Author Profile
- Name: Pierce Kehoe
- GLOCAL Cohort: Cohort 1 (2017-2019)
- GLOCAL Track: A (Glasgow-Barcelona-Rotterdam)
- Job Title and Company Name:
Creative Copywriter at DFNS - LinkedIn Profile
You are currently working as a creative copywriter, how did you get there?
I’ve always loved writing, coming up with ideas, and making them come to life. I knew some people even managed to do it for companies and make a living off of it. But I did not know what that job was actually called. Directly after GLOCAL, I worked as an online Community Manager. It was the first role I held where ‘copy’ was the term they used to describe the words we came up with. Once I learned that a ‘copywriter’ was a legitimate profession, it greatly improved the efficiency of my next job search. Eventually, I got a response to one of the many copywriting roles I applied for, and they took a chance on me.
What exactly are you doing at your current job?
I currently work as a Creative Copywriter for the sustainable care brand DFNS. Basically, they develop eco-friendly solutions that make your footwear and apparel last longer. I’m responsible for how the brand comes across in written word — on social media, press releases, product descriptions, pitch decks — you name it! For campaigns and the like, we usually start with a written manifesto that captures the mood and direction we want to go in. It works as a kind of brief. From there, I work with our digital and creative team to figure out how the campaign copy can marry with the visuals, in videos, ads, captions, etc.
Did you already know that you were interested in these fields during your GLOCAL studies?
The challenge of essay writing was always one of the aspects I enjoyed most about GLOCAL. Taking a big idea, researching it, wrestling with it, and then communicating why it was important was always very satisfying to me. Now I basically do that on a different scale. Instead of the word count being 5,000, it might be 100, or 20, or five.
How are the topics you are working with connected to GLOCAL?
Fashion, sports, sustainability, and the creative economy all come into play in my job and they are all things I had the chance to research during GLOCAL. Interestingly, the more generalist skillset I developed during GLOCAL has actually found a home in my specialist role as copywriter — having a broad cultural knowledge has proven very useful in generating and communicating words and ideas that resonate with people.
Read more about GLOCAL students’ creative activities:
What skills and experience are valued in candidates applying to work in creative industries or as content creators?
In my experience, showing you know how to communicate the value of your ideas is crucial. You have to know how to pitch. A lot. That means believing in yourself first and foremost. If you’re worried you don’t have the formal experience yet, start a podcast, or a channel, or a blog and include it in your CV or portfolio. Even small, personal, creative endeavours show employers you’re passionate and have the confidence to put your ideas out into the world.
Do you have any tips for current GLOCAL students in their job search after GLOCAL?
One thing I wish I had done more of was networking. Even without a particular end goal. Reach out to people on LinkedIn who do what you’re interested in. Then ask them if they wouldn’t mind chatting about how they got there, and what their day looks like. Sometimes this will open a door for you, sometimes not, but you’ll always learn something. Then, have something to show people who are interested in you. Having a small ‘pitch deck’ of yourself can be a less formal and more impactful way to follow up a call than a CV. When you do need to send a CV or portfolio, I think design can go a long way, especially in creative industries. Check out Behance.net to see how other creatives – including copywriters – present their work professionally. This can be daunting at first, but a little flair can go a long way. I was able to make my CV look a lot more ‘creative industries’ using Canva over Word.
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Author: Pierce Kehoe
Editor: SzuTung Chen
Featured Image Designer: ChangLin Yiin