As confinement continues in most parts of the world, we’re checking in with creative people to see how they’re faring. Here’s an update from Al Mackie, chief creative officer of RAPP U.K.

Let’s start at the beginning, with an inconvenient truth. 

People often reject creative ideas, even while expressing that creativity is their desired goal. Why? Put simply, anything that’s out of the norm—or creative, so to speak—makes us a bit uncomfortable. In fact, a study conducted by Cornell University showed there is actually a negative bias toward creativity. They monitored people’s brains when exposed to creative thinking and found that the creative ideas that were shared provoked similar reactions to hearing the words “poison,” “agony” and “vomit.” 

So that now makes me a chief vomit officer. Brilliant. 

One might ask: If there is a natural barrier to creativity, why do we still need it? As a creative, I could plainly tell you it’s because creativity just makes things more interesting. But the real reason is that, when it comes to advertising, creativity makes things more effective. Creative ideas are 12 times more effective than non-creative ideas. That means, to achieve the same results, you would have to spend 12 times more money to promote a non-creative message. I bet I’ve got your attention now. 

Another reason we need creativity is because, as we all know, consumers are behaving differently—and expecting brands to connect with them in more relevant and unique ways. The decline of interruption marketing, as a result of ad-free platforms (adblock, Netflix, etc.), is forcing brands to find new ways to engage with consumers. The ones who embrace that first, and are open to failing and learning, will be the ones to succeed.

As marketers, both on the client and agency side, we know it’s hard to intuitively bet on original and never-before-tried approaches. Original thinking does spark fear. But the secret to success is not attempting to eliminate fear at all—but instead trying to recognize it, then move around it. 

I recently watched the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo about Alex Honnold, a man who climbs the riskiest mountains in the world with no protection. His approach to fear really stuck with me. 

”I’ve done a lot of thinking about fear,” he said. “For me the crucial question is not how to climb without fear—that’s impossible—but how to deal with it when it creeps into your nerve endings. You’re not stopping your fear. You move outside of it.” 

There is evidence that those brands which structure themselves to embrace fear, then move forward with brave ideas, are becoming increasingly more successful than their competitors. A perfect illustration of this is Nike. Three different campaigns from the brand have just won major advertising awards by taking the route of fearless creativity. 

Nike’s Kaepernick work “Dream Crazy,” which won a Grand Clio at Clio Sports as well as the Grand Prix for Outdoor at Cannes, provoked some angry reactions—like shoe burning, product banning from the mayor of Louisiana and even President Trump saying, “Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts.” But sticking to their values and pushing forward regardless of the backlash—even knowing they were losing part of their fan-base—has definitely paid off for the brand. 

First impressions are everything. When I review a portfolio online, I close it if I can’t find what I am looking for in the first 10 seconds of arriving on-site. If you are going to have an online portfolio, you’d better make it easy to find, easy to use, and full of good content. 

The chance to move to another agency that actually fits all your wants is rare. Not having a portfolio ready to go that is also continuously updated will limit your ability to apply. What’s more, the process for posting a new job in an agency is laborious, time-consuming, and in most instances, painful. The teams doing the hiring are in a rush, typically because of a new win or a critical position being open. So your book should be ready to go at a moment’s notice.

If your portfolio doesn’t reflect the breadth of all you can do, your future employer won’t give you the credit you deserve. You could lose out on negotiating power when it comes to salary, and organizations might not be interested if they can’t see potential awards in your future. Especially when you are going for a step up on the ladder, you need to show all you’ve got.

Let Your Portfolio Do the Talking

Your portfolio could be the difference between working for your dream company and being stuck in an unhappy situation. The industry isn’t overly interested in which school you went to or how high your GPA was; agencies want to see tangible evidence of the work you’ve done. But no one will even care if they can’t find it online. 

Here are six ways you can boost engagement and increase visibility of your work in a digital world: 

1. Use an online portfolio service

One of the most effective ways to get your work out there is using services like Behance. Sites like this allow for showcasing your work in snackable bites. They require no development skills, and you can get work up fast. 

Behance, for example, works with many design suites to allow for instant export right to it. Plus, you can add in your previous work experience, allowing employers to download your résumé immediately instead of tracking it down on another site or emailing you. 

Another perk of these services is the viewer’s ability to like or upvote your clips. When people appreciate your work, you move up in the rankings and could become a featured creative. 

2. Update your LinkedIn profile

Building a portfolio also includes creating an amazing, ever evolving, always updated LinkedIn profile that links to your work. And because it can easily display your work on your profile, recruiters can quickly find you and your portfolio in one spot. 

Post about work you love—that both you and others you respect did. Create connections and join groups within LinkedIn that help you network with other creatives and get more of your work out. 

3. Apply for awards

Another great way to get your name out is through award shows. Find local, regional and even international shows to get your name out there. The judges see your work, and if you win, the public will help you bask in the glory.

Winning awards provides proof that your work is worthy, and it shows that you’re not just saying your work is good—industry experts agree with you. 

4. Show, don’t tell

Your industry value comes down to the work you show in your book. But the work isn’t the entire story—you need to demonstrate how you went from concept to execution. 

Are you an illustrator? Consider displaying your initial sketches to demonstrate how it came to life in its final, fully vectorized format, as this person did. For website design, a simple description can go a long way. The setup in this example is a quick “Intro, Problem, Solution”—I can see all the development and thinking as the example builds. 

5. Keep ahead of trends

As technology continues to grow, you should also consider new trends that will impact how you should approach your work’s presentation. Design with mobile in mind. 

Executives will overlook your portfolio if they have to find a laptop to see your work. And considering that Google now takes mobile-first into consideration with SEO, ignoring this reality will only harm your ability to work at a new agency. 

6. Stay simple

Keep your portfolio easy to use. If your book is difficult to navigate, an executive will go to a new page and never look back. 

Everything should be simple, and users should be able to move from one showcase to the next without too many clicks. A clean design will be intuitive and will make your messages clear to potential agencies and clients, allowing them to quickly understand your work without the frustration of bad site navigation. 

Standing out against the crowd in the marketing and advertising world is a difficult job, especially when it moves quickly. Keeping a dynamic, updated portfolio is your best bet to get noticed. Just think: With the right first impression, an exciting new career could be just one click away.