December 2, 2009
Advice for Students Interested in an Agency Career
jhP often benefits when well-educated advertising and marketing graduates enter the field. So we make a point to speak at colleges, open ourselves up for questions and offer opportunities for students to come learn what we do. We try to help students understand the hard work and fun times that come with our industry, so we’d like to offer some general advice for those who are interested in the advertising/marketing field.
Internships are a vital part of an advertising or marketing education. It’s important to do as many internships as possible to learn what type of business you want to work in – large agency, small agency or an in-house marketing department. Take the opportunity to become a sponge! Soak up as much real-world experience and information as possible, and don’t be afraid to ask if you can assist anyone and everyone. Going above and beyond in each of your tasks will demonstrate your potential and set you apart from others.
Try to get hands-on experience anywhere that you have potential interest, so you can determine your true passion. For example, if you’re interested in video production, ask a TV station for a shadow day and then volunteer to come back and help out for free for a while. The business gets free labor, and you will be building an essential network of industry contacts while gaining valuable experience.
It’s not called work for nothing! Agency life is a lot of fun, but the hours are long. Be prepared to spend between 55 and 70 hours per week working, reading, learning and doing whatever it takes to make yourself and your agency better. You should expect to work 45-55 hours per week (although these numbers are conservative for some) even after a few years in the business. The world is always changing, and it’s our job to know how to adapt to those changes. Learning never ends in this profession.
Become an active member of your local AAF club or an advertising club at your college. Attend meetings. Ask questions when there are guest speakers. Get on the board and make things happen. You can’t be a wall flower in this industry. Introduce yourself to people and ask them questions about what they do, and ask for advice. You will find AAF to be open to helping students learn and experience as much as possible.
What advice would you give to students looking to gain a footing in the advertising industry?
Filed by the Partners at 6:09 pm under General Marketing
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