You know how to sell people on products. But how do you sell someone on you? If you're a budding copywriter or art director preparing your first portfolio, or want to improve yours, you need guidance like this paperback provides.

Written by a former bigtime creative department administrator, and now in its fourth edition, this very frank guide explains what a "professional" book consists of (even if you don't have produced work yet), and how to present yourself effectively. Not a generic "how to get a job" or interview-skills book... this is specifically about the ad biz. If you already work at a large agency, you probably know some of this already. But it's still a fun, inspiring read, and there are many good insights and references here for you, too.

Granted, it's very dated. By "book" and "portfolio," these days we mean your website and samples. Some the technical advice and nature of the industry have changed. It doesn't reflect the current world of freelancing and remote work. Some of the contributors may by now be retired or passed. Even the author has moved on to another industry. (She's a co-writer with a famous fiction author.)

By now, there are probably other books equally valuable. But this still a fun and important read. Because when it comes to judging a person's creative and business potential, the principles remain essentially the same.

(I will add my own advice that a beginning copywriter will learn a lot more, much faster by working in a staff situation, where you can talk with and observe fellow workers, and — if you're lucky — meet someone who becomes your mentor.)

Not only might this book shave years off your attempts to get onto the first rung of an ad-industry ladder, it could help you decide if it's the right ladder for you.
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To use this software, you simply select it as your printer. It enables you to prints pages 2-up (etc.), preview and make booklets, and combine multiple printouts into a single document, all without changing your document. I used to give this product a 100% endorsement. The latest version, while more capable, strikes me as sometimes a little confusing (why must all software favor obscure icons rather than menus?), but it's still invaluable for most of the things I've used it for -- especially consolidating printouts from various sources (very handy to take as a booklet when shopping at brick-and-mortar stores), printing as small as 8-up, annotating, creating booklets (even very thick, side-stitched ones), double-sided printing, etc. There's a companion product that makes PDF files, but if you already have a printer driver that creates PDF files, you can print to it from FinePrint.     LEARN MORE or GET IT