Nick Kelly: How lies and white male privilege can get you to high places, fast, even if you probably shouldn't be there.

"Getting every staffing agency within a thirty–mile radius to try to find you a job is no easy task. It took months of work and sleep deprivation to build up a portfolio that people would actually pay attention to. I spent a lot of time redesigning mobile applications from big name brands and then posting them on my website as “concepts” so that I could make people think I had worked for that brand, but really I hadn’t. Basically, I had to manipulate my way to the top. It worked."

I find this terrifying.

Redesigns from outside-in are easy. Here's a very eloquent article on why you should keep your unsolicited redesign to yourself. Particularly good is the bit on why, from the outside-in, even a seasoned professional like Andy Rutledge makes basic mistakes due to personal misconceptions. It's terrifying because due diligence wasn't done to verify that he had actually worked for the brands on his portfolio, and he got away with it. At least, that's what he implies in his piece.

I also wonder whether he'd have had quite the same result if he were a black woman (or a non-white woman!) instead of a white male.

Or to put it another way...

"How I became an Art Director for the largest advertising network in the world… Before I turned 21"

(Because I'm white).

Wait, nugget! What are you on? Well... have a look at these articles (just a few of many), and then go back and read Nick Kelly's piece.

It's terrifying because it's a great illustration of getting a job 'because I'm white' + 'male' without necessarily having the skills to do said job.

It's terrifying because a place I once worked at, and loved with all my heart, was bought by Wunderman a few years ago.

Beyond that, I don't really have much else to say.