You’re fresh out of school and itching to be a part of some boundary-pushing advertising. You can’t wait to put all that learning into practice and you’re on your way to making your mark in the industry.
That is, until you get your first job at an ad agency. That’s when things come to a screeching halt. You find yourself being the official note-taker in meetings. Refilling the coffee pot. And photocopying everyone else’s stuff. You’re getting passed around from one person to another, and all of them are just trying to “keep you busy”.
You’re getting passed around from one person to another, and all of them are just trying to “keep you busy”.
Congratulations. You are now officially paying your dues. And it sucks. It’s uncomfortable and frustrating, because you know you can do so much more. But realizing that this isn’t going to last forever and having a plan will help set the course for your career and maintain your sanity. (The latter is not guaranteed.)
Here are five important things you should know when starting your advertising career:
NOT ALL AD AGENCIES ARE THE SAME
Most new advertising grads want to work for the “big agencies”. Anything with an acronym will do, really. TBWA, DDB, JWT, Y&R, whatever. But with the economy still recovering, small-to-medium sized agencies are thriving thanks to their ability to be nimble and cost-efficient for their dollar-conscious clients. What’s more, they provide the perfect opportunity for newbies to cross-train and experience a broad range of roles in an agency. They are dynamic and non-traditional and provide a totally different experience when compared to their mammoth counterparts.
Most new advertising grads want to work for the “big agencies”. Anything with an acronym will do, really. TBWA, DDB, JWT, Y&R, whatever.
Do your research on the ad industry in your market. Follow agencies and creative shops on Twitter. Subscribe to their YouTube feeds. Fan them on Facebook. Understand which agencies you want to work for and why. And remember, just because one doesn’t work out for you, doesn’t mean others won’t. Continue reading