The mail is sorted and distributed by the lowest person in the agency. Most likely they want the job you are looking for. And if they aren’t, it’s possible that they have much more important things to do than organize and distribute junk mail. So you have to be a little tricky to bypass them.

1. Mass mailing to multiple people to an agency is the first red flag. If they aren’t from publications and clients, they are clutter. In the trash they go.

2. A package is a package, but a tattered FedEx package is from eBay. Creative directors love getting gifts, and love ordering odd nick backs they see online. An easy way to get your book in their hands is to spend a little money and bypass those who guard the gate. FedEx or UPS your book. It’s also worth noting that regular mail and FedEx/ UPS are usually delivered separately from the mail. No one will EVER throw away a FedEx/UPS box. They quickly bring it to their desk.

3. You want agencies to hire you, so you think if you make your portfolio incredible with die cuts, engravings, and African ivory with gold leaf trim, creative directors are going to keep your book around out of guilt or admiration. They don’t. But on the rare case they do, they are kept by the messy creative directors who loose shit all the time in their office anyways.

4. “I know this guy at the agency, he can get my book into Creative Directors hands for me.” Is your friend good at what he does? Or does he have butterfingers with projects? Perceptively speaking, until you meet anyone in person or show your work, you will always be half as good as the person who is referring you to the agency. So even in the ideal situation if your friend is amazing at what he does, you will just be average, another creative trying to get their foot in the door. Or if your friend is just average, you will be sub par. The best things you can get from your friend are some time hanging out at the agency with them, and their email address. Do the math, yourfriend@agency.com = anyone@agency.com. Now you have a way to email creative directors.

5. Administrative people know everyone, they are the people at the gate, but they also can get in and go anywhere. Bribe them and get them to help you out. Ask them what they want in return for their help. Everyone can be bought.

6. Oddball shaped portfolios are never noticed as a conscious decision. Don’t waste your time, stay with a standard shape. It’s cheap and easy to fix and replace.

7. People remember faces, and have a harder time saying no to them. Every time you hand off your portfolio to someone else you lower your chance of getting something out of it. Go deliver it yourself. It has been scientifically proven that you get denied less if you talk to people in person.