Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Back in my day trafficking involved:

- knowing how to read a media kit;
- knowing material specifications (size of the ads, file formats, film specifications, language requirements, etc.) for all the publications and media outlets;
- knowing the basics of the printing / broadcast industry (e.g. what’s a column inch or what’s the difference between ¾ inch tape and betacam?)
- knowing the deadlines, the drop dead deadlines, and the final printing deadlines for all the publications and media outlets;
- keeping a very good rolodex with the names and addresses of all your contacts and making sure you kept yourself in their good books:
o the production assistants at the media;
o the network censors and advertising bureau;
o the FedEx and UPS guys who pick up at your building;
o the IT guys who make the FTP site hum;
o the production manager and visual artists in your design group;
o and the prepress operators (OK, I’m dating myself).
- working to deadline and letting everyone know what the deadlines are;
- knowing how to fill out FedEx forms, commercial invoices, etc.
- being handy with packing materials and a tape gun;
- having a good pair of running shoes;
- keeping a detailed log with the dates, locations and shipping numbers of all the materials you send

By the way, trafficking can be one of the best jobs for breaking into the industry. Some of the benefits are: getting to meet almost everyone in the company; getting to move around the entire day; feeling like you’re making an impact for a client.

Good luck on your job interview.