Written by Joel Newman. career journey

The first step of my career was also my first step into the building of my university. I knew I always wanted to do something creative, and my heart was originally set on Architecture. Unfortunately my inability to focus and revise put a stop to those dreams on GCSE results day; and so I pivoted to something I knew I was definitely good at – creative thinking and writing. 

In 2012, I went to study Creative Advertising at Leeds Arts University. Contrary to my opening sentence, my personal belief is that uni isn’t always 100% necessary for an Art Director/ Copywriter; especially if the uni experience isn’t something you’re definitely set on. Instead, try looking for paid internships or apprenticeships some agencies offer, you’ll learn just as much, if not more, there than those 3 years in higher education.

After a couple of relatively unsuccessful internships – one agency closed down, and the other wasn’t for me – I landed my first job at a social media agency as a hybrid Junior Creative. My stubbornness of not finding a ‘creative partner’ had worked in my favour, and it became the first of many accidentally-stumbling-upwards instances in my career so far. Another reason why I think uni isn’t 100% necessary, is because it was (and still is in some places) stuck in the traditional world, leaving social and digital advertising as an afterthought. The world has changed, and so has how we advertise, and therefore so has the need for how it’s taught.

During this first taste of agency life, I was forced into thinking about advertising from an entirely new perspective, a social-first one. Stumbling upwards instance number two. Here, I sharpened both my Copywriting, and Art Direction skills and was pushed in all the right ways by an incredibly kind but firm Creative team. I learned that copy didn’t just have to be a tagline, and that visuals weren’t just for TV and billboards. Other than my skillset being improved on, my first role also taught me how to work with a wider team, as well as giving me a taste of the kind of leader I’d want to be in the future. 

Then came a flurry of redundancies and some more accidental stumbling upwards. The stark reality of redundancies is definitely something that I hadn’t been told about prior to starting work. It sucks when it happens to you, and it sucks when it doesn’t to you, but does to your teammates. They can come out of nowhere, and sometimes when you least expect it. What’s important to remember though, is that it’s nothing personal. You are largely still amazing at what you do, and although it hurts in the beginning, things will get better, so stick with it and keep on at it. 

Ultimately, this also taught me the importance of simply having a laugh, enjoying what you do, and giving 100% at every opportunity –you’re only as good as your last project. On top of this, one of the aforementioned jobs showed me that not every single agency is a perfect fit to your skillset, and that’s quite simply okay. You can’t please everyone, but you can only ever do the absolute best you can in any given situation.

After my second redundancy, the light at the end of the tunnel came from an extended period of freelance work. This became a real turning point for my career. I always knew I had the skills I just needed the opportunity to show it, and this gave me that. Still in the digital/ social world, I worked in a number of different agencies. This freelance phase helped not only my confidence grow but also my independence. It also pushed me to present to many different people, whilst working on many different briefs and brands.

My final freelance gig landed me my current perm job at The Fifth – first as a Senior Creative, now an ACD – where exposure to more senior decision making has again taken my leadership, creative, and client skills to the next level. I’ve got a very wanky photo saved on my phone with a really poignant caption that reads: Take a minute to recognise how far you’ve come. The you 10 years ago would be celebrating everything you’ve achieved because it’s beyond your wildest dreams of what your life could be. Let that sink in before you start worrying about everything that’s ahead. It’s possible. So just make everyday count. It’s true though, and I think about it a lot. It’s hard to be proud of yourself in the moment, but reflecting on the good and the bad is what keeps you going, and growing, in this industry.

And now I’m up to date so that’s that. I think a few of the most important lessons to take from this combination of mumble jumble is: to plan ahead, but be ready for the unexpected so you can roll with the punches. Never get comfortable, push yourself, and those around you – but only when you sense that they can take it. And lastly, just be yourself, don’t pretend to be anything you aren’t as people see through it. Oh, and a solid amount of luck is always nice.