Question

Topic: Career/Training

How To Get A Job In Marketing/advertising?

Posted by Anonymous on 5/15/2009 at 8:49 PM ET 130 Points
I recently graduated with a Business degree with a concentration in Marketing. I am looking for a position in a Marketing department at a company (consumer goods) or an entry level position in Account Management at an Ad agency or in Brand Management. I have had some experience in Marketing but never have worked for an ad agency or in Brand Management.

I wanted to know after targeting certain companies that I would like to work for, how do I position myself as someone who can solve their problems. What are some ways to find out the issues that companies are facing? Should I send me resume and a cover letter to these companies or are there more creative ways that I can get their attention? What are some of the avenues I need to be taking in order to land a job in Marketing/Advertising? I know an internship would be a good start but all the internships usually require someone to be enrolled in college. If anyone wants to share the steps they are taking to land a job or a story in how they landed their job I would love to hear. Also any other suggestions or strategies/plan I need to be doing let me know. Thanks!
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 5/15/2009 at 11:43 PM Accepted
    Dear Ss15,

    First of all, if you truly want to work in advertising, use your real
    name in posts on professional forums. You'll thank me for this one day.

    Second, as I've posted elsewhere on the MarketingProfs KHE,
    (see my response to the "Career/Training" question "How To Get
    An In" from Meshelley53, posted on 5/12/2009), become a student
    of advertising.

    Live it. Breathe it.

    It must become your meat and drink. The clothes on your back. And the dirt under your fingernails.

    Read Paul Arden's book "It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want To Be". It's a short read, two hours at the most. But goodness me, what a big book.

    Read the three books I recommend in my answer above, and heed
    the warning about others who are far more qualified and way more experienced than you. I'm not attempting to put you off by saying
    this; I just think it's wise to be realistic.

    If working in advertising is your dream, go for it. But temper your ambition with a healthy dose of reality.

    Visit this website www.cstadvertising.com. Half way down, in the middle of the page, you'll find a post from Dave Trott called "How to get your first job in advertising".

    You can even download it as a PDF.

    Dave Trott wrote this wee report years ago as a response to the many, many questions he got from students who thought they wanted to work in advertising. Its content is still relevant today and I urge you to read it at least twice, and to make notes.

    I've spent the best part of 25 years involved in marketing, design,
    copy writing, editing, and creative work for non-profit and for-profit organizations. I've served on the board of an ad club, and I've exchanged e-mails on a regular basis with two of the world's top
    creative directors.

    For me, it's enough to know that the two gentlemen concerned had really nice things to say about my writing when in truth, they had no need to.

    Many people who think they want to work "in advertising" see only
    the glamour and the aura of doing great work for great clients that
    will win them stacks and stacks of awards. "Look! I'm famous!".
    That's what their awards tell the world.

    It's nonsense.

    The day-to-day grind of creative work for many people in a
    creative environment is far from glamorous. I've worked on some
    great projects with some truly great people. I've also worked on
    jobs that were overseen, watered-down, and pimped to death by
    micro managing souls to the point beyond which the work contained anything of creative value, merit, or strength.

    Be prepared for this because it WILL happen.

    Although it's nice to be recognized (I've won regional awards and had my work published in an international design magazine), it's nowhere near the feeling you get when you're told that a piece of your work has helped increase sales.

    At its core (and the older I get), I think that's how creative work ought to be recognized and awarded, by the quality of its results for the client and his or her business.

    Lots of creative people lose sight of this. Some never see it at all. Bear this point in mind, particularly if you wind up in account management or brand management.

    Personally, by forgoing the brand-based model of "proper advertising" and by concentrating more on the greater pay off, results-wise, from direct response marketing, I've became a better creative and, I think,
    a better marketer.

    Before you rush into the glitzy world of Madison Avenue, step back, consider your options, and ask yourself what it is that you want to get out of your career.

    Then, give it your all. Working in a creative environment is a fantastic way to earn a living. I've had the privilege of earning my living by being creative for my entire working life. It's my craft. My passion. And one of my greatest loves.

    Many millions of people earn their living by doing hard manual labour (I've done my fair share of that too). Other people have people shooting at them, or bleeding on them, or worse.

    I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to earn my living by colouring things in and making things look pretty. And as Neil French
    said to me a few years ago "It's only bloody advertising. Nobody dies."

    So by all means old sport, if advertising is the thing for you, go for it. And if you want to read about a great master's program, I hear grand things about www.brandcenter.vcu.edu.

    I hope this helps you, and I wish you the best of luck with your career, really I do.

    Gary Bloomer
    Wilmington, DE, USA

    P.S. If I can be of any further help, let me know.


  • Posted on 5/16/2009 at 10:33 PM Author
    Dear Gary,

    I would have said Mr. but I read the other post you wrote to Meshelley53 so I decided not to, haha. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and thoughts on the question I posted. I also read Dave Trott 'How to get Your First Job in Advertising' which was very insightful and gives a realistic picture.

    I completely agree that it is more important of how your work has increased sales than the amount of awards you have gathered. I hope to accomplish the same thing, make a difference for a company.

    If you don't mind me asking, how did you first start your career in this field? How did you find your niche or your passion? How did your career progress? What is your experience in direct response marketing?

    What I like is sitting with a group of people or my co-workers, discussing and brainstorming ideas and strategies, whether it be a launch of new product or service, repositioning a company or coming up with creative ideas to attract new customers. I love seeing through a project from beginning to the end. With every new project I like to work with different companies; I think its interesting to learn how a company started, how it grew and solving their issues/increasing sales.

    Thank you again for the advice, I have read Ogilvy on Advertising and some other advertising and marketing books. I also keep reading up on Adweek.com, Adage and some other sites but I think I need do this more regularly. Like you said I need to breathe it and live it. I will check out some of the other books you recommended in the other posting. Do you have any suggestions in positioning myself to companies or ways I can gain experience especially in this economy?

    Thanks,
    Ss15
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 5/17/2009 at 11:41 PM Accepted
    Dear Ss15,

    How did I first start my career? At the bottom. I could go into considerable detail, but this is not the place.

    I HAVE gained a great deal of experience in all kinds of marketing, and direct response has played a major role in the work I've produced and contributed to.

    I've done everything from pre Mac days paste-up and mechanicals, to user experience and brand roll out and surveys. I hope this answers your question.

    Gary Bloomer,
    Wilmington, DE, USA
  • Posted on 5/19/2009 at 10:01 PM Author
    Thanks so much for your advice. I wish you the best in the future.

BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Career/Training)