You have the skills and you know you have the talent, but now you need to know how to find those perfect advertising job opportunities. Compared to an advertising job search, getting the degree may seem like a stroll in the summer sun to some new graduates. Journalism majors can start their search by asking the following questions: Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Advertising majors can use this same advice.
Who is Hiring Advertising Employees Right Now?
The first thing to determine is who is actively hiring at this time. You need to discover the companies that have the best current job opportunities in advertising so you will have a good starting point. Put your network of friends, former professors, and family members to work for you. You might even get a good lead from a MySpace pal. You can search online job boards, especially those that have targeted advertising and marketing positions.
Ask professors for any possible leads or suggestions that they may have. Study the business pages and note which companies are expanding or opening new offices. If you have a network of people who have business connections, don’t be afraid to advertise your search to them. Remember, advertising is going to be your life from here on out.
What Job Do I Most Want in the Advertising Industry?
If you have not decided exactly what position is best for you, now is the time to start looking at a number of different positions. You can then choose the ones that seem most appealing to you.
Determine what positions are open at different companies and check the experience, education, and job requirements of each one. The advertising industry has a wide range of jobs and many of them will be entry-level positions. These jobs can get you in the workforce, where you can then show your employer just how much you have to offer, so don’t overlook them.
Where Do I Look for the Advertising Jobs I Want?
Not having a particular geographic region in mind and being open to a job in any location will allow you to perform the broadest possible job search. However, you may want to consider narrowing your search to one area of the country to make it a little more manageable. Taking the northeastern states alone, for example, will provide you with many job opportunities that you can apply for. Once you have a general area you can see if there is anything there that interests you, and if not then expand your search in increments.
When is My Personal Deadline for Getting a Job?
If finding a job is an immediate priority, online job posting boards like AdvertisingCrossing.com can lend you immeasurable help in your job search. You can find jobs in the areas of the country that you are interested in and can immediately see if you are qualified for them.
You will always want to make a search of possible job openings close to where you are now living. This will often be one of the quickest ways to find a job and local interviews can be arranged easily. You should set a time frame for finding a job, which will help you stay focused on landing your perfect position. An advertising job search can take several weeks or several months before you are hired. This is one of the most competitive fields and you need to stay alert and on task if you are going to place in the top ranks of the contenders for open positions.
Why Do Others Land the Positions?
If you want to know why others seem to be finding great work opportunities when you consider yourself a better candidate, the reason may be very simple: those people may have been better prepared. You may have heard the old saying about the early bird and the worm. That is a very powerful statement and very true when it comes to looking for jobs. The early candidate who is fully prepared and ready to roll on the first day of their job search is often rewarded with some of the plum jobs.
Well-prepared job candidates have their resumes put together and updated. They have taken the time to make sure that the resume is styled for the job that they are applying for. A resume for an advertising job needs to be a little more creative than resumes for some other positions. If the resume needs a professional touch, prepared candidates will have already attended to this detail before applying for the first position. They will also have a completed list of references on hand at all times. They will check the listings daily and be alert for emails or calls relating to jobs or interviews. Such preparations can be done by anyone; you only have to devote time and effort to the entire job search process from beginning to end.
If you structure your advertising job search around these points, it may surprise you how quickly you advance from job seeker to new employee. Organization, determination, and the ability to enthusiastically sell yourself to a new employer will set you apart from the other candidates at the beginning of the game.
