If you read Scamp (and you do) you'll have seen yesterdays post referring (kind of) to an aptitude test that has been designed to identify 'Diagonal Thinkers', which is being run by the IPA. 'Breaking into advertising' was the cover story of the Guardian Work section on Saturday, and if you missed it here's the gist of what a Diagonal Thinker is:
"(Diagonal Thinking) is the ability to switch effortlessly between linear, logical thought processes to lateral creative ones... and it seems to be one of the defining characteristics of people who do well in our industry".
According to the IPA, only 10% of the population can think diagonally. And if you score more than 90% in the test, you can print off an IPA certificate, which, says IPA director general Hamish Pringle, you can then attach to your CV as proof of your talent, which will become your "passport to adland".
So if you really want a job in advertising, chuck out your portfolio, get on www.diagonalthinking.co.uk and show off your shiny certificate around Soho instead.
PS. If you're wondering how i did, my PC crashed half way through the test, and you only get one chance, so i'm buggered.
東京にある特許事務所
8 years ago
1 comment:
Hi,
I'm a senior planner at a well known, independent agency. I regulalry interview and work with creatives starting out and, normally, have a great deal of respect for the IPA.
But if anyone, from any discipline, walks through the door clutching one of these certificates that'll be the end of the conversation. Here's why...
- One of the biggest frustrations the industry faces is the increasingly prevelant belief creativity, problem solving and innovation can be standardised and distilled to a single process. I shudder at the thought of the growing scrapheap of great work turned down because it doesn't tick a box. We can't challenge this kind of decission making from clients if we use the same method to recruit people to the industy.
- Great work comes from mingling together a variety of approaches. Hiring lots of people who all get above 90 on the same test will discourage vital diversity.
- There's no box for 'I enjoy this'. According to this test I should consider a career as a creative. I'm the first to admit not only would I make a terrible creative (note my use of bullet points), but I wouldn't enjoy it as much as Planning. Taking on someone who will love what they do is a much better investment than hiring someone who can fit in a particular box but has no passion for it.
- One half of the test specifically requires you put aside personal opinion and cultural context. There's absolutely no point getting into advertising if you aren't an opinionated bugger, fascinated by the soap opera that is society.
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