GETTING RANDOM WITH ZACH CANFIELD
“Hi. My Name’s Zach,� he says, stepping into the August evening. “It’s really hot.�
Ben Krantz and I, the Zach Canfield welcoming committee, meet Zach curbside. We plan to grab a bite to eat in East Atlanta, but Zach’s working late tonight. No dinner.
Zach’s schedule comes with the territory. He’s busy because he’s the head recruiter for Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. And this job entails finding and hiring top-notch candidates for the legendary advertising agency.
Zach receives more portfolios per -week than he can count. And, if you’re hoping to work at Goodby, those odds aren’t good. Zach’s not only looking for the best talent from ad schools, he uses comedy clubs, concerts, and galleries as his talent pool.
“The guy who wrote White Gold had no advertising experience whatsoever,� Zach says. “I randomly saw him performing—and he was hysterical. It was obvious he has a lot of the stuff we’re looking for. He was really smart, and he had a lot of passion. Three months after we hired him, he was writing songs for White Gold.�
Even though Zach hires people from unorthodox avenues, the head recruiter doesn’t recommend dropping out of school.
“You have to know the basics,� Zach says. “You have to be able to create an integrated campaign. And typography, typography, typography. If I ask you to kern something for me, I hope you don’t look at me like I’m crazy.�
You have to stand out.
Zach knows a thing or two about standing out. In 2006, he launched a web site to take UK rapper, Lady Sovereign, on a date. But he wanted other people to pay for it. So Zach created Helpmegetrandomwithladysovereign.com. It hauled in $10,000 for the date. At one point the site received over 3.1 million hits in a month.
“This is the type of thing we look for in new hires—the extra stuff to get noticed. Stuff you would do if people weren’t even interested in your portfolio. Smart, simple things go a long way,� Zach says.
Zach also stresses the importance of getting an internship at your favorite agency. Even after you’re done with school.
“I would highly recommend you write a list of your favorite agencies and do whatever you can to get your foot in the door. Even if that means being an intern,� Zach says. "A lot of agencies end up hiring their interns. And that experience looks great on your resume.�
Regarding resumes and books, Zach encourages students to show their personality.
“If you play in a band, or if you’ve written your whole life, or whatever, always show that in your book. So many student portfolios look the same, so your unique personality gives us an idea of your potential. That difference may get you the job.�
Even if students don’t score their dream job, Zach recommends turning defeat into a success—a learning opportunity.
“If it’s not going to work as I wanted it to work, how can I change it?� Zach says. “Use part of your idea with a new twist.�
People frequently tell Zach his projects won’t work. Recently a team of lawyers told Zach he would be arrested if he launched a reality marriage site. But Zach stuck with the idea anyway—with a small tweak. The site was so successful, Zach had to take it down. The bandwidth was too expensive.
Another random success for Zach Canfield.
Portfolio Center students share a strong desire to communicate ideas, the willingness to let go of preconceived notions, and the compulsion to learn new ways of thinking. These qualities are fostered by the school’s constant stream of industry bigwigs, who bring their varied and colorful perspectives from all over the country. These creatives, who are always generous with their time and energy, tend to hang out with students, conducting informal workshops and continuing the day’s discussions over dinner. Often, what results are provocative interviews—written, shot, and designed by PC students.
