Why They're Not Hiring You... | Creative Career Tips

[@OliverJustChillin]

Ben, I want to tell you that I recently interviewed with a company and I brought up your channel, specifically your "We always name our layers" line, and the animators in the interview knew exactly what I was talking about. I was interviewing for a motion designer position, and needless to say, I got the job.

[@user-os8gp7eh2v]

Haha same here! It got me my first job out of college

[@obv_design9310]

Congratulations!!!! 🎉 And don't you ever forget to name your layers😅

[@ryanrodriguez3370]

Congrats man. Wish you a beautiful and bright future. Show them who you are 👋❤️

[@Yahya98]

I'm still in the process, wish me luck like you guys!

[@BenMarriott]

Footnotes: 1. Yes, I'm visibly salty about not yet being asked to design an adorable bat companion for a star-wars property. I'm sure Obi-wan would have loved the company & merchandising opportunities whilst waiting it out on Tattooine. 2. In experimenting with different locations to film I discovered that the last one in this video from the lower angle was in fact TOO flattering. For the safety of myself and my viewers in the future, I will not be reusing it without an onscreen warning.

[@ramonmff5158]

This made me chuckle 😂

[@samstucky9984]

Your shimmering beauty has rendered me blind, unable to finish my work day. Expect a letter from my lawyer.

[@juaniferritto3249]

The one with the toy dinosaur is the best by far. Please keep him in your upcoming videos

[@juaniferritto3249]

THERE'S ONE IN YOUR HAND TOO I JUST NOTICED

[@quos3683]

You forgot gender, race and place someone live matter, even with a great portfolio. I say that from +10 years of experience, the movie studio I made my first internship where racist and hated women, and those people worked on the bigest syfy movie, they never paid me :). Same shit if not worse in the gaming industry, some people need to create their own art and sell it themself, because the reality is they will never be hired by anyone. I wished someone told me this when I was 21 yo, I lost so many years and money ... but this subject is very taboo.

[@sotografik]

Hey Ben, thank you for everything. I was recently hired for a videographer/ graphic designer/ and MOTION GRAPHICS . Your tutorials has changed the trajectory of my life and I will be forever grateful. Thank you.

[@frederikeksteen2587]

Awesome video! I used to struggle with the first point, but started doing personal projects that I love and now it's the majority of my income.

[@BenMarriott]

Thats Amazing! It's no surpirse looking at the work on your channel :D You've got skills my friend

[@bulletjump7795]

this man is so unfathomably smooth. dude got the cinematography in a video about business for animation. he's just him.

[@madiko]

8:26 🤣 Well, yes! Thank you for sharing your insights, Ben. Two additions and thoughts you might like, that I established: #1 Write "7 sentences"-mails (with max 7 words per sentence). Right after greeting your reader, let her:him know, what your intentions or expectations are. If neccessary point to "more information" at the end of your mail or via link. Then right away send your kind regards. If you have more to say, now is the space, you can elaborate. I usually put a vertical line between the note and my "appendix". So they can see right at opening the e-mail, that it is short. Make sure to format the appendix (bold text or even headlines), so that peeps can "scan" it more easily with fast reading. #2 concerning the "no need to reply" statement of yours: I prefer to write something like this: "However you decide, a reply would be welcome. Thank you!" Be nice. Be short. Make people feel apprechiated for their effort. When I read "no need to reply" in such a context I ask myself: Then why did you write me (disturb me *cough) in the first place? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (This might be cultural differences between the USA and Germany though.) Ask yourself: Why bother people with something "for info" you do not know. E-Mail is the wrong format for that. A newsletter, an up to date website, social media (that point to your website) with regularly new content is much more with regard of "making people know, you exist". Trust in people. They will look for inspiration in times of need. The time you spend on creating personal projects (rather then bothering people with unwanted emails) is much better spend. This principle is called "resonance". If you force people they might react in pushing further away. Not what you like them to do. Quite the opposite in fact. Good success and have a nice day! 😊

[@sarahhalawa5926]

Honestly I love your intro so much it's so unique I don't think you should stop including it

[@dementedpenguinz]

As a recent music graduate trying to get a foot in the door and build a decent portfolio, this is some great advice that definitely feels applicable to my field :) thanks as always for providing some inspo

[@BenMarriott]

Thanks Joshua! Yes I defintiely think these would apple to almost creative career. :D Maybe not taxidermy... actually maybe moreso for taxidermy...

[@MOGRAPHTUTORIALSALENA]

It's just awesome pieces of advice, Ben! I wish I knew it when I started working as a freelancer! Luckily you saved someone's time by this video now haha

[@user-yo5yr9yr2h]

Some advice to add on here for young designers. The best thing you can do is be specific in your portfolio about the work you want to do. If you want to work in news, have journalism focused personal projects! If you want to do logo animation, have logo animations! If you want to do branding, do branding. Being a generalist is good but when it comes to job applications, the more specific your portfolio is geared towards the industry the job is for, the more likely you're to be hired! And ideally do work you're excited for. Ben is right about not filling your portfolio with boring corporate work (unless that's your jam). Also don't bother putting print work in your portfolio unless you want to do print design. Never put work in your portfolio you don't want to do in the future---->advice I wish I had as a recent college grad

[@marem0t0]

My monthly internet comment to thank u Ben for always helping the community, truly appreciate you

[@benschoenbachler]

Ben Marriott's videos are excellent. They're articulate and well polished.

[@bek8796]

i absolutely love videos like this a video on WHERE and HOW to get clients step by step would be extremely useful too

[@caperdoodle]

I needed this. Cause finding a job in the creative field in general is tough, but more so that I just got laid off. So thank you so much for putting this in.

[@taregzamel]

Just wanted to say I loved the dollar signs in the eyes. Sooooo sooo fun thanks

[@matlollo8514]

What an amazing and helpful video! Thank you, you are helping creators, designers and artists all around the world.

[@robdaniels7228]

Let me tell you I was not at all interested in clicking the next video. But something about the no reply necessary made it SOOO TANTALIZING. I had to click it. It actually works.

[@shkicaz]

being freelancer yourself and helping others to find better jobs is the ultimate Chad move :D

[@obv_design9310]

Precious tips, as always! Thank you so much, Ben!!!! I'll never going to be allergic to your videos! 😊👍

[@BlackAmphether72]

Thank you! I’ve been struggling to put my portfolio together and this has motivated me to go at it again. And I love you for that.

[@snellbeast_jasonsnell]

Fantastic! Thanks for the reminder Ben, you're always creating incredible work and inspiration! Cheers!

[@MotionHatch]

Great video Ben! Definitely agree with show your process. Client education is really important. Also the ending was great 😂

[@andydreadsbmx]

Thats always been my issue is showing personal work. My personal projects always end up being over scrutinized by myself and I find it hard to really wrap them up. Most of my professional work is heavily NDA'd, overly simple, or not that impressive that I want to flood my reel with it. Luckily I've been working long enough that the work continues non the less. Bravo to those who can finish their own work and be happy with it 🙂

[@macaulayshaw3834]

“Do the work you want to get paid” will not work mate. Depends on where you based that is. But here in Uk not many jobs who seek motion designers and animators. So the that means when an a employer is hiring, i]he/she is hiring based on style what suits the company. So you creating random weird animations isn’t going to work. That’s why soo many gets rejected. People want things that are current and relevant. Plus that is like saying, “sell the products you want to sell”…. Well again that may not work, because customers only buy things what they want and need, not because of you lol. I could decide that I want to sell circle TVs. But I may only sell a few because they isn’t a demand for it. Hope you understand. You could be wasting your time doing all the crazy animations and not get any work for it because they isn’t a demand for your style. You have to remember that all employers care about is ROI. Is your personal work going to give them ROI? 9/10 chances are no. Because your work is personal to you and has no meaning for the employer. You have to give what the employer is looking for.

[@andydreadsbmx]

@@macaulayshaw3834 I think the point of the story is not just to make a bunch of random whatever that you enjoy but that if you do what you love and have passion for it you will eventually get paid for it if you choose to.

[@macaulayshaw3834]

@@andydreadsbmx Eventually yeah. But would it always be money you can rely on. Life is too short to be sat at the computer all day doing two types of work. One personal, the other for someone else’s work. Think the question people should ask themselves is, is it worth it? For me personally I would prefer just focus on one thing. Decide which one you going to be, the guy that works for Walt Disney or be Walt Disney. It’s extremely hard to do both and not worth it. You either gotta work for yourself or work for someone else. If you choose to work for someone else, you can’t be doing motion design at home. It’s too much and not healthy.

[@andydreadsbmx]

@@macaulayshaw3834 This is another discussion in itself but yeah, that passion work you love and do is not something you should be relying on to make you money. You should have a consistent method of cash flow before diving off into your own passions. I'm more saying, that passion you have for something can sometimes turn into money but really depending on what that is. In motion design what Ben is saying is totally viable but only if what you enjoy making is translatable into a clients work, in Ben's case yes but not in everyones case.

[@macaulayshaw3834]

@@andydreadsbmx I understand and agree. But I felt it need explaining further and for people to understand how much power they have in the field. I think if you care more about the idea of your project , then you should hire people to create your vision. But if you care for technical then… it doesn’t matter what you do, because you enjoy making it. Even if it’s just a corporate explainer video.

[@diamantinavideolab5641]

The video I didn't know I needed, had to watch it a second time to take notes ✌🏾 thank u from 🇦🇷

[@stijnvankuilenburg2545]

Thanks Ben! these videos are really helpful

[@ZentageHD]

Gotta love the dino toy in hand at the start

[@mrjuicejar_yvk]

See what you did at the end there. This video is so valuable omg

[@Vezitos]

It's so true about the email sign offs! I get a lot of emails from folks who keep asking how their business can partner with my business. They want me to be a client SO bad! I often get sign offs like "When are you available?" "Are you free this Wednesday?" Trash.

[@iamYork_]

As full time freelancer of 8 years and someone who has worked in the arts for over 20 years I recently have been sending my resume to a few studios in NYC where I live... I fear my portfolio is too creative despite all the corporate work ive done I feel most people hiring dont want overtly creative when they mostly want to hire generic button pushers... That's what I keep telling myself anyway... Love your videos as always... Great advice... You're an amazing talent..

[@beretaniastreet6384]

Too creative? What does that mean?

[@sajjadabouei6721]

Wow Your video quality is now in whole another level. You are the best🌸🌸🌸

[@andrewsthings]

This is a pretty timely video for me so thank you so much!

[@camelmotion]

Thank you Ben!

[@BrianQuinal]

I’m starting on building a good portfolio. This video can’t get any timely. Absolutely helpful for aspiring freelancers like me 🤩

[@jeffchristensen4034]

Great tips - like always, thanks Ben!

[@gustavoshini]

Thank you for this, Ben Cheers from Brazil, mate.

[@BenMarriott]

Obrigado meu amigo!

[@filipemecenas]

Andrew Cramer is our after effects father , thanks for the tips ,always Golden info !!

[@ryanrockers]

Ben, you are the best.

[@hirahiro2331]

This is it! This is why I was struggling! When I was trying to make a portfolio, I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out why everything I do didn't feel right. I looked at it and cringed as it felt like nothing really correspondence with one another. The artwork and reels were good but it still felt off putting. Watching this, I realized the biggest reason why I am messing up my portfolio: *I can make anything, but who am I making it for?* That's the question I keep failing to ask because I don't know where to go. I know where to look but I think I'm scared they'll treat my terrible and then I turn to freelance. Even that, I struggle since I don't know what most people look for (other than logos). Full Sail is going to start throwing recommendations and how to setup my portfolio and resumes next month. Hopefully I'll look at my portfolio better!

[@macaulayshaw3834]

“Do the work you want to get paid” will not work mate. Depends on where you based that is. But here in Uk not many jobs who seek motion designers and animators. So the that means when an a employer is hiring, i]he/she is hiring based on style what suits the company. So you creating random weird animations isn’t going to work. That’s why soo many gets rejected. People want things that are current and relevant. Plus that is like saying, “sell the products you want to sell”…. Well again that may not work, because customers only buy things what they want and need, not because of you lol. I could decide that I want to sell circle TVs. But I may only sell a few because they isn’t a demand for it. Hope you understand. You could be wasting your time doing all the crazy animations and not get any work for it because they isn’t a demand for your style.

[@MotionHatch]

If you're struggling to take action my advice would be to just put something together and start sharing it you can always improve. Your portfolio is a work in progress and it will never be perfect but you can improve over time. Put it out there and see what people come to you for. Do you like that work? If not change some things in your portfolio and keep interating over time. Hope that helps.

[@biographix]

Ben, everytime you open your mouth, you have my attention. You really provide valuable information and life lessons. No need to reply :)

[@mauroubel]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Ben! Interesting video. Cheers.

[@nahidhassan8982]

Enjoyed every second of the video. Great tips, Ben👍👍

[@JeremyLord5000]

Amazing video Ben! Love me a good food analogy :)

[@juliaz9843]

Love this!! 🤍🤍🤍

[@TheVideoShopLondon]

This is great, and absolutely 100% to number 1 "Do the work you want to get paid for". What perhaps isn't as well known is the power of referrals and word of mouth. If you have good practises (name your layers like Ben always says, but also work tidily with good folder structure, be helpful - "yes of course I don't mind that it's going to be a late one tonight" - be keen, have attention to detail and don't let stupid mistakes slip through etc etc) you'll not only have clients wanting to hire you again, but colleagues and workmates will refer you. And you'll actually very likely never have to send the emails Ben is talking about here. It's one thing getting your foot in the door, don't sh*t the bed once you get in there (if you'll excuse the horrific mixed metaphors)

[@macaulayshaw3834]

“Do the work you want to get paid” will not work mate. Depends on where you based that is. But here in Uk not many jobs who seek motion designers and animators. So the that means when an a employer is hiring, i]he/she is hiring based on style what suits the company. So you creating random weird animations isn’t going to work. That’s why soo many gets rejected. People want things that are current and relevant. Plus that is like saying, “sell the products you want to sell”…. Well again that may not work, because customers only buy things what they want and need, not because of you lol. I could decide that I want to sell circle TVs. But I may only sell a few because they isn’t a demand for it. Hope you understand. You could be wasting your time doing all the crazy animations and not get any work for it because they isn’t a demand for your style

[@madstanch]

This is very insightful. Thanks.

[@chaztoons]

I'm an animator with 2D cartoony, vector based corporate, and some 3D style experience. I've heard it's a good idea to have multiple reels to show to the appropriate corresponding job that you're applying for. Would you recommend having a general reel, a 2d reel, a corporate reel, as well as a 3d reel? In case a job only needs 3D, or 2D or Vector stuff? Or is that all just too much?

[@user-yo5yr9yr2h]

I'd say it's better to have 1 outward facing reel and if you really need the other reels keep them private. I personally think it's better to have a single reel geared to the industry you want to work in most

[@MotionHatch]

Hi Chase I agree with M it's better to do 1 really amazing reel with the work you actually want to do. If you have some other work that you get work from and are regularly asked for you can always have another private reel but I think most people would be able to see what you do from one. If you're thinking of niching in an industry usually you would still get hired for the same old work you do so I think the same applies here. Hope that helps.

[@chaztoons]

@@MotionHatch Thank you! I definitely appreciate the feedback from you both. I've just been applying to a lot of jobs on linkedin with a reel that has vector based stuff, 2d animation, and 3d, to show I have a diverse skillset. But I was just thinking from the employer perspective, if its for a motion graphics corporate role, they may get to my cartoony stuff and think, hmm, not the right style? As for 1 reel focusing on the work I'd like to do, I'm honestly okay with doing any work I can as long as I make a living off of my art. I'm currently in an animation role I really enjoy, I just want to make sure I have the best options for when I need to move forward. Thanks again for the reponses!

[@NuisanceFlute]

Thanks for this, Ben. Really good tips

[@111tv]

It is wonderful how you understand life! Awesome!

[@The.great.ginger]

Ben, you're the best.

[@ismailmadeit]

Ben. I like your new haircut 😂 and thanks ❤

[@jefferylawson9409]

Amazing content! Thanks!!!

[@angelicakluh8025]

Hi Ben, Thank you very much for this video ! :). I'm a graphic designer and ever since I took an animation course at university I knew it was what I most wanted to do, I started making animations for social media and decided to find my luck and dedicate myself more to animation, I've been trying for months to get a work and have only had rejections. Your tutorials have helped me a lot. I think that something is still missing, every time I receive a rejection from an employer I ask myself what I am doing wrong. I think my animations are not good enough. I would also be interested to know if you could do a review of my Show Reel. I'm about to give up.

[@danececchelli3057]

Appreciate the wisdom Ben. No reply necessary.

[@jackhancock9862]

I thought that was a pipe being waggled around. It was a toy dinosaur. I’m just making a portfolio for free lance work, thanks for the tips and encouragement! I did just politely decide not to follow some advice to be more generic, choosing instead to go all in with my own flow so it’s good to hear that approach being backed up!

[@Patiencesampson-t6n]

Thanks Ben

[@tektakin]

Ben this video is too good!

[@BenMarriott]

Thanks Tek! the next one will be 2x too good

[@RickyMartinVideos]

Great stuff as always, Ben. And that was a nasty trick at the end. Now I have to watch the next video!

[@suryakrishna4662]

Great video! Very inspiring 😀

[@iamjaspernoir]

"Keep It Friendy & Point-y" Ben Marriott 2022

[@peyajays]

amazing tips!!!

[@timok.8300]

Method #4: Always bring a toy Brachiosaurus to meetings. Ultimate icebreaker!

[@janjaapdeboer8355]

Hi Ben, great video! I was wondering what the font was called that you used in this thumbnail. Looks really clean! Thanks already.

[@cgtechie]

00:53 THOSE EYES!!!!

[@adamnigro705]

Hey Ben, love this style of video geared more towards business. Keep em coming! Also, I can't quite afford your course at the moment. Any word of a DISCOUNT in the forecast? Perhaps a "summer special" 20% off deal?

[@zorbozog]

Ben does one have to be great at Illustrator to be a working motion designer?

[@BenMarriott]

Not at all. I think a solid understanding of design fundamentals like composition and hieratchy will make a massive difference though :)

[@MrBeaun]

Great video Ben! That a Diplodocus you got there?!

[@BenMarriott]

That my friend is a Brachiosaurus. I find ther vertical neck posture much for effective for wild gesturing

[@MrBeaun]

@@BenMarriott a fine choice of pointing implement, well done!

[@dodmedia]

"What a segue" 😂😂 brilliant video and brilliant advice! 🙇

[@michaelcullis5214]

I’m currently creating a business identity and portfolio. I just want to say that this is spot on with all the research I’ve been doing. Also, I want to take your class. Don’t know when. But I’m interested

[@ehkoi]

Thanks Ben!

[@larsgadeby]

Thanks for this! Also go too distracted looking at the dinousaur beeing flinged around.. :D

[@kamelistanbuli1221]

Ben!

[@BenMarriott]

Kamel!

[@educationmadeeasy]

Please recommend a monitor for AE

[@krayways]

Ben please take my first born Son and raise him up as your own! We need more of your knowledge in this world!

[@slade9989]

Love the font you use on your thumbnails. What font do you use?

[@DaftRebel]

That bit ant the final payback! great script, for a motion grapher! :P hahaha

[@holalitoral]

Perfect!

[@speaktheunspokentruth]

Ben, what type of computer would you suggest that has maximum storage and ram to run adobe cloud smoothly

[@angelbear_og]

"Friendly ... and pointy" 🤣

[@SweetRemiix]

Hey Ben! Thanks for your great advices! Which type are you using in 0:20 ? Big Thanks :D

[@kaninepete]

Good stuff!

[@KyleWoodard]

This video = 💯🦖

[@marcosdevoto2026]

Ben really awesome content as usual, I have a question, what if what inspires you is as vast as 3D illustration texturing vs simple texturing but heavily animated content?

[@Irene-jn5sb]

Love u Ben

[@jimaou]

heck yeah ben

[@ultravioletidea]

Great video, thanks! The real Chad Move: Manhandling a Brachiosaurus throughout the video.

[@FLOWTUTS]

cool

[@McCoy_Buck]

I'm not getting the 'no reply necessary' response. How exactly do you hear back?

[@JosephConnor360]

0:52 His eyes. This freaked me out a bit lol

[@christianosanjo]

Early squad where yo at!

[@BenMarriott]

Show yourselves!

[@christianosanjo]

@@BenMarriott lmao

[@bojkenoven]

That book is so hard to find in stock! 😅

[@moseskisuge7568]

Hey Ben, I love Deekays process videos but I don't know how to render out the anchor points on shape layers. I was hoping you would have some advice on the topic. No reply required

[@MotionHatch]

It's a plugin called Cyclops I believe by Kyle Martinez :)

[@shurt703]

Wow, I wish I had seen this 5 years ago lol

[@vfx.360]

so glad that i have adblock on for this video. This video is legit just an ad for whatever and you talking about the most obv stuff.

[@evaniresmith7160]

I have a full time job as a designer that's safe and fine but want to focus on animation and illustration since that's what I love. (Posting under an alias in case my current company stumbles on this post somehow!) I've read the Joey Korenman freelancing book, and it helped demystify the process of contacting people for work... but I think I'm procrastinating the contacting phase since I'm not sure if freelance path as he describes would work with my schedule, and I'm not quite ready to quit my job. Do studios usually want illustrators/mograph people for entire day/s or week/s or are there gigs available for more part-time schedules that kind of ease you into the mograph world?

[@user-yo5yr9yr2h]

Evan, there are absolutely part-time gigs to ease you into mograph. I've been a freelancer for close to 2 years now and a good portion of that has been contract jobs that last a couple months.

[@MotionHatch]

Hi Evan, Hayley here nice to meet you. You definately can do work on the side of your day job to get a few clients under your belt. I have some students in my course who are currently doing this successfully with a plan to go freelance later this year. I would get out there and start contacting people. If it becomes an issue where they want you to be available during the day you could offer a small discount but you must say when you go freelance what your rate will be and include it on your invoice as a discount. I would think you probably won't have to do this tho and would advise that you should be as clear as you can when you can work etc. Hope that helps

[@dejangotic]

my my... that brachiosaurus must have suffered brain concussion by the end of the video...

[@slackdave]

Hey man, I really need your thyme to improve my showreel for my benefit. Anxiously, looking forward to your reply

[@codycessna5038]

Hey, Ben, great video. No reply necessary.

[@BenMarriott]

Dammit Cody! No I'm compelled to give this the most thoughtful reply I've ever made.

[@asafindy]

When I grow up, I’m going to Bovine University.

[@AndrewMarston]

Where's the grey t-shirt? I'm concerned.

[@Coinbread]

Hi Ben! This video is amazing! I would be interested to see a video where you give some tips for folks who want to take the step from motion graphics into animation (especially those who either can't draw or don't have a drawing tablet). I've been best friends with After Effects for years, but struggle to draw digitally. Btw, you're videos have helped me more than you know, keep it up :) No reply necessary, I'm sure you get hundreds of these. No reply necessary.

[@MotionHatch]

I think it would be down to practice. Maybe take a more traditional animation course and follow some folks that use Toon Boom.