Steve Stretton - 10 things I wish someone had told me when I was starting out in this industry.

Today, I had the pleasure to attend a wonderful and enriching Book Crit event in Proximity London.

The event was opened by the classic "10 things I wish someone told me" by Steve. (Creative consultant and founder of AIS). "These may seem really obvious but trust me, every single one of them is important."

_________________________________________________________________________________

1. Be Pragmatic

Show everyone you wanna be there. I can't stress this enough but get in the industry, even if your first job is not your dream job, take it. Prove yourself and then find a way to reach what you really want to do. Get your foot in the door.

2. Be Nice

A lot of work that is done, is in some or the other way similar to what is being produced. If there are two candidates with similar caliber, one who says I'm fucking marvellous and one who is grounded, I'd hire the later one. And so will everyone. Have the right attitude.

3. Be Diligent

Work your ass off. Because all that hard work is what will take you ahead.

4. Be Aware

Be aware of what you want to be doing, how much you want to earn, the kind of people you wanna work with. Do good work. Don't get comfortable in your job. Don't become a furniture.

5. Be Political

Play the game. Laugh at the bosses joke.

Network with people apart from your department. They might start their own agency, they might be CEO. You will need this at some point of your life.

6 Be The Best

Win awards, get noticed selfishly. They are the shortcuts to places.

7. Be Sociable

8. Be Brutal

Be hard on yourself, and others. If you think the work is not good enough, say it and do better. Be never satisfied.

9. Be Resilient

You will hear no from everyone all the time. You gotta keep trying. you have to believe it will happen and make it happen.

Once a creative director told me a thing that I will never forget. I asked him what he did when his work got rejected? He said, there's always another idea, and it is better.

10. Be in the Moment

Love this career. Every aspect of it is truly amazing. Soak all these moments.

(Here I wold like to quote on of my favourite lecturers. He said, " Advertising is so shitty, but this is addictive.")