Make contacts
Now you are ready to make your move, but how do you do it? You can look in the newspapers to see what jobs are listed in the classifieds, but that is where everyone else will be looking too. Your best way to find out about jobs is from the inside.
As the old saying goes, "It's not what you know, but who you know." I do not agree with the first part, but I definitely agree with the second. Here's highlighted a variety of ways that you can make direct contacts with people in the advertising industry and indirect contact with those on the fringe. Once you learn how to get on the inside, you will see how these contacts can be used to give you the edge you will need to find out about jobs before the news hits the streets. You will also find out how to use your contacts to make your move before the hungry job hunters flood the agency with resumes and phone calls.
Use networks
One of the best ways to get on the inside and find out what certain agencies are all about and what jobs might be opening up is through networking. Networking is the process of putting yourself in a position to meet other professionals who know people in the agency business.
Business groups and organizations
The easiest way to begin networking is by joining business organizations in your community as well as statewide and regional groups. Every state and town has a variety of groups that meet regularly for the purpose of networking. You can call the Chamber of Commerce in your area and get a listing of all the business associations in your state. This organization can also tell you who to contact for information on regional groups.
You will then need to call the specific organizations you are interested in to find out when they meet, who their members are (sometimes, if you ask, they will even send you a list of their members), and how much the dues are. Before you make a commitment to join, some of the groups may allow you to attend a meeting to see how you fit in. It is good to do this first, because you may find that a particular group has very little contact with the advertising trade.
Do not go crazy and join every local club. It is not necessary, and it can be very expensive, between membership fees and the price you will have to pay for meetings that usually include lunch or dinner. A few well-chosen organizations can often provide you with all the contacts you will need.
Your intention in joining a business organization is to mingle and talk with people at the meetings so they can become familiar with you. You want to make it known that you are trying to get a job in an agency. You do not need to be subtle about this. Everyone who joins these business organizations does it for the same reason-to make contacts that can help them in their careers or businesses. It is a good idea to have cards printed up with your name, address, phone number, and title that describe the area or niche you want to pursue. For instance, if you are a designer, include an identification title such as graphic designer under your name.
The people you meet at these business organizations will usually become your source for indirect contact into the advertising industry. These people might be the clients of local ad agencies or vendors for these agencies.
Vendors are companies that sell supplies and materials to an agency. That includes paper companies, printing companies, radio and television stations, newspapers, magazines, art supply companies, etc. These people can be a valuable source of information because they generally know the inside scoop on which agencies are growing, which are on the decline, who has been fired, and where the jobs are. They also know who the best person is to contact when you want to inquire about a position within a particular agency.
The clients of ad agencies, on the other hand, may not have all the nitty-gritty dirt about what is what, but they do have power. If you befriend a client of an agency you have targeted, that person's recommendation can carry its weight in gold. Agencies will bend over backwards to please their clients.
Advertising clubs
Local advertising clubs will be your most direct link into the field. These clubs are made up of agency employees, owners, media people, and even the advertising and marketing heads from area corporations, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. Your local and regional advertising trade journals should provide you with information on meeting times and places. Anyone can join. You do not have to be working in advertising to become a member.
The trade publications will also inform you of any other professional organizations in your area that are related to advertising. Some of these include the Public Relations Society, the Graphic Arts Guild, the Film Editors Guild, Women in Communications, and some other specialized groups and organizations geared to photographers, copywriters, illustrators, designers, etc.
Agency employees
When it comes to getting firsthand information about a particular agency, a former employee of that agency is far better to talk with than the present ones, because you do not want that agency to be aware of your private research endeavors-at least not now. It is not that you are doing anything underhanded that could hurt the agency; you are simply learning all you can to establish grounds for compatibility between you and the agency. Tipping your hand about your intentions to an agency's employees will take the punch out of your cover letter and eventual interview when you confidently reveal your knowledge about the agency-its activities, its goals, and how you could help them achieve those goals. So when you do come into contact with present employees, do not reveal the purpose of your hidden agenda if you do have the opportunity to ask questions. In fact, that is a wise rule to follow with anyone until you are able to establish a level of confidentiality. It is better to just say that you are interested in finding a job in an agency and not refer to any specific one until you have a comfortable, trusting relationship with that person.
Networking can give you the answers you will not find in the trade journals. What you read in trade journals and newspapers are often agency-generated press releases which will reveal only what the agency wants the public to know.
Classified ads
As I mentioned earlier, classified ads are not the best way to find out about an opening, but do not ignore them. The Sunday classified section in your local newspaper will be your best bet. Sunday papers have the highest weekly readership, so many agencies place ads to run only on Sundays. It is also a good investment to get a subscription to any local advertising magazines or business newspapers. Not only will you benefit from keeping up with the latest business community news, but most of these publications have classified sections. When an agency does have a position to fill, often the owner(s) will not even bother with the local paper but will instead place ads in local and regional advertising journals and business newspapers.
When you decide to respond to an ad, run through your list of network contacts to see if anyone you know has any connections at this agency. Anything you can do to make your cover letter and resume stand out from the many others that will come in at the same time will help.
Many classified ads specifically state that an applicant must send in a resume, and no phone calls will be accepted. In that case, it would be inappropriate to say in your cover letter that you will call to set up an appointment. You will just have to sit tight and wait to be called in for an interview.
Persistence is the key
Even if you get one of these dreaded letters back that says, "Thank you for your interest in our agency, but the position you inquired about has been filled," do not let that stand in your way. Just keep trying. Keep calling back every few months to see what is happening-if there are any new openings. And, if there is any way you can do it, try to get into the agency to meet with someone-anyone. If you cannot get to the top dog, take the underdog.
Kind, gentle, and thoughtful persistence will take you further than all the portfolios and degrees in the world. Persistence does not mean hounding people, it means making yourself available, coming back, and never giving up. Even if an agency does not have a position today, they will someday, and if you keep trying, they will not forget you.
