How I broke into the advertising industry. How you can, too.

For anyone looking to break into the ad industry, the way I landed my first agency job may be a bit unorthodox. But this podcast offers some sound advice for anyone looking to launch a long and steady career in advertising— and how to end up in the role most suited to you and your skills.

The advertising industry has been glamorized by numerous TV shows and movies but like any other business, you just have to get your foot in the door. Here are a few tips to help steer you in the right direction.

1. Start out at a smaller agency. While many are drawn to the big accounts at the larger firms, a small agency will give you more opportunity to get a feel for all the different roles, not only to determine which best suits your career goals and strengths but simply to better understand the various functions within agency processes. This understanding will also prepare you to understand how all the departments work together should you aspire to climb the ladder to agency management. At larger agencies, you may not get that kind of exposure.
2. Leverage connections. If you don’t have any, make some. Marketing can be a very relationship-oriented business. Even creative professionals that have to show portfolios can find it beneficial to “know someone.” Join industry groups and network. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and be genuinely curious about the business. If you’re young and haven’t worked in an agency before, nobody will expect you to be an expert.
3. Get creative. Just listen to how I finally got my foot in the door. I’m not suggesting you do that same thing, but maybe it’s not a bad idea to get creative…and sometimes bold. Although your foot in the door could also be something as simple as an internship.

The advertising industry is changing constantly. You must be agile, able to pivot, learn new things and move quickly.
Creative Noggin is in full support of encouraging college grads to enter the business. Unfortunately, our 100% virtual model is not the most ideal learning environment to mentor new graduates so we don’t currently offer internships or hire inexperienced talent. But there are plenty of agencies who do!

We hope this helps and find its way to the ears of some young ambitious advertising junkies!