I’m not going to Portland.
Damn.
There’s two reasons:
1. immigration issues
Apparently they can only apply for a 1-EB Visa in march, which than takes 6 months to process meaning I won’t be able to get there before September 2009.
2. I don’t fit the company structure
I get this every time I’ve applied at a traditional agency. They basically don’t know what to do with me. They’re all set up to churn out 30-second spots or pictures with a line of copy. If you’re not proficient in a discipline needed to that result there’s really not much they can do with you.
There’s numerous interviews out there with big advertising honchos going on about how the world is changing, media fragmentation, interactive, how they’re adapting yadayadayada. Yet when I see what they do online it’s pretty obvious they just _don’t_ get it.
W+K is a different category though. Their stuff is so good that it always penetrates popular culture and thus automatically ends up being seen and passed on on the Interwebs. I never told them, but they don’t NEED me. I guess they figured it out themselves 
So there.
But there’s (just a tiny shred) of hope.
We’ll talk again in March 2009, maybe things will have changed by then.
And I might get introduced to their Amsterdam office.
Though as I’m guessing they’re pretty much set up the same way, I’m not getting my hopes up too high.
So my quest for an interesting job beyond the border goes on.
Anyone, anyone? Mail me for a portfolio.
christian -dot- verschaeren -at- gmail -dot- com
I guess the next W+K Seeking thing is in November.
It’s really worth participating so you all should.
If I’m allowed to I’m going to.
that sucks man. something similar happened to me. visa thing. but. i got my italian pasport now haha.- and planning to do the europe rounds soon! anyways, dude you had a great experience! and i´m sure there´s a place in the world for you. cheers crusty!
Fuck! If you pardon my french. Been reading your blog since the beginning. Good luck to you anyways.
that’s a bummer. however, if i were you i would just keep grindin those wheels just the same and sooner or later the ‘industry’ is bound to catch up. stay in pole position; cultural ’savoir-faire’ will be the key – and you prolly got plenty!
Interesting that “not fitting the company structure” ended up being an issue.
To me, it seemed that Seeking was *designed* to find and attract those people that W+K wouldn’t necessarily come across in a traditional recruitment process… the left-field thinkers and artists, rather than conventional designers or copywriters. So to turn around now and say that you’re too far outside the box seems a little strange to me!
Best of luck for the future, anyway!