So You Want My Job? AKQA CCO Hugo Veiga on how becoming ‘Professor Carago’ got him hired

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Does your job now resemble that in any way?

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a different thing every day, it was always changing. At AKQA, we work with different kinds of brands that speak for a totally broad array of audiences through tools and channels, and every day I learn something new. I would say I got pretty close to my childhood dream.

How did you get your job? Tell us the full long story. Did you take an unusual route there or was it pretty standard? Any obstacles/funny stories along the way? Anything you would do differently?

When I was a junior writer at a Portuguese agency, I heard that JWT was hiring a copywriter. Since I didn’t have a portfolio that I was proud of, I decided to do something different.

In those days, if you were on the Lisbon subways you’d get cards from African mediums that promised to cure or solve any matter in your life: financial problems, unrequited love, you name it. They could solve everything. The most known was ‘Professor Karamba’, which translates as something like ‘Professor Damn’.

So I created ‘Professor Carago’, as a reference to how we say ‘damn’ in my hometown of Porto. Then I hired professionals that sold flowers on the Lisbon nightlife scene to deliver the cards of Professor Carago in front of JWT and other agencies. I promised to solve creative blocks, earn new clients and awaken envy in other agencies.

When creative directors started to reach out to me, I sent a book called ‘Professor Carago – life and work’ where I showed the other things I did in life such as working as an actor and writer for TV shows, being the lead singer of a rock band with no fans, doing cartoon dubbing, directing short stories, being national vice-champion on 400m hurdles, or winning four brand new cars on a Renault marketing competition for university students.

I didn’t get a job proposal from JWT, but five other agencies offered me a job.

OK, so what do you actually do? How would you explain your job to a taxi driver?

To a cab driver I’d say that I’m responsible for those six seconds that everyone can’t wait to skip on YouTube.

Do your parents understand what it is you do?

I think they do. Most importantly, they know I have fun doing it.

What do you love most about your job?

I like the newness that every day brings. I always worked with creativity, creating ways of blending brands into people’s conversations. At AKQA I found the possibility to rethink the future, helping to develop services and tools that help brands be more successful in modern times and use the innovative power of imagination to impact the world positively. It drives me bonkers.

How would someone entering the industry go about getting your job now? What would be their route?

They’d need to go through a completely different route than mine, since no two are the same. They would have additional references and ideas to problems that I would never think of. Whatever the route, they should feel happy along the journey. If you’re not feeling happy and excited then you should try a different path.

What advice would you offer to others entering the advertising industry, especially at this weird time?

Do your homework before closing the deal with an internet provider.

What would you say is the trait that best suits you for your role?

An optimism that almost touches ingenuity.

Who should those who want your job read or listen to?

Everyone should listen to my mom. She knows what you should eat and the right amount of hours to rest so you can grow to be a healthy person and best professional you can be.

Last week we spoke to Gila Wilensky, president of Xaxis’s US business (part of WPP).