. . . is new news here at Factory. We’re looking to add a writer (I actually hate the word “copywriter” because it sounds redundant to my ear) to our team.
Now, before anybody sends in a resume, here’s some perspective on who and what we’re looking for (and a good dose of why):
We don’t have endless budget for this position, which means we’re not looking for someone with lots and lots (and lots) of experience. On the other hand, we do have a budget that’s more than entry level, which means we’re not looking for someone who’s never done the job at an ad agency before. We’re firmly in the “somewhere in the middle” camp.
In terms of the less quantifiable measures, here’s what we think are the four traits a good copywriter needs to have:
One, he or she must know how to turn a phrase. This business, particularly when it comes to writing headlines, demands a certain facility with language, a talent for coming up with something “quippy” (as a friend of mine used to say) and memorable. Cleverness is always welcome.
Two, he or she must be a strong idea person, someone who can work with the Factory team (particularly the design and art directing side of the agency) when it’s time to come up with new campaigns, new content, new whatever. Creativity is of course necessary.
Three, he or she must be able to write from the brand voice of an existing body of work. Like any ad agency, the work we do is a mix of coming up with new campaigns and taking existing campaigns and building them out. Versatility is what differentiates a valuable agency writer.
Fourth, he or she must be able to bang out the copy. Ad agency life for a writer isn’t just coming up with quippy expressions and cool ideas; sometimes you’ve got to be able to write big piles of brochure copy . . . no one loves doing it, but it’s got to be done. Facility is essential.
(Regarding that last point, I’ve worked at big agencies where the creative department included writers who were great at ideas but so-so at wordsmithing and writers who were fine wordsmiths but not particularly creative when it came to big ideas. As a small agency, we don’t have that kind of luxury; we need both qualities in one person.)
Now, in exchange for the skills this new writer, presumably you, will bring to Factory, what kind of work environment will Factory provide in return (above and beyond salary and benefits)?
First and foremost, you’ll have a workplace where you get to write a lot . . . and produce a lot of what you write. We’re a small agency but we have a prodigious output. That means plenty of opportunity to see the work you do go out into the world. TV, radio, print, out-of-home, collateral, social media, longform content . . . and more.
Second, you’ll like the team you work with. Because we’re small, everybody works together. That means everybody needs to get along. And we do.
Third, I might be biased (this agency basically being my second home), but I think it’s a fun place to work. We celebrate everyone’s birthday with a surprise birthday cake (or pie or cheesecake or whatever) of their choosing; we have Drink O’Clock just about every Thursday; we do a great holiday celebration every December; we used to do Pizza Wednesday every week until a few people started opting out of it because they got on diets or whatever and we cancelled it, but now we have surprise birthday lunch, too. And a bunch of other good stuff.
Fourth, our office is smack in the heart of downtown Royal Oak, which is a really nice place to have an ad agency, if you’re going to have an ad agency.
Fifth, we work in a wide variety of different business categories and do our fair share plus of pro bono work for what I like to call “good karma clients,” so there’s always something new and interesting popping up on our daily Hot Sheet.
Sixth, you’ll get the privilege of having my dog Ella shamelessly try to wheedle cookies out of you.
Is that enough background? I hope so. If you’d like to learn more about our agency, spend some time on this website. It’ll tell you most of what you need to know.
If you’re interested in the job, know someone who would be, have more questions or just want to say hello, drop me a line at ml@factorydetroit.com. Anyone interested in joining the Factory team might want to attach a resume and some writing samples, keeping in mind the four key qualities mentioned above (cleverness, creativity, versatility and facility).
Thanks for reading.
ml
5.2.2019
