Getting a Job in an Ad Agency Getting a job in an ad agency requires a different process than your typical job would require. It is important that you understand how you are going to get a job in an ad agency when you are interested in going into advertising for your career.
Building Your Portfolio First, you should be sure that you have a portfolio that you are prepared to share. To develop a portfolio you are going to want to work closely with your professors so you can understand what assignments should be included in your portfolio so you are displaying your skills properly. While you are developing your skills in school, you should hone in on skills that you believe will be most valuable in the ad agency you are interested in. Getting a job in an ad agency will require you to set yourself apart from the other applicants. If you can intern with the ad agency that you are interested in working for, you should be sure that you take the intern position. Getting to know the people within the ad agency and setting yourself apart as a hard worker can give you an advantage when you are applying. As you are looking for internships, you should try to intern at ad agencies that you would want to work with. There are some ad students that decide that they would rather take any internship than work hard to get into a prestigious internship program.
Find the Job Second, after you graduate with your advertising degree you should be realistic about the type of job you are going to get. Many people struggle understanding that after they get their degree they are not going to be set up in the corner office of the ad agency. Rather, you are going to be working an entry level position and you will continue to move up. You should work your way up creatively and try to work outside of your job description when you have the time or when you have a great idea.
Give Freelance a Try Third, if you are trying to boost your portfolio try to freelance on your own time. As you are working freelance jobs, you can ensure that you are going to be able to bolster your portfolio and also network with people in a wide variety of fields. Networking can help you get a job. Take time to get to know as many people as you can in the advertising industry Taking time to hone in your skills and let yourself work hard will ensure that you can be successful as you are working. Do what you can throughout the time that you are looking for a job to make yourself stand out. Getting a job in an ad agency can be difficult, but you want to make sure that you are willing to work hard and work your way up to the job that you want. This way, you can be sure that you are in a position that you love and that you are able to work for many years to come.
Photo Credit: Boltron, Iris Laguna