Another one
In all likelihood, my boss is going to hire another Senior Art Director soon, maybe as early as Monday.
Again, like the whole eclectic bunch of ADs who have come and gone before, he emphasised the fact that he should be my partner, he has a lot of experience and I should learn from him.
Now here’s the thing which has been nagging at the back of my skull the whole time and I just found out what, exactly, I was uncomfortable with.
I don’t want that in a partner.
I don’t want to be paired with someone twice my age and with more years in advertising than I’ve been on this earth. Yes, I’ll learn a lot from him but it’s not someone I would want for a partner. A boss most definitely, but not a partner.
Let me explain.
I want a partner at my level. Someone I can grow and learn with, as well as from. Someone I can conceptualise with, suggest silly, cringe-worthy ideas and not feel stupid about it. Someone I know who will, in turn, also propose equally silly ideas. Someone I can go out for a beer with after work (ok, in this aspect age doesn’t really matter, although, in all probability, chilling out with someone around your age would infinitely be easier than with someone who has a kid around your age). I want someone to be and look stupid with, dammit!
With a person who has so much experience (supposedly. For those who know about “The American Incident” will know what I mean. Heh.), I would be extremely self-conscious about what I suggest, especially when I’m so new and still trying to discover where I stand and, truth be told, yes I do suffer from bouts of “what-if-I’m-shite-at-this-job??” still, as I’m sure is the case with most creatives in their formative years.
Please AWARD, open up new doors for me.
I look at Alex and Andrea and even Gayle and Runrun (fellow AWARD students) and I see the dynamics and energy between their partners and colleagues and I feel pain and longing like a hungry, homeless boy in winter standing outside a window and looking into a warm home as a loving family tucks into a hearty Christmas dinner before joyfully opening up their presents.
Sometimes, and I’m very ashamed to admit this, I pathetically try to steal any spillovers I can when I’m with them. Here I am standing at the fringes of their warmth and energy and I’m cold and shivering and in the dark and trying to bask in what little warmth I can from their glow that might inadvertently spill over.
This isn’t how advertising is supposed to be.
I have a good company, nice bosses and creative freedom to an extent not usually granted people my age and experience. But I have no opportunities for great work and accounts, no creative person to learn from, and no close-knit team to share my joys and sorrows with. Is it fair to trade one for the other?
I believe so.
Andrea, not winning so many pitches in a row sucks, but the time and effort put in by everyone in your team and the subsequent closeness, understanding and love it has brought is worth more than any account in my opinion. And it shows so much.
I was holding out for the hope that the new AD would be more “partner” material. I now know it’s not going to be the case, if it will ever be at all. The company needs a senior creative person more anyway, that much is very much in evidence.
Again, like the whole eclectic bunch of ADs who have come and gone before, he emphasised the fact that he should be my partner, he has a lot of experience and I should learn from him.
Now here’s the thing which has been nagging at the back of my skull the whole time and I just found out what, exactly, I was uncomfortable with.
I don’t want that in a partner.
I don’t want to be paired with someone twice my age and with more years in advertising than I’ve been on this earth. Yes, I’ll learn a lot from him but it’s not someone I would want for a partner. A boss most definitely, but not a partner.
Let me explain.
I want a partner at my level. Someone I can grow and learn with, as well as from. Someone I can conceptualise with, suggest silly, cringe-worthy ideas and not feel stupid about it. Someone I know who will, in turn, also propose equally silly ideas. Someone I can go out for a beer with after work (ok, in this aspect age doesn’t really matter, although, in all probability, chilling out with someone around your age would infinitely be easier than with someone who has a kid around your age). I want someone to be and look stupid with, dammit!
With a person who has so much experience (supposedly. For those who know about “The American Incident” will know what I mean. Heh.), I would be extremely self-conscious about what I suggest, especially when I’m so new and still trying to discover where I stand and, truth be told, yes I do suffer from bouts of “what-if-I’m-shite-at-this-job??” still, as I’m sure is the case with most creatives in their formative years.
Please AWARD, open up new doors for me.
I look at Alex and Andrea and even Gayle and Runrun (fellow AWARD students) and I see the dynamics and energy between their partners and colleagues and I feel pain and longing like a hungry, homeless boy in winter standing outside a window and looking into a warm home as a loving family tucks into a hearty Christmas dinner before joyfully opening up their presents.
Sometimes, and I’m very ashamed to admit this, I pathetically try to steal any spillovers I can when I’m with them. Here I am standing at the fringes of their warmth and energy and I’m cold and shivering and in the dark and trying to bask in what little warmth I can from their glow that might inadvertently spill over.
This isn’t how advertising is supposed to be.
I have a good company, nice bosses and creative freedom to an extent not usually granted people my age and experience. But I have no opportunities for great work and accounts, no creative person to learn from, and no close-knit team to share my joys and sorrows with. Is it fair to trade one for the other?
I believe so.
Andrea, not winning so many pitches in a row sucks, but the time and effort put in by everyone in your team and the subsequent closeness, understanding and love it has brought is worth more than any account in my opinion. And it shows so much.
I was holding out for the hope that the new AD would be more “partner” material. I now know it’s not going to be the case, if it will ever be at all. The company needs a senior creative person more anyway, that much is very much in evidence.
