Trying to break into creative strategy, looking for honest industry advice. How do agencies actually go through portfolios for junior creative roles?
I’m currently building my portfolio to break into advertising agencies, specifically for roles around creative strategy, ideation, brand thinking, campaign development etc. (less traditional graphic design, more thinking-led creative work).
Lately I’ve been wondering:
Do recruiters/creative directors at bigger agencies actually go through portfolios properly anymore? Or are most applications filtered out long before someone opens the work?
I’ve sent quite a few cold emails/applications and honestly, most big agencies don’t respond at all, which makes it hard to understand whether:
- the work isn’t strong enough yet
- the portfolio format is wrong
- I’m applying the wrong way
- or this is just how the industry works now
I’m trying to make my portfolio very narrative-driven and memorable instead of a standard “grid of projects” site.
But I’m also wondering:
- is that actually valuable to recruiters?
- what do agencies really look for in junior strategy/creative applicants?
- what makes someone stand out enough to get the first conversation?
Would genuinely love honest answers from people in agencies / strategy / creative teams / interns who’ve gone through this recently.