-,.
GETTING YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR A CAREER IN ADVERTISING
An Honors Thesis (ID 499)
by
Kristina J. Robinson
Thesis Advisor
Prof. William C. Moser
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
February, 1988
Graduation Date:
Winter 1988
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.Acknowledgements
I would like to thank those people who gave their time to share their
knowledge and expertise to aid in the preparation and completion of this
paper. Without their assistance and support this report would not have
been possible.
My thesis advisor:
Professor William C. Moser
The advertising professionals who took the time to talk with me:
Daniel B. Roman - McCaffrey & McCall Inc.
Melissa Stone - Hickman & Associates Inc.
William Perkins - The Perkins Group Inc.
Rodney Ross - Martin A. Lave Marketing Inc.
Janet Brown - Morey & Waddell
Sam Davis - Handley & Miller
My family and friends for their love, patience, support and assistance:
Mike, Jane, Jimmy and Julie Robinson, Scott Brown, and Tricia Schug
With extra special thanks to my mother, Jane.
K.J.R.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I
Introduction •
1
The Purpose of Advertising •
2
Types of Advertising Agencies
• • • • • • • • •
3
The General Process that Occurs in Advertising •
4
Marketing Objectives
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
4
Marketing Strategies
5
Creation of the Advertising Campaign
5
Preparing the Campaign
5
Evaluation
6
The Importance of Objectives and Strategies
• • • • • • • • ••
6
Agency Organization
6
The Function of Each Department
7
Administrative
7
Account Management (Services) •
7
Account Planner •
8
Media • •
8
Creative
8
Salary and Advancement Opportunities •
9
Entry-Level Positions
9
Training ••
• 10
Job Security
• • • • • 10
Job Availability •
Women in Advertising
Advertising People • •
• • ••
• • 11
11
. 12
Know Yourself
13
Section II
Introduction
14
Grades and Activities
15
Educa.tion
15
Experience
16
Marke,ting Versus Journalism Majors
16
Uncertainty
17
Resume and Cover Letter
18
Preferred Format
18
Work Samples
19
Personality
20
Appearance
21
Attitude
21
Questionnaire
23
SECTION I
Introduction
The first section
general idea of
of
this
paper
is
to give you, the reader, a
what advertising is about.
It will address the issues
of why advertising exists, what advertisers do, what types of positions
are available, and what you can expect from the industry.
address ",hat the industry expects of its people.
It will also
2
The Purpose of Advertising
As "'ith any
advertising
career
is
you
for
advertising industry
area,
and
making
means
its
the decision of whether or not
understanding
product,
entering a
number
The
of ways.
Advertising agencies try
When a product is new or is
new market, the advertising agency tries to familiarize the
consumers with
dealing with
and
a
about
more
consumers about
improving
a
industry.
advertisements. exist for the
sale purpose of selling products or services.
to accomplish this in
the
the
the product.
When an advertising agency is
established product, they may continually remind
product.
Companies
are continually updating and
products, so advertising agencies attempt to spread the news
when something
about
a product changes.
cause consumers to
lose
faith
advertising agency
tries
to
and
Sometimes events occur which
confidence
in
reassure consumers.
a product, so the
Some advertising is
done to create a favorable impression about the company in the minds of
the
consumers.
This
advertising industry
is
and
also
known
is
involve hundreds
single product.
today.
long as
in the
goodwill
advertising.
its product is very dynamic.
changing and becoming more complex.
of advertising
as
The
Advertising is
How advertising is done, what type
produced. and where the advertisements are seen may
of
highly
Advertising
specialized
is
people
just
to advertise a
a central part of business operations
The industry is strong and it will continue to stay that way as
companies
1987
far, the most
Sales
compete for consumer dollars.
As Bart Cumming said
and Marketing Career Directory, "advertising is by
effective
method
of
telling
the
most people about a
company's product and convincing them to buy it."Cl:142-144)
3
Types of Advertising Agencies
Adve,rtising
agencies,
according to the
serve.
The
of
past
TIlerged
industry
few
with
many
other
types
of
firms,
vary
the company and the size of the market they
advertising
mania" of the
and/or
size
like
years.
the
has
Many
also
been
hit by the "merger
small agencies have been bought
larger, often international-sized, agencies.
Advertising agencies
can generally be placed in two basic categories -
general c:onsumer and
specialized.
vary greatly depending
think of
an
advertising
consumer agency.
depending
on
the
full services.
agency,
market,
normally
think
of
a general
some
general
consumer
However,
agencies
can
be
These companies have the personnel and the expertise to
any
advertising/marketing
given.(1:147) Specialized
they
you
When you
small.(2:9) General consumer agencies offer general or
virtually
account or
the type of agency they work for.
General consumer agencies tend to be large.
medium-sized to
handle
on
The type of work a person does will
offer
agencies
a
specific
assignment
they
particular
may be
cater
to
a
type
of
mode
of
advertising.(2:10) Some
agencies begin as full service, but end up specializing in a particular
type of account.
personnel, and
This
these
of advertising. (1:147)
for
example,
is
they
have
a
limited
amount
of
people become "specialists" at a particular type
There
business-to
entertainment,
medical
agencies
specialize
even
because
are many types of specialty advertising,
business
(health
in
(trade),
direct
marketing,
care), and political.(1:147-149) Some
different
facets
of
the
advertising
process, such as media buying, creative, and public relations.
4
The General Process That Occurs in Advertising
There is a
general
product, service,
process.
or
The size
process
company.
of
the
that
occurs in the advertising of a
There
market
are
and
five general steps in this
the size of the company whose
product is being advertised determines how many of these steps are done
by the company
alone,
and
how many steps are done by the company and
the agency together.(3)
Step One - Marketing Objectives
The first
marketing
step
is
objectives
where.(1:145) This
to
determine
answer
the
questions
clearly defined before
clear
come
to
and
of their objectives.
people
Whichever the case, the
must go over these objectives with a client
It is extremely important
parties are clear in their understanding of these objectives
the
eventual product, the advertisement, will be satisfactory
and successful.
rests on this
The
ads over and
rest
first
clear, the agency
over
to
they
If
the
process
in the creation of the ad
the client has not made his objectives
could spend a great deal of time, wasted time, doing
trying to make the client happy.
produce the desired
smoothly and
of
step.
have been improperly
know what
who,
the advertiser, or they may not
or help the client develop these objectives.
so that
what,
The client may have the marketing objectives
they
idea
advertising agency
that both
of
The
is where an understanding of marketing is extremely
important in advertising.
have a real
the marketing objectives.
set
not
well
understood,
the ads will not
results.(3) For the rest of the process to proceed
produce
want
or
If the objectives
the
the
desired results, the company must first
advertising
to
accomplish.
They
need to
5
clearly state
determine~
what
the
results
should
be.
The
company
must then
who the potential buyers are or which specific customers they
want this campaign to reach.
these potential
Finally, the company must decide on where
buyers are.(1:145) This, of course, is determining the
target market.
Step Two - Marketing Strategies
The second
step
entails determining
media should be
is
the
used
to
develop
methods
or
reach
the
to
the marketing strategies.
types
This
of advertising, and which
potential
buyers
and
meet the
marketing objectives. (1:145)
Step Three - Creation of the Advertising Campaign
The third
step,
the~
step
agency
advertising
is
and
should
to
the
say
create the advertising campaign.
client
to
the
work together to determine what the
consumer,
and
it.(1:145) Everyone
involved
should
focus
development of
campaign
to
smoothly,
important.
the
In this
go
how
it
should
say
on the objectives for the
the objectives become
The agency needs to understand what the client is trying to
accomplish or what
the message is, as well as who the client is trying
to reach.
Step Four - Preparing the Campaign
The fourth
printing,
and
step
is
actually
producing
television. (1:145) This
the
preparing
broadcast
the campaign, doing the
on
either
radio
or
step becomes easier, at least in terms of what
must be done, if the other steps have been done properly.
steps have set the constraints in which this step must fit.
The previous
6
Step
Five~
- Evaluation
The
final
The
advertising.
in
step
the
company
determines
objectivE!s. (1: 145) There are
the advertising
will
The BurkE! Test is
be
process
is
if
the
the
evaluation
advertising
of
the
met
the
several tests which can be done to see if
successful,
even before it hits the market.
one such type of test.
If an ad does not score well
on the Burke Test, it will never reach the public.(4:75) There are also
tests that can
be
However, the test
their sales
done
once
that
clients
the
advertisement
watch
is
on
the market.
most closely is whether or not
increase. (4:75) As was stated earlier, advertising is most
often done in the hopes of selling a product or service.
The Importance of Objectives and Strategies
As Jane Maas
ask how
copywriters
advertise~ments
strategy.
A
and
She~
her book, "people not in advertising often
art
commercials.
agency,
goes on
in
and
statement
client and the
why."
said
to
directors
These
'dream
up'
ideas for print
ideas actually evolve from the
agreed
upon
as
whom the product should be sold to and
say
to
(and sometimes bled over) by the
that "the key items of a good strategy are:
target audience, the benefit to the consumer, and the reason to believe
that
bene~fit,
also known as a 'support'." (4: 72)
Agency Organization
Since there is
production
of
a
general
advertisements,
organizational structures.
even thou.gh
process
agencies
of
events
agencies
often
that occur in the
have
similar
However, it is important to understand that
perform
similar
functions, they often identify
their departments and the positions of their personnel differently.
some agencies,
people
may
perform
many
functions
In
within the firm.
7
While in others,
usually
Most
function.
larger agencies, people only have one job or
advertising
agencies
generally
have
four
basic
departments, they are:
administrative, account management or services,
creative services, and
media.
the number
of personnel, the general departmental headings are usually
broken down
people
into
other
performing
agency
often
within an
agency
may
bookkeeping,
program
research,
relations.
Usually,
different
with
these
different functions.
vary.
Some
other
departments having
The positions available
departments
or positions
be in media, production, traffic, accounting or
production,
personnel,
departments there
many
departments,
many
within an
market
Depending on the size of the agency and
the
are.
consumer
international
larger
the
research,
copy research,
advertising,
agency,
the
and
more
public
different
Smaller agencies often have people who perform
functions
described by general departmental headings.
For example, the Research Department in some agencies perform all types
of research, consumer, market, and copy. (1: 147)
The Function of Each Department
Administrative
Although the
agency to
departmental
agency,
the
Obviously, there must
agency and make
actual
be
at
and
functional
functions
least
one
sure it runs smoothly.
titles
may vary from
performed are very similar.
or more people to manage the
This, of course, is the job of
the administrative personnel. (1: 147)
Account Management (Services)
The Account Management or Account Services Department contains the
most visible positions
area are
responsible
within the agency.
The people who work in this
for maintaining good relations with the clients.
8
They work with
and
to
the
establish
A
understanding
account
knowledge
and
account
people
services
meet the needs and strategies of the
to
within
position
The
strategies.
skills
coordinate the agency
client.
to determine the clients' wants and needs
clients
the
of
services
marketing.
These
requires
people
a
need
good
an
understanding of the client's business and most importantly, a full and
understanding
complete
of
their
agency,
services
its
and
capabilities. (5:192)
Account Planner
Another position
is that of Account Planner, which sometimes is a
function of an account services person.
is to set:
the
objectivE!s.
marketing
They
mix
then
The job of the Account Planner
objectives,
plan
the
role
as
that
well
the
as
the campaign
advertising
will
play.(5:193)
Media
Many agencies
also have a Media Department or people who function
as Media
Planners.
and most
economical
must work within
a
These people are responsible for choosing the best
ways of reaching the desired target market.
budget
as
well
as the marketing constraints and
objectivE!s set by the client and the agency.
and planners
combined.
buyer negotiates with
After
the
the
media
They
Many agencies have buyers
media schedules have been set, the
to
get the time slots or space at a
reasonable price.(5:193)
Creative
The Creative
common to
Department
is
advertising agencies.
the
final
department
that is most
The Creative Department is made up of
9
the artists
and
the
advertisE!ments.
with
dra~Ting
Of
copywriters
course,
the
who
artists must be very creative people
and graphics abilities.
works that are
describe the
seen
ads,
need an ability
in
but
to
to express ideas
the
ads.
these
actually create and design the
The copywriters write the actual
These people also write words that
words never get published.
think in words and pictures.
in
a lot of different ways.
Copywriters
They need to be able
They also must have the
ability to work as a team member and to accept criticism.(5:192-193)
Salary and Advancement Opportunities
There
are
advertislng.
many
different
Advertising
very challenging.
The
offers
a job.
hard, the advancements
will
Because
there
of
positions
available
a great deal of variety.
advertising
person's ability to do
advertisfng.
types
industry
bases
in
It is also
advancement
on a
If you are good at what you do and work
come.
are
There
so
is
many
no
set
career path in
different opportunities, a
person can usually begin in one area and move to another fairly easily.
The salary and
other
person's ability
markets are
to
do
around
starting salaries
compensation
their
$20,000.
in
job.
advertising is also based on a
Starting
However,
in
the
salaries in the larger
Indianapolis area the
are lower, often beginning around $12,000.
these seem low, if
a
Although
person gets in the door and works hard, they can
and most likely will advance. (3)
Entry-Level Positions
The entry-level
the agency
are that
and
of
the
positions
market.
assistants,
for
within
the industry vary depending on
Some of the common entry-level positions
example,
assistant
or trainee account
10
executive.
research
planner and/or
clerical or
assistant. junior copywriter, and assistant media
buyer.
In
some
markets.
secretarial positions.
some
people
Because this is such a competitive
industry. getting
your
challengE!.
are also other routes into advertising.
There
even begin in
first position is in some respects the biggest
Some people
begin by selling advertising space for newspapers, magazines, radio and
television stations.
agencies do hire
important: to
Some
people
people also begin with an internship.
for
the
Most
summer or for an internship.
It is
understand that the hiring for both interns and permanent
employees is done
on
accounts and
workload
the
part-time help
or
a
need
enlarge
basis.
demands
the
When
an
agency
acquires
new
more people. the agency will hire
permanent staff.
New people are also
hired as people advance or leave the agency. (3)
Training
Most advertising agencies do not have a specific training program.
Usually, an entry-level
agency.
work.
The
training
Some of
person is put to work with someone else in the
and
learning
experience comes from "hands-on"
the very large agencies have more defined training, but
most of the learning of the job comes from simply doing the job. (3)
Job Security
Many people
career.
work
for
more
than
one
agency during their
As they increase their skills. they may move to another agency
for advancement
agencies for a
accounts.
will
Some
corporate level
purposes,
change
people
of
or
for
a
atmosphere
leave
salary increase.
or
advertising
doing in-house advertising.
Others change
to work with other types of
agencies
to
work
on the
Advertising is not a very
11
secure industry,
based on the
especially
work
account, some jobs
agencies where
they
do for their accounts.
may be lost.
people
market and others
in larger agencies.
work
of
its
Advertising jobs are
If an agency loses an
This is especially true in the larger
on
only
size
one
account.
The Indianapolis
are generally more secure because the
agency personnel usually work with more than one account.(3)
Job Availability
The
advertising
entry-level job
industry
is
very
competitive.
Finding
that
right out of school demands hard work and persistence.
There are! many
more
people
industry could
ever use.
advertising in
college.
trying
to
get into advertising than the
There are almost 20,000 students majoring in
This
figure
does not include the many other
people w:l.th different majors who will try to get into advertising, such
as peOplE!
with majors like marketing, journalism and some liberal arts
students. (1:156)
Women in Advertising
AdvE!rtising offers
a
wealth of opportunity for women.
Women are
on the boards of many of the major advertising agencies in the country.
Women hold
many upper level management positions.
been advcmcing
industries.
in
advertising
Women
even
longer
dominate
than
they
In fact, women have
have in most other
some of the advertising agencies in
Indianapolis.
This is
than men are.
Some people believe that because advertising is a rather
liberal industry
and
advertising industry
industrie,s.
not to say that women are better at advertising
because
just
advancements
began
advancing
are based on ability, the
women
sooner
than other
Many times women seem more sure of what they want in their
12
careers.
They
also
seem
to
work
harder
to
prove their abilities
because they feel they must since they are women. (3)
Advertising People
As Bart
Cumming
business., ••• but not
wondering if you
some of the
said,
one
advertising
for
the
is
an "exciting, fast-paced
faint-of-heart." (l: 145) If you are
have got what it takes to be in advertising, consider
common words and phases that often come up when discussing
the industry and
the
people are constantly
able to T./Tork
with
Advertising
people
Advertising people
quickly and be
people
under
people
need
problem-solving skills.
J.
Pressure - advertising
great
deal of pressure.
yet
still
be
have
to
be
They
As
work in it.
a
must
flexible.
General Manager of
who
able
excellent
able
also
They must be
to compete with them.
communication
skills.
to accept responsibility, learn
must
be
curious
and have good
Roy Glah, Senior Vice President and Deputy
Walter
Thompson USA said in the 1987 Sales and
Marketing Career Directory,
"To be an outstanding advertising professional:
- You must be a student of marketing, advertising, and consumer
motivation.
You must learn and understand the role of advertising in
selling products and services for companies, and how an
a~vertising agency creates that advertising for them.
- You must be sensitive to intrinsic human values
historical and contemporary trends in our country.
and
to
- Yc,u must learn about the media - radio, television, newspaper,
ma.gazines, and outdoor - what kinds of people they reach, how
ma.ny they reach, and how much cost is involved."(6:174)
13
Know Yourself
Kno\oTing whether a
understanding of
and dislikes.
You
should think about
You can
also
career
yourself.
need
the
consider
You
to
ideal
your
in advertising is for you, takes a good
need
to honestly consider your likes
consider what your strong points are. You
types of positions you see yourself in.
past
work
experience and activities to
determinE! what you would and would not like doing in a job.
SECTION II
14
Introduction
Now that you
have
in advertising, you
this paper is
to
decided that you would like to pursue a career
have to begin your job search.
address
some
of
the
questions you may have about
looking for your first position in advertising.
perspective
that
It is written from the
you
are
a
advertising experience.
The
information
is based
information that was collected from interviews
primarily
with advertising
on
professionals.
college
The second part of
The
student
with
little
or
no
in this section of the paper
interviews
were
conducted in a
conversational manner with all questions being open-ended (see Appendix
1).
The
individuals
Indianapolis area.
been compiled to
represent
agencies
of
different
size
in the
The information gathered from these individuals has
represent
the
general
they will be referred to as one source.
opinions of all of them, and
15
Are GradE!s and Activities Important?
Many people worry that their grades will not be high enough.
grades are important
given situation.
intervie~Ters
since they demonstrate your ability to learn in a
However,
take
into
prospective employee.
involved in while
in.
Leadership
They
to do
are not the only factor advertising
you
also
when
look
they
at
were in school.
the
are
looking
activities
abilities
become
you
a
were
This does not mean which clubs
an important factor when looking at
Interviewers
something
extra.
like
They
to
like
see
a
a
person
who
is
person
who
shows
a
propensity to go beyond what the average student is doing.
your activities
at
joined, but which ones you actually participated
prospective employees.
willing
grades
consideration
you
or organizations
Good
You can use
to demonstrate skills that could easily be adapted and
transferred to a working situation.
However, it is extremely important
never to falsify this type of information just to make your resume look
good.
Interviewers
involved
in
an
determine, through
may
become
excessive
the
suspicious
amount
interview
of
they begin
Also, keep
working
in
mind
because
that
the
people
activities.
who have been
They
may
also
process, that you were not actually
involved in everything you say you were.
position.
of
Dishonesty will not get you a
people have lost their jobs once
employer
finds
out that the person
falsified his or her resume.(3)
Is a Four Year Degree Necessary to Work in Advertising?
For a few
four year
positions,
degree
may
not
positions in advertising,
college give people
a
such as the art or secretarial positions, a
be
necessary.
However,
for
a four year degree is a must.
chance
to
most
other
Four years of
grow and to learn in ways that they
16
otherwise would not
to learn and
have the opportunity to.
interact
get from high
It gives people a chance
with other individuals in ways that they do not
school, nor do they really get from a working situation.
Because of the complexity of advertising, the industry now demands that
people have
a college education, including business courses.
However,
at least in the Indianapolis market and most likely in other markets of
its size. an
M.B.A.
actually turned
expectations.
M.B.A.
is
not
necessary.
off by M.B.A.
However,
in
In
fact,
some
people
are
students because of their attitudes and
larger
markets
and
in
larger agencies,
students may be highly regarded.(3)
Is Experience Necessary?
Experience is
always
a
have
to
understand that you
people have done
of this
work
industry.
in
The
advertising.
anyway
Any type
to
in
start
any industry, but interviewers
somewhere.
other work at all.
relates
experience
It is important
people, and
any
plus
of
to
They
look
to see if
They try to determine if any
something
in
the
advertising
need not necessarily be directly related to
work experience is better than none at all.
remember
that
you
are
being
compared to other
anything that differentiates you in a positive manner will
give you an edge.(3)
Do Advertising Agencies Prefer Marketing Students or Journalism/
Advertising Students?
Advertisers
background
in
background
are
are
looking
marketing.
more
journalism/advertising
more
Graduates
suitable
majors.
and
more
with
a
to
the
Journalism/
well suited for the area of copywriting.
to
students
marketing/
industry
today
with
a
advertising
than
are
advertising majors may be
However, due to the nature of
17
the industry, some
understanding of
marketing
marketing
knowledge
is
is
apparent
from
general process that occurs in advertising.
in the flrst
section
of this paper.
a
must.
The need for an
the description of the
This process was discussed
Advertising is still a bit of an
art, but it does demand an understanding of the consumer market and how
it functions.
Advertising
is useless if it gives the wrong message or
reaches the wrong people. (3)
How Do Interviewers Feel About Applicants Who Are Unsure of Exactly
What They Want to Do?
Unc€:rtainty is a rather cormnon occurrence among graduating college
students.
no work
This is
especially
experience.
Some
true of students who have had little or
uncertainty
is
expected
by interviewers.
They unde:rstand that the nature of their business allows for few people
to come
to
them
with experience.
They also understand that students
come to them
after
being
bombarded
theoretical
information.
However,
industry, its positions
uncertainty.
If a
work in
Creative
tells the
the
all.
knowledge about
applicant
wishing to get
small
people
Department
that
The
will
great deal of different
understanding
clear
of
the
up some of this
something
into
or with Account Services, then this
perhaps
applicant
the industry.
knows
its
a
a
person does not know whether he or she would rather
interviewer
advertising at
and
with
the
applicant
should not be in
must display some type of general
Interviewers also prefer to see that an
about
advertising
their
need
specific
agency.
Students
to do research and network.
A
great deal of information can be gained from advertising organizations,
marketing groups, and area Business Journals. (3)
18
Resume and Cover Letter Details
Because communications
important:
to
the
excellent:
skills
advertising
both
in
personnel are appalled
they
recE~ive
skills,
both
oral
industry,
areas.
and
written
Interviewers
and
other
Some employers will
the
interviewers
feel
that
any
type
unacceptable.
Most
interviewers
feel
that
any
error
letter or the
resume
thoroughness are
this, mistakes of
candidate.
However, the
of
shows a lack of attention to detail.
of
agency
by the number of cover letters and resumes that
with spelling and grammatical errors.
of
so
applicants must demonstrate
overlook what they feel are obvious typographical errors.
majority
are
error
is
in the cover
Detail and
utmost
importance in advertising, and because of
kind
are generally going to eliminate you as a
any
Accuracy in the names and titles of the individuals you are
writing to are also important.
person rather
Always attempt to send your resume to a
than simply a title.
Names are very personal, so always
use the correct name and spelling of the individual you are writing to.
This type
of
agency and
information
asking
can be easily attained by simply calling an
the receptionist to whom resumes should be sent and
how to spell his or her name. (3)
What Type of Format is Preferred?
Unfortunately,
personal tastes
of
creative resumes.
such
as
the
the
However,
overall,
chronological,
deal
of
preferred
interviewer.
Advertising professionals
have a great
style
Some
time
extremely
to
people
according
like
to
the
to see some
the business format of a resume,
functional,
are
varies
spend
resumes that are brief and easy to read.
or
targeted,
works
best.
busy people, and they do not
reading
resumes.
They prefer
It is important to make every
19
effort to keep your resume to only one page.
that as a
graduating
college
student,
Many interviewers believe
you simply do not have enough
experience to constitute a resume of more than one page.(3)
Do Interviewers Like to See Samples of an Applicant's Work?
Interviewers like to
you have had
some
the interviewer
them of
this
graduates most
normally ask
college.
to two or
well.
The
would do if
they
atmosphere.
have
any
provide
that recent college
advertising material.
examples
They
of any writing done in
each
are
of
these
given
an
people
an
advertising
assignment much like they
employed with the agency, and they are paid to
the
agency
a
give
were
applicants
present their recommendations.
can see what abilities each applicant has.
person
works
under
pressure
and
in
a
real
In
They
work
The interviewer can also see the applicant's communication
the
information
is
presented both in written and
some of their own advertisements.
existing
.~dvertising
product.
This does
entir4~
to
understand
Some advertising professionals also suggest that applicants
put together
the
have some marketing experience, inform
not
applicants
abiljties, because
oral form.
do
will
Then
this way, the
the way
If
agencies, after narrowing the number of applicants down
three,
complete it.
you
Interviewers
applicants
assignment.
see
If
likely
Some
examples of the work you have done.
type of agency or other advertising experience, let
know.
as
see
campaign
not
advertising
your abilities,
you
and
doing
your
This entails taking an
own
campaign for the
mean only the ads themselves.
process.
must
create
You go through
To give the interviewer some idea of
objectives,
strategies. the actual
visual advertisement and/or copy, and the media plan. (3)
20
What do Advertising Agencies Look for in a Prospective Employee's
Personality?
The most important
you are just
out
of
think on your
feet
agencies like
to
industry allows
the report,
school
and
see
and should
not
to
who
can
As was mentioned earlier in
The interviewer needs to
people
who can be trained;
in other words,
have preconceived ideas of what advertising should
be.
Interviewers
real
does not expect
Advertising
learn quickly because the
is generally hands on.
see
not
people who are
are a great
a willingness to work very hard.
quickly and easily grasp concepts and begin applying
They like
do
with no experience, are the abilities to
little time for training.
can
people who
for you as an applicant to have, if
applicants
training
see that you
them.
abilities
"go
to
also
look
for
self-starters, and
getters." They like to see that an applicant
be started at the top.
Some entry-level positions
deal less than many college graduates expect.
However, if
you are willing
to start at the bottom and work hard, you will advance
quickly in most
cases.
work well
under
to a roller
They also look for people who are flexible and
pressure.
coaster.
Some
may be up and very busy.
The advertising industry is often compared
periods may be down, or slow, while others
This can be very hard on a person's emotions,
so an int,erviewer likes to know that a person can handle it.
on the agency
and
agencies like
to
also attempt
that of the
to
the
see
hire
type
of
position
you are applying for, some
that you have some creative ability.
individuals
Depending
Employers
whose personality will fit in with
other people in the office.
In advertising, the employees
must get along and be able to work together. (3)
21
Appearance
As
~Tith
intervie~Ting,
business
most
industries,
appearance
is
very
important.
you must always look very professional.
professional.
Individuality
atmosphere, but
They likE! to
should
applicants
and
in
interviewers
see
that
look
style
is
When
Advertising is a
the
part
of
fine
in
the
a
business
office/work
prefer business suits for the interview.
you understand that advertising is a business,
and that you take it serious1y.(3)
Attitude
Your attitude is
one of the most important factors in your search
for a position in advertising.
willing to work
very hard.
must set goals
and
Be aggressive
in
you
your
However, you should
exactly the area
is willing to
You must have an attitude of success.
strive
particular area that
to
start
reach
those
goals.
If
there
You
is
a
want to be in, tell this to the interviewer.
job
search
remember
you
You need to be positive, energetic, and
want.
that
and
you
have confidence in yourself.
may
not
be able to start in
Interviewers like to see an applicant who
anywhere, and who will work very hard to move up.
Another fact that
you should keep in mind is that you are dealing with
very busy people.
After
follow-up on that
letter.
you
send
your resume to someone, you should
You should tell the person you will contact
them on a specific
day, and then you should do it.
time then they do.
They
You have much more
do not want to spend all of their time trying
to contact you. (3)
You have got
to believe in yourself and your abilities.
interviewer a reason
to
hire
you.
Give the
If you do not believe in yourself
22
and your ability
to
get
hired,
then the interviewer will not have a
reason to believe
that
you should be hired.
However, be very careful
not to cross
line
from
arrogance.
the
yourself and your
desire.
abilities,
confidence
you
will
to
be
able
to
If
you know
get the job you
You may have to work for it, but your goals are attainable.(3)
APPENDIX I
23
QUESTIONNAIRE
What do you look for in an applicant?
Resume
Personality
Qualifications
Creative Ability
Drawing/design
Writing (experience)
Communication skills
Presentation abilities
How important are grades?
\vhich weighs more heavily, grades or activities?
Is experience in an advertising agency or some other type of
specific advertising experience necessary?
What type of educational background is most suitable and preferred
for prospective employee?
Do you prefer only advertising majors or do you hire other
types of disciplines?
Do you prefer a journalism/advertising background or is a
business marketing/advertising background suitable?
Is a marketing background suitable?
Is a strong computer background necessary?
Do people with computer background have a better chance over
other applicants who do not have a computer background?
Experience with many types of software?
MIS knowledge?
Is a four year college degree necessary to get into advertising?
Is more schooling becoming important, such as graduate degrees?
How do you feel about an applicant who is unsure of exactly which
area of advertising they want to work in?
Someone who comes in and says that they are willing to
work very hard at anything,
Is this type of uncertainty detrimental?
Do you find that women do well in advertising in general?
--,
Some say that women have more creative instincts than men do, do
you find this to be true?
Would you hire someone for the summer or a part-time basis?
24
Would you consider hiring someone for an internship?
Do you prefer to be contacted by telephone, or should applicants
simply s€~nd a cover letter and a resume?
Are
ther€~
entry-level positions that are common to this industry?
Where do your new employees generally begin?
Do peopl€~ normally begin jobs in this industry straight out of
college, or do they normally come to the advertising industry
from other businesses?
Do you train your new employees?
If yes, what type of training do you offer?
Do you budget or plan to hire a certain number of new people
each year?
Is there a career path that is common among ad agencies, or do
your employees follow different paths according to their particular
abilities and interests?
Could you describe some of these career paths?
Are the positions available in a small agency different from those
that are available in larger agencies?
In your opinion are there more opportunities in a small agency or
in a large one, particularly for someone just starting out?
How secure are jobs in the advertising industry in general?
Are they more or less secure in Indiana?
What are the advantages to working in an advertising agency as
compared to working in the Advertising Department for one company?
Are entry level salaries fairly competitive in this industry?
How do agencies go about getting their clients?
Many agencies list themselves in the telephone book under both
advertising and market consulting, what is the difference
between the two?
When an Hgency provides both services are the entities totally
separate?
Is there a cross-over of personnel for the two entities?
Do you H.nd that more companies are going to in-house advertising?
25
What trends do you see in the advertising business?
Do people within advertising have the opportunity to travel, or
does it depend on the size of the agency and their particular
position?
How much travel is normally involved?
Do people: normally stay in the business a long time?
Do many advertisers stay with the same company throughout their
whole career?
APPENDIX II
70
(.';DIA~APOUS
BUSL'IESS JOLJJ.:.'\AL·S 1968 BOOK OF Bl:SL'iESS USTS
LARGEST INDIANAPOLIS ADVERTISING AGENCIES
(RANKED BY NUMBER OF LOCAL STAFF)
.""'
.......
,~ 0/
No.ot
capltahzed
hK.llan HCounts
H..m~. addtttll, Il!ltpl'lOM
1.
2.
Montgomery Zukerman Davis Inc
1800N .......idian.~tIoor
!z~;§271
McC.affrey & McCall Inc.-
"
A,
SJ2-.
11
A9ft'lCY P'II"IClpal(sl
'"MIne.
~errNn
-,L_
S
$l~tnIkrI
RotIen McOw.lde
25 East Ced.af, Ztons'fli.
873-5900
3.
.,
Handley & MiII.r
,,, ......
111
1712 N. Mefkhan
Rdwd T. ICltuSMr
g27-5SOO
4.
Purson Crah.11O & Fletch.r
K.~Df\4I
Grou~
Cms.sing, Sot. 295
259-0163
5.
6.
Caldw.n.. Van Riper
'.
"
131. N. MenCIan
§2Z:§50'
AS
RcNId K. Pearson
S15.5~
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Frri J. WecmotI
CRElne.
22
1.
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_8<"-
$10.1"--'
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631.0260
7.
i
I
7.
I
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i
10.
I
11.
Bioomhorsl Story O'Hara Inc:.
"
200 S. Me-dian
fiJ9-H:lfi
2'
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2.
2S
Hickman & Associates Inc.
8900 KeysJOM Cros!iM'g. Sud. 540
...
S1UII"iion
,,-
Quinlin Advertising
8902N. MIwitUn.&"'~
...
Gurison Jasper Rose " Co.
02.. N. - . 2nd'_
••
27
13.
The DesIgn Group Inc.
3444N.W",-,-,_.
924-2;....
11
42
"
.. artln A. La.. Marketing Inc.
3iO. W. Bah. Sullo ,...
McSN"
--
..... McC.I;g
-
Richards &. AssclCiates
5623W.73rG
298-3331
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11.
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.'3-1113
573=5080
I
V.J. Story
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15
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14
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14
20
Sl.Stl6:Jr\
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303 N. AllbalN
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Metro lIarkellng Group
14.
16.
tnc.
262SN. Meridian, &tiIe "
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The Ma;'S1tc Group Inc.
1.7 S. Pennsytvaria. SuIte 501
13
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632·2021
16.
TUG Communicoliono Inc.
2002 E. 551t1 PI.
'3
1
2so.722?
16.
19.
Yourog & Laramo ...
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Hod ...·R....o Uvertising
18C12N.--..Com*
12
20
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19.
19.
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19.
The Pt;rkins Group Inc.
7256 N. Sl\ldel.ancll -'we .• Suu A
842·9555
Shepard p _ _" Advertising ..
Design
7lO1 k WoodAand [If.
293-1500
Laurenc. Char... Fr.. & La.SOII
9100 K.yslOM CroroSW'lg,
Sut. 665
12
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'2
...
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~
CII:InU'MI'. businHs 10 tIu$InHs,
-~
24.
24.
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"110 t<oysIono
SuOo1OD
CnIo_
"
110,., & W.dd_1I
5920~W.Dr.
10
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1
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'96'
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Bibliography and Endnotes
1
Cumming, Bart. "An Overview of the Advertising Business." in Marketing
and Sales Career Directory. New Jersey: The Career Press, Inc.
1987.
2
Katz, Judith A.
3
Interviews with:
Brown, Janet, Office Manager, Morey and Waddell, Indianapolis,
Indiana, 30 December 1987;
Davis, Sam, Vice President, Handley and Miller, Indianapolis,
Indiana, 8 January 1988;
Perkins, William, President, The Perkins Group Inc., Indianapolis
Indiana, 8 January 1988;
Roman, Daniel B., Senior Vice President, McCaffrey and McCall, Inc.,
Zionsville, Indiana, 8 January 1988;
Ross, Rodney, Vice President-Creative, Martin A. Lave Marketing, Inc.,
Indianapolis, Indiana, 14 January 1988;
Stone, Melissa E., Vice President Marketing and Account Services,
Hickman and Associates, Indianapolis, Indiana, 7 January 1988.
4
Maas, Jane. Adventures of An Advertising Woman.
Crest, 1986.
5
Hart, Norman A. and O'Conner, James, eds.
London: Heinemann, Second Ed., 1984.
6
Glah, Roy, "The Ideal Agency Account Executive." Sales and Marketing
Career Directory. New Jersey: The Career Press, Inc., 1987.
The Ad Game. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1984.
New York: Fawcett
The Practice of Advertising.
Burgart, Kristine J., "Staying Trendy: Advertising Agencies In Indiana."
Indiana Business Journal, January 1987, pp. 27-58.
Wright, John W., ed. The American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries.
York: Avon Publishers, 1987-1988 Edition.
New
Vestergard, Torben and Schroder, Kim. The Language of Advertising.
Oxford: Basil Black Publishers Ltd., 1985.
"Largest Indianapolis Advertising Agencies."
Journal's 1988 Book of Business Lists.
Indianapolis Business