of over 15 years of reviewing them. The answers to a couple of questions from a recent discussion on the topic are below — for more come see her on the 15th.

1. How long do you typically spend looking at an obviously unsuitable portfolio before passing judgment and tossing it aside?

A portfolio should be accessible and visually engaging from the get-go. A slow loading website with a confusing interface, a huge PDF file or an oversized and old fashioned portfolio case might cause you to lose your viewer before they’ve even seen your work. Your portfolio should tell YOUR story, reveal aspirations and personal identity. Our clients look for provocative design, a spirited presentation as well as content that exemplifies meaningful business impact.

2. What’s the single most important thing a company needs to indicate about a senior-level creative position, in order to appeal to the best talent?

A single most important thing? Good question: Will the potential employee be allowed to share their creative spirit and talent through the role?

Consciously or unconsciously, creativity is at the heart of work and business. If an organization encourages and supports creativity, people will be empowered to make a difference – all the more so for explicitly creative positions. Does the company provide a culture where people are able to pursue their ideas, and collaborate with other inspired minds – a culture where successes will be celebrated AND an environment where a senior level creative can practice their craft? People put far more work into their roles when their values are supported and recognized. Undoubtedly this requires smart management (all the more so in tough economic times!). “Work is not work if you love to do it!” A paycheck helps, of course. 🙂

Wert, along with three other top-of-their-field designers and recruiters, will be pulling from literally hundreds of experiences helping firms find the best creative professionals during her hour on the Confab panel. The event also offers the chance to meet and trade notes with some of the best design firms and creative professionals in the Tri-State area. See the Confab page over on Coroflot for more details, and registration information.

Coroflot’s Creative Employment Confab
May 15th, 2-5 pm
Art Directors Club
106 W 29th St. @ 6th Avenue, New York City

(more…)