Salt’s Specialisms in Creative Director
• Commercial Creative Director
• Strategic Creative Director
• Group Creative Director
Demand vs Offer
Becoming a Creative Director takes time as you need to work through the ranks, from junior design or copywriter, through to marketing manager or senior creative. With such a high-level job comes a slow job market as Creative Directors can be considered the best of the best.
Popular Industries
Creative Directors usually operate within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media, or entertainment industries. Working as the head of an agency or studio isn’t strictly limited to creative industries. Tech start-ups, web development and software development firms as well as global businesses, may employ an overall Creative Director to head up the design and direction of a company’s brand and marketing.
Recent Changes
Creative Director roles constantly have to adapt and update with the advances in technology and social media. What may have been cutting-edge even as little as three years ago may now be considered out-of-date. Creative Directors must constantly be looking for the newest trends and ways in order to get ahead of the competition.
Future Prospects
Career prospects can change once hitting a senior level role. Multinational companies may give the opportunity to move overseas, working on bigger and better projects. Dependent on the type of company, Creative Directors may also choose to move further into higher-level management, such as managing director or chief creative officer for a Creative firm. Many may also choose to use the experience gained from these high-level positions to start their own Creative studio.
Employers’ Requirements
Strong industry background is a must. Most Creative Directors have around five to eight years of experience in the Creative industry. A good grasp on current trends as well as historic trends is preferable as it gives a brand the opportunity to predict the trends of the future based on past experiences. Besides the creative side, knowledge of the business side of design is essential, as Creative Directors will have to manage the whole process (from networking and pitching to winning clients). Moreover, they need to oversee the creative process and ensure the whole team works harmoniously.
CV Requirements
An employer would expect a large portfolio of their best work either as an online portfolio, PDF or physical copy. Ideally a variety of media types will be on offer with app, website, video, and digital graphic productions. A detailed list of your previous employment history will also be needed as this can help to highlight your responsibilities as a manager. These examples help to show how you align with the employer’s values needed in a Creative Director role.
Interview Preparation
Interviewers will ask you about your leadership style and how you go about tackling problems, and managing both employees and clients successfully. Examples of problems you have encountered and the general process you use when handling a client brief are typical interview questions. These questions may come in the form of a telephone or face-to-face interview and is generally accompanied by a presentation of your work. A detailed rationale behind the work examples and a showcase of the diverse selection of skills that you have to offer should also be presented.
Educational Requirements
Creative Directors are recognised more for past work experience, talent and passion than qualifications alone. An extremely strong portfolio of commercially successful, possibly even award-winning work is in most cases the only way to be noticed as a potential Creative Director.
Looking for Creative Director jobs? Check out our current opportunities on our job page.
