A Guide to Landing Your First Job
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DON’T “ STRESS ABOUT THE FUTURE. THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR GOOD PEOPLE.”
Tracy Wong Co-Founder Wong, Doody, Crandall, Weiner
THIS IS YOU
Stressed. Pessimistic. Sun-Deprived. Every day you hear about how other students at the University of Oregon are working at your dream company while you struggle to get the classes you need. The question on most minds is “how the hell do I get a job?” Easy. Read this handbook. “But wait, aren’t you a bunch of unemployed college students?” Yes. Which is why we sought out some help for this book. “Am I Interesting Enough?” features advice from recent advertising graduates who went from the position we are in to employees of major agencies such as 72&Sunny, Weiden+Kennedy, Droga5, Y&R and Code and Theory. Our goal is to lower your stress rates and protect your hair.
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WORK INTERVIEWS COMMUNICATION & INTERNSHIPS NETWORKING SOCIAL MEDIA & PRESENCE PORTFOLIO & résumé
1 WORK
Advertising is not a normal job. To gain an entry-level job in advertising, you have to show some experience. Isn’t that impossible? Probably. After all, how can you create a good portfolio of work if you’ve never actually worked? A problem this complex requires a creative solution. So we asked some creative people. Brock Kirby of Weiden+Kennedy, Nick Sugai of Code and Theory, and Nicole Karalekas of Droga5 have some tips.
& RÉSUMÉ WORK PORTFOLIO
The don’ts
The dos Be incredibly nuanced about execution. CD’s will find reasons to NOT like your book, and poor execution will be the first one.
Take risks and share new work as often as possible.
Pretend they only have 5 seconds. What will they see? Make those parts really excellent.
Put in personal work. People want to hire someone they find interesting and have things in common with.
Don’t hold back. Clients and CDs will hold you back in the real world, and you won’t get another opportunity like this again.
Do not think that knowing about cool stuff is the same as making cool stuff.
Don’t oversell yourself: worst case, you get a job you’re not prepared for and botch both it and your reputation.
Don’t be gimmicky. Don’t go baking cookies with your website address on them just to get someone to look at your résumé.
Nick Sugai
Brock Kirby
James Mueller
Nicole Karalekas
Nick Sugai
Brock Kirby
James Mueller
Nicole Karalekas
Jr. Copywriter | Code and Theory
Copywriter | W+K
Jr. Copywriter | Y&R
Jr. Copywriter | Code and Theory
Art Director | Droga5
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Copywriter | W+K
Jr. Copywriter | Y&R
Art Director | Droga5
WORK
PORTFOLIO & RÉSUMÉ
What Makes a Portfolio Stand out?
What are some ways to start building a blank Résumé?
How important is listing nonadvertising related experience?
Good ideas can only stand on the legs of the execution. Make it look good and professional.
It should be apparent that you know exactly what you want to do, so they know what to hire you for. Also, be able to do anything they might require of you in that job, from boring taglines to exciting video.
Join AHA or Ad Team and apply for internships.
Portfolio and proof of thinking matter more than work experience on a résumé.
Think of something that drives you nuts BOE mOE B creative way to solve it.
Listing it is not as interesting as seeing it come to life through work. I’d much rather see life experiences expressed through creative work in a portfolio than I would listed on paper.
Don’t just list your title. Write something you learned from it. And if it is not that interesting, you ARE in advertising, so mOE B XBZ UP NBLF JU unforgettable.
Nick Sugai
James Mueller
James Mueller
Brock Kirby
Nicole Karalekas
Brock Kirby
Nicole Karalekas
Jr. Copywriter | Code and Theory
Jr. Copywriter | Y&R
Jr. Copywriter | Y&R
Writer | W+K
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Art Director | Droga5
Writer | W+K
Art Director | Droga5
COMMUN 2 ICATION
Alright, so your portfolio is rocking, and you got an interview in order to see if they want you to intern for them. Wait, what? An interview?! Although commonly perceived as an asskissing fest, the interview is actually just another advertising project. The only difference is you’re not selling a product this time, no, you’re selling something you know much better: yourself. This is easier said than done. What do you wear? What do you say? Do you have to wait three days before calling them? And if they do end up liking you, how do you avoid being just another coffee jockey? After you stop dry heaving from the stress that comes with knowing you have to talk to a potential employer, calm down and read ahead. Tyler Kirsch from The Concept Farm and Becca Purice from 72andSunny have some advice.
COMMUNICATION
INTERVIEWS & INTERNSHIPS
The don’ts
The dos Be humble! You still have a lot to learn. They are looking for people who are willing to learn and be trained on the job.
Do your research. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the company you’re interviewing with.
Be curious! Ask questions. If you are going to be working there, you want to make sure that YOU and not just your skills will mU UIF DPNQBOZ culture.
Go in knowing what you want to take away from the interview including: information, job offer, another interview to meet more people, etc.
Don’t overdress! The advertising world is a lot more casual than you would expect. Wear something that shows your personality.
Don’t show up more than 15 minutes early. It will make whoever is interviewing you nervous.
Don’t be generic. #F TQFDJmD BCPVU yourself, about past work or experiences. Be colorful! Don’t be a bore. You won’t impress anyone.
Don’t oversell yourself: worst case, you get a job you’re not prepared for and botch both it and your reputation.
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Film Producer | 72andSunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
Film Producer | 72andSunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
Film Producer | 72&Sunny
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Copywriter | The Concept Farm
Film Producer | 72andSunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
COMMUNICATION INTERVIEWS & INTERNSHIPS
How do you avoid coming off as just another intern?
How long do you wait to follow up after an interview?
What’s a good way to initiate a relationship with an agency?
Don’t be boring.
Small projects or assignments can lead to big ideas. Go ABOVE and BEYOND and if they ask you to do something, do it.
Following up after an interview is a must, even if you decide not to pursue employment there. But be sure to also thank them for their time and consideration.
I think it’s appropriate to give an agency a week after your interview. A follow-up or thank you email is always a good idea. It can help you gauge when to expect a response.
Find someone within the agency who inspires you or that you can relate to and reach out to them directly.
Follow employees on social networks, set up ‘Google Alerts’ for their names so you always know when they’re in the news, and read their blogs.
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Becca Purice
Tyler Kirsch
Film Producer | 72andSunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
Film Producer | 72andSunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
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Film Producer | 72&Sunny
Copywriter | The Concept Farm
Social 3 media
It is the 21st century. Everyone from your best friends, to your pets, to your parents (sigh) is using social media websites. Your online presence should provide more than just a glimpse into what you wore on Halloween, and it should tell more than what your favorite brand of red cup is. As a media professional, you need to use your Internet persona to provide insight on your creative process. To further illustrate the importance of a strong online presence, we interviewed 72andSunny strategist Rachel Hom and junior copywriter Tyler Carrington about their experiences with the digital world.
SOCIAL MEDIA
NETWORKING & PRESENCE
The don’ts
The dos You need overwhelming evidence of both your existence and brilliance. Use Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Take a stance on something. Add something to the conversation rather than making a safe, surface observation.
Use Gmail (not Hotmail or Yahoo or whatever). I’m dead serious.
Write posts as you would write headline copy. Concise, smart, and powerful.
Don’t be anonymous when approaching agencies and agency people. Be friendly.
Don’t burn bridges by putting someone or an agency on blast.
Don’t be overly modest about the work you’ve done in your online portfolio.
Choose your battles, but don’t be afraid to debate.
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
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Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
SOCIAL MEDIA
NETWORKING & PRESENCE
How important is maintaining a blog?
What is the most effective Social Media platform to master?
What are tactical ways to nework using social media?
Very.
As a writer I can say professionals have gotten a better sense of my talent through reading my blog. I have even gotten meetings with people because of it.
E-MAIL. A well crafted personal e-mail with a genuine question, proposal, or name-drop is going to be worth way more than any other means of social media.
TWITTER. 80% of the industry is connected through it and you have the opportunity to be amplified by your network. It’s easily digestible and is an efficient platform.
Remember, getting a job is only the first step, and the job market is highly competitive. People are taking a break from Facebook, but not from making one-on-one connections with others.
Unless they are calling for hires, don’t reach out to industry people when you only want a job or internship from them. Build a genuine rapport with the person.
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Rachel Hom
Tyler Carrington
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
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Jr. Strategist | 72andSunny
Jr. Copywriter | Freelance
CONCLUSION Entering the job market is scary. Truthfully, the only people who will know how to stand out to employers are the employers. Frankly, reading this book probably didn’t take away all your stress about entering the job market. Hairs might still be pulled, sleep might still be lost, and you probably won’t land every job you apply for. But we hope we taught you how to better your chances. People who were in your shoes just a few years ago wrote the advice in this book. Today they are living their dreams and doing important work. If you heed their advice, you might just get off of the Top-Ramen-every-night-diet and Z[HY[ PUÅ\LUJPUN [OL J\S[\YL VM [OL ^VYSK 0UZ[LHK VM [Y`PUN [V Ä[ PU Z[HUK V\[ @V\ HYL PU[LYLZ[PUN LUV\NO if you want to be.
CONTRIBUTors V
Tyler Carrington Freelance Writer Graduated: 2012
rachel hom 72andSunny Jr. Strategist Graduated: 2010
Nicole Karalekas Droga5 Art Director Graduated: 2008
V
Brock Kirby Wieden+Kennedy Copywriter Graduated: 2008
V
V
Tyler Kirsch
James Mueller
The Concept Farm Jr. Copywriter Graduated: 2009
Y&R Jr. Copywriter Graduated: 2012
Special Thanks to
deb morrison
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Becca Purice 72andSunny Film Producer Graduated: 2009
V
Nick Sugai Code and Theory Jr. Copywriter Graduated: 2012
adaptive
creative Confident involved honest
genuine different
engaged interested
relevant
inspiring alive unique Competitive quick useful Brave inspired smart bold
nimble a change agent
insightful
interesting