Can you tell us more about AKQA?
AKQA is a design, innovation and communications agency that leverages the imaginative application of art and science. We have studios across the globe, including Paris, Sydney and New York.

What does your role look like?
In my role, I write a lot of copy for websites, social media and scripts. I also do a lot of conceptual work, which means looking at the ideas for a campaign from the very initial stages.

What three qualities do you need to do your job?
One skill you need as a writer is great time management to stay on top of your work, especially at an agency.

Number two would be collaboration and teamwork. I work with creative directors and designers, and we’re all working as one team to ensure that we’re delivering a project as best as we can.

Then, being naturally curious about things is so important as a writer. You never know what you’re going to be writing about, but being open-minded and actually investigating the topic you’re relaying will make it more exciting.

What fictional character do you think would be great at your job?
A fictional character that I think would do my job really well would definitely be Hermione Granger [of the Harry Potter series]. She’s really into reading, loves her books and she knows everything and anything.

Have you had any setbacks in your career so far?
AKQA was my first agency job. Initially, I put a lot of pressure on myself, and perfectionism was something that constantly came up whilst working. I learned about different mindfulness techniques, and speaking to friends and family about work concerns helped alleviate them.

Now, I give myself a set time to get a body of work finished. This helps me to stick to deadlines and not spend too long on perfecting the same lines.

Do you do any creative work outside of your job?
I love screenwriting and creating short films. After graduating from university, I wrote a spoken word piece and got my sister and her friends to act in the short film I created. It was really fun! It’s nice to balance everyday work life with hobbies like that.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
As a writer, my mentor was really straight with me about learning your active and passive voice and when to use both. So I definitely recommend deep-diving into that. Also, going over your grammar and spelling, just to make sure that what you're writing makes sense to everyone reading it.

What’s one thing you’d signpost young creatives to do?
As a creative, I’d honestly recommend going out into the world and experiencing as much as you can. If you're able to travel, do it. Explore museums, films and music because you never know what might spark your next great idea.

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AKQA is a Creative Lives in Progress brand partner. Every year, we partner with like-minded brands and agencies to support our initiative and keep Creative Lives a free resource for emerging creatives. To find out more about how you can work with us, email [email protected]

Find a video version of Rachel’s interview on our TikTok here.