Last Monday morning it was decided in the memery office that each week a nominated staff member would write a blog post for memery. The topic was yours to choose and obviously had to relate to the world of advertising. If it was your nominated week and your blog post was not in by Friday 5:00pm you become the “memery minion”. I must admit the thought of writing my first blog that would be viewed by my work peers as well as the possibility of becoming the memery minion seemed quite daunting. What do I write about?
It is the beginning of the year and many undergraduates are trying to find their first job in the real world, which can be very overwhelming. Maybe I can help someone out there, as I was once in the very same situation. Read my tips!
Three or so years gone, hundreds of dollars spent on text books, and even more hundreds of dollars spent on beer and finally you have that piece of paper confirming the completion of your University degree. What next? University is in no way like school where the lady in the careers office picks out the best options for you. Instead Uni gives you one last ‘motivational’ speech at graduation and sends you on your way. Alone. That is, unless you go back to spend more heinous hours studying for your Masters – Good luck!
For many people starting out, the toughest challenge seems to be standing out from the crowd and getting that first big break into an ad agency. To help you out I have attempted to devise a plan. So follow these steps to get your foot into the advertising door – or at the very least your big toe!
Step 1. Update your CV online.
Once your CV has been submitted your future employers are likely to stalk you on the internet, making sure you’re the right fit and don’t have a hidden double life. A great example of this is Flight Centre. They ask job seekers to submit LinkedIn, Blog and Twitter details – rather than traditional resumes/CVs when applying for jobs. Make sure all of your social media accounts are up-to-date, they will be checking.
There are also some nifty websites updated daily with jobs across Australia and some overseas.
Lode School of Maverick Thinking
- Lode is the new way of connecting university students, graduates and alumni with Australia’s leading employers.
QUT CareerHub
- Unfortunately you can only access QUT CareerHub if you are a QUT student or alumni. If you did study at QUT this site is a must.
Mumbrella
- Not only is Mumbrella the best way to keep you informed of what is happening in the world of advertising, but they also list new jobs daily.
The Loop
- The Loop is like Facebook for the professional world allowing you to showcase your work online and get notifications when a job that suits you is posted.
Step 2. Intern
Agencies look at interns as potential employees. If you have the opportunity to intern, then by all means, you should. Sometimes the Boss might make you his minion and you’re mostly fetching glasses of ice cold water, but if you fetch that glass of water as quickly as you can they might just see how determined you are ( I actually did this – lesson learned Matt Granfield). Usually though, Interning will help you get an “in” to the agency but you’ll also be able to work in various areas you wouldn’t otherwise.
Step 3. Mingle
It is really important to look for opportunities to meet with people that are actively working in the advertising industry. Surprisingly Brisvegas has a number of events at good bars where this is possible. Here are a few.
QLD Youngbloods
- Youngbloods, a personal favourite, hosts networking events, provides info on industry jobs, industry news and tricks of the trade. Get involved!
Babes in Business
- Babes in Business is a Brisbane-based women’s networking organisation that puts a stiletto spin on traditional networking.
Networx Events
- Networx Brisbane delivers informative and inspirational networking seminar events to people in business, marketing, communication, PR, creative and digital whilst showcasing various funky, unique venues across Brisbane.
Brisbane Advertising and Design Club (BADC)
- A club that promotes, recognises and celebrates creativity in Brisbane’s Advertising and Design Industries.
Brisbane Social Media Coffee Mornings (BSMCM)
- An informal morning catch-up session (every Friday) for people involved in the marketing, advertising, PR, and digital worlds to get together and talk about social media, marketing and all that sort of stuff.
Before you go to a networking function jot down the agencies in your city, their client list and best campaigns, so when you meet the Creative Director of one of these you’re not lost for words and make a good impression.
Go out there confidently and meet with people who could be your next potential employer.
Step 4. Ad Life
Breathe, live and even dream advertising. Immerse yourself in this world. This might sound a little extreme, nay, ridiculous but if you want your dream job you really need to know what campaign was released that day, what company had an epic PR fail and the next step Google has taken in online world domination. You never know what questions could be asked in the interview. Read blogs, follow on twitter, and become a fan of organisations that devote themselves to advertising news.
Bookmark these sites for your daily go-to-guide and read up!
Mumbrella
- I have already mentioned this site for job listings, but it is also a great reference for everything under Australia’s media and marketing umbrella. Updated every day, throughout the day.
Ad News
- AdNews is Australia’s leading publication serving the advertising, marketing and media industries. Founded in 1928, it is published fortnightly in print with a daily email newsletter and comprehensive website.
B&T
- This site is an essential online source of information and a community where advertising and media professionals interact.
And here are some funny blogs to keep you motivated and reignite, or defuse, your passion for advertising.
Things Real People Don’t Say About Advertising
I Am The Client
Clients From Hell
Before the “creative” see it
Step 4 concludes my advice for getting a job in advertising – I hope my tips help someone out there looking for a job. As Ted Turner once said, “Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise”. Good luck and look forward to hearing some feedback!
PS I submitted my blog before 5:00pm so I am thankfully not next week’s memery minion.
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