How To Get Work Experience In The Advertising Sector

Darren Johnson

Careers Adviser

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Areas Covered

• Overview of the Advertising Sector • What Employers Seek • Strategy for CV/Applications/Interview • Work Experience – Vacancy Sources• Questions

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Advertising Sector

Advertising Agency

Public RelationsConsultancy

Market Research Agency

The Media

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I.P.A

Institute of Practitioners in Advertising www.ipa.co.uk

-represent top 250 advertising agencies in U.K

Approx 19,000 staff working in member agencies – approx 700 graduates hired each year

Typical vacancies per agency 1-8

Typical numbers applying for individual graduate schemes – 750 - 1,250

ITS COMPETITIVE !

20% fedback in 2011 work experience in an agency essential for

graduate schemes

Majority state related work experience essential

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What are recruiters seeking

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What Are Employers Seeking

IPA Diagonal Thinking Test

http://www.ipa.co.uk/Content/Diagonal-Thinking-Introduction

http://www.diagonalthinking.co.uk/

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What Employers Seek

Team Players Persuasive High mental energy levels Well organised Attention to Detail Resilient Working under pressure Understanding of what makes a good advertisement Business acumen (commercial awareness)

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Main Career Areas

Account Manager

Account Planners

“Creatives” (copywriters /art directors)

Media planners/buyers

Research these roles:

www.ipa.co.uk

www.adassoc.org.uk

www.prospects.ac.uk

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Account Executive /ManagerMost Common Graduate Entry Area

Bridge between the client and the agency

Customer Relationship Skills

Project Management

Teamwork

Persuasive

Ability to cope under pressure to tight deadlines

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Account Planner

Concerned with research, analysis and strategic thinking

The Consumers representative at the agency

Ensure campaigns receive input from those at whom products/ads are focused at.

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Copywriters

Generally will need a portfolio

Could be gained through extra-curricular activities at university

Get it critiqued – charity NABS does this

http://www.nabs.org.uk/career_management.m

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Media Planners

Ability to sell/negotiate

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How To Maximise Your Chances of Success Starting Points

Understand how Advertising Agencies operate

as a creative business

Research agencies – find out typical clients/campaigns they have worked on which genuinely interest you

http://www.ipa.co.uk/AgencyList.aspx

Know where to look for vacancies

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Getting Work Experience

IPA has on-line directory of agencies to approach

On-line directory provides details of clients /achievements very useful for:

Speculative applications

Requires targeted cover letter and CV – demonstrate enthusiasm/passion for

the agency and relevant transferable skills, any specific sector related work

experience already obtained

Some of the larger agencies offer summer vacation placements AND……

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IPA Ad School - www.ipa.co.uk/adschool

•8 weeks work experience

•Either in client service/planning

or creative

•2nd July – 24th August

•Travel expenses paid (Zone 1 and 2 , London) paid

•£800 provided at the end•Deadline 30th March •

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Sources of Vacancies

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Sources of Vacancies

www.ipa.co.uk

http://creativeopportunities.arts.ac.uk/

www.dur.ac.uk/careers/vacancies/

Also consider related area (PR/Marketing)

Publications In Careers Centre with Contacts for Speculative Applications:

• Campaign – The A list • Whos Who In Direct Marketing • Hollis Directory (mainly PR consultancies)

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Recruitment Agencies:

www.pathfindersrecruitment.com

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Typical Questions

Describe an advert that could have been brilliant, but wasn't.

What makes a good advertising campaign?

What is your favourite advertisement and why?

What is your least favourite advertisement and why?

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Typical Questions

If you had 24 hours to live, how would you spend it?

List 10 things you could do with a coat hanger.

You awake from a coma after 15 years: what has changed?

You are in a totally white room: describe your surroundings without using the word "white"

What do you think this question should be?

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Selection Tests

Some examples

Group Activity– Pitch design and cost an ad campaign. – Come up with a new product, name it and pitch it.

– Individual interviews: discuss a script for a new advertisement

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Keep informed of current issues in the sector - http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/

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Don't be put off by the competition -