Private & Confidential
Survey on Employees’ Perspective
On Training in Agencies
December, 2011
1
Table of Contents
Executive Summary................................................................................................................ 3
Detailed Summary of All Responses ...................................................................................... 10
2
Executive Summary
In September 2011 the 4A’s published a survey on training in advertising agencies from the agency
management perspective.
We wanted to follow that up with a survey probing agency employees’ perspective on training.
We distributed a link to an online questionnaire to our member agencies and asked them to forward it
to their employees.
A total of 336 employees completed the survey.
3
The tables below provide a picture of the respondents.
Size of Agency by Number of Employees
#
# Employees
Response
%
1
Up to 25
39
12%
2
26 – 50
66
20%
3
51 – 100
56
17%
4
101 – 300
132
39%
5
More than
300
43
13%
Total
336
100%
Years of Experience
#
Experience
Response
%
1
Up to 3 years
99
29%
2
3+ to 5 years
55
16%
3
5+ to 10 years
65
19%
4
10+ years
117
35%
Total
336
100%
4
Agency Disciplines Represented
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Account
Management
93
28%
2
Media
69
21%
3
Strategy
20
6%
4
Creative
34
10%
5
Production
18
5%
6
Project
Management
20
6%
7
Other (please
specify)
79
24%
Total
333
100%
The “Other” responses included Public Relations, Administration, Finance, HR, and others.
Summary of Responses
Overall Rating of Training and Developmental Opportunities
Agency employees are generally quite satisfied with the training opportunities offered to them. Fortysix percent (46%) rated their agency good and another 15% rated their agency very good in terms of
providing training opportunities. Only 13% rated their agency bad or very bad.
The good/very good rating remained consistently between 58-68% for all size agencies except for the
largest agencies with more than 300 employees where the favorable rating dropped to 47%.
The overall good/very good rating of 61% did not vary at all among employees with different levels of
experience.
5
Types of Training/Developmental Program Methods Offered
The most popular program methods offered by agencies were Informal “lunch and learns” (73%),
Webinars (67%), In-house seminars conducted by employees (63%), and New employee orientation
(63%).
The methods offered did not vary much by size of agency. As would be expected, the smaller agencies
use more outside resources and the largest agencies use more methods and are far more likely to have
new employee orientation and formal proprietary training programs.
Effectiveness of Training Methods
The training methods rated Very Effective/Beneficial or Effective/Beneficial were In-house seminars
conducted by consultants (83%), In-house seminars conducted by employees (80%), and Outside
seminars & conferences (76%).
It is interesting to note that webinars are the second most popular training method used, but only 58%
of the respondents rated them Very Effective/Beneficial or Effective/Beneficial.
We reviewed whether there was any significant difference in the effectiveness rating of different
training methods among employees with different levels of experience. For the most part, the ratings
were quite consistent across experience levels. Informal “lunch and learn” sessions were rated Very
Effective/Beneficial or Effective/Beneficial by more respondents in the Up to 3 years group (78%) than
any other group. Interestingly, courses on computer were rated Very Effective/Beneficial or
Effective/Beneficial by 53% of the Up to 3 years group and 56% of the 10+ years group. However,
courses on computer were rated Very Effective/Beneficial or Effective/Beneficial by only 29% of the 3 to
5 years group and 40% of the 5+ to 10 years group.
Training/Developmental Program Topics Wish List
Respondents were asked to indicate what training topics were not currently offered at their agency but
they wish they were as it would be beneficial to their career.
The topics indicated most often were Management/Supervisory Skills (46%), Leadership Training (44%),
and Strategic Thinking (42%). They were followed by Presentation Skills (38%) and New Business
Development (36%).
6
A broad range of topics were indicated as shown in the table below.
Answer
Response
%
Management/Supervisory
Skills
143
46%
Leadership Training
137
44%
Strategic Thinking
131
42%
Presentation Skills
118
38%
New Business
Development
112
36%
Marketing Plan
Development
106
34%
Inspiration Sessions (e.g.
speakers from outside of
the agency world?)
106
34%
Social Media
104
33%
New Technology
103
33%
Creative Thinking
102
33%
Brainstorming and
Facilitation
103
33%
Cross Discipline 101
104
33%
Client Relationship
Management
103
33%
New Media
101
32%
Team Building
97
31%
Negotiating Skills
96
31%
Presentation Writing
97
31%
Time Management
88
28%
Meeting Management
83
27%
Business Writing
76
24%
Interviewing Skills
75
24%
Coaching Skills
71
23%
7
Answer
Response
%
Discipline Specific Technical
Skills (discipline specific,
e.g. HTML5 training)
71
23%
Agency Functional Skills
(e.g. account management,
media)
68
22%
Planning and Organization
61
19%
Computer Skills
61
19%
Financial Management
60
19%
Management/Supervisory Skills, Leadership Training, and Strategic Thinking were in the top three
requested training topics in all agency size groups except the largest agencies. In agencies with more
than 300 employees the top three requested training topics were New Business Development (46%),
Coaching Skills (46%), and Brainstorming and Facilitation ((46%).
There were slight differences in the top three requested training topics among the different experience
levels, as shown below.
Up to 3 Years
Presentation Skills (41%)
Strategic Thinking (36%)
Management/Supervisory Skills (35%)
3+ to 5 Years
Management/Supervisory Skills (56%)
Creative Thinking (48%)
Strategic Thinking (46%)
5+ to 10 Years
Strategic Thinking (46%)
Leadership Training (46%
Management/Supervisory Skills (46%)
8
10+ Years
Management/Supervisory Skills (46%)
Leadership Training (44%
Strategic Thinking (42%)
Statements on Training
Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with the three statements below.
“I have received enough targeted training based on my level of experience and position.”
Forty percent (40%) of all respondents Agreed or Strongly Agreed with the statement while 31% were
neutral.
“There have been times in my career where training was too heavy.”
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of all respondents Disagreed or Strongly Disagreed with the statement.
“There have been times in my career where training lagged what I needed.”
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of all respondents Agreed or Strongly Agreed with the statement.
There was no difference in the responses to the statements from the different agency size groups or
from the difference experience levels.
Comments on the Types of Programs Agencies Offered
Employees a great many comments on the types of programs their agencies offered.
The comments are presented verbatim in the following Detailed Summary of All Responses (page 17).
9
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Respondents were asked to elaborate on the top 2-3 areas of training/development that they felt would
be most valuable to their development.
Due to the insights that can be derived from the comments, we present them verbatim in the following
Detailed Summary of All Responses, grouped by levels of experience (page 29).
10
Detailed Summary of All Responses
1. How would you rate your agency overall in terms of providing you
with relevant training and developmental opportunities?
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Very Good
50
15%
2
Good
155
46%
3
Neutral
90
27%
4
Bad
32
10%
5
Very Bad
9
3%
336
100%
Total
11
2. What types of training/developmental program methods does
your agency offer? (please check all that apply)
#
Answer
Response
%
1
Outside seminars &
conferences
197
59%
2
In-house seminars
conducted by
consultants
164
49%
3
In-house seminars
conducted by
employees
210
63%
4
Informal “lunch and
learn”
244
73%
5
Courses on the
computer
126
38%
6
Webinars
225
67%
7
New employee
orientation
212
63%
8
Mentorship/coaching
program
66
20%
9
Proprietary formal
training program (all
agency)
50
15%
10
Proprietary formal
training program
(department specific)
63
19%
11
Tuition
reimbursement
108
32%
12
Other
12
4%
Other Types of Training/Developmental Program Methods Offered
Membership dues are paid by agency
Our own national branding conference
Inspirational speakers
Internal or one on one for internal software
Professional memberships, well-rounded "training" outside the industry
Buddy system for new employees
12
3. Please indicate how effective/beneficial are the various training
methods that your agency uses.
#
Question
Very
Effective/Beneficial
Effective/
Beneficial
Neutral
Ineffective/Not
beneficial
Very
Ineffective
Responses
1
Outside seminars &
conferences
28%
48%
22%
1%
0%
242
2
In-house seminars
conducted by
consultants
24%
59%
14%
2%
1%
207
3
In-house seminars
conducted by
employees
17%
63%
17%
2%
1%
248
4
Informal “lunch and
learn"
13%
55%
28%
3%
1%
265
5
Courses on the
computer
10%
37%
38%
13%
2%
177
6
Webinars
6%
52%
32%
8%
2%
250
7
New employee
orientation
29%
37%
26%
7%
1%
242
8
Mentorship/coaching
program
22%
29%
38%
9%
2%
130
9
Proprietary formal
training program (all
agency)
18%
40%
36%
4%
3%
114
10
Proprietary formal
training program
(department specific)
20%
51%
24%
3%
3%
116
11
Tuition
reimbursement
20%
32%
42%
4%
3%
142
13
4. Below is a list of training/developmental program topics. Please
indicate which ones your agency does not currently offer but you wish
they did as they would be beneficial to your career development.
(Choose as many as applicable.)
#
Answer
Response
%
5
Management/Supervisory
Skills
143
46%
6
Leadership Training
137
44%
23
Strategic Thinking
131
42%
4
Presentation Skills
118
38%
8
New Business
Development
112
36%
7
Marketing Plan
Development
106
34%
27
Inspiration Sessions (e.g.
speakers from outside of
the agency world?)
106
34%
21
Social Media
104
33%
20
New Technology
103
33%
24
Creative Thinking
102
33%
16
Brainstorming and
Facilitation
103
33%
26
Cross Discipline 101
104
33%
14
Client Relationship
Management
103
33%
19
New Media
101
32%
12
Team Building
97
31%
17
Negotiating Skills
96
31%
3
Presentation Writing
97
31%
9
Time Management
88
28%
10
Meeting Management
83
27%
2
Business Writing
76
24%
13
Interviewing Skills
75
24%
15
Coaching Skills
71
23%
22
Discipline Specific
Technical Skills (discipline
specific, e.g. HTML5
71
23%
14
training)
25
Agency Functional Skills
(e.g. account
management, media)
68
22%
11
Planning and
Organization
61
19%
1
Computer Skills
61
19%
18
Financial Management
60
19%
28
Other (please elaborate)
2
1%
Other (please elaborate)
Agency-specific media planning course for new asst planners and planners
Innovation
15
5. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statements
below.
#
Question
Strongly
Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Responses
1
I have
received
enough
targeted
training
based on
my level of
experience
and
position.
5%
35%
31%
24%
5%
331
2
There
have been
times in
my career
where
training
was too
heavy.
1%
8%
12%
53%
25%
330
3
There
have been
times in
my career
where
training
lagged
what I
needed.
18%
51%
17%
12%
2%
331
16
6. Please elaborate on the type of programs your agency offers? Can
you describe the efforts you like in more detail – what is the
curriculum, what specific courses/sessions have you found to be the
most valuable?
Text Response
Our agency conducts an annual 2.5 day conference for clients and other marketing professionals that
our entire agency staff attends. The curriculum is based on what we hear from marketers is their
biggest business challenge. Lots of good speakers.
I've enjoyed lunch and learns with the CEO about the history of the agency and what the "style" of the
company is.
Media Class covering media specific tools, campaigns, etc.
There are two training offerings that I really love at my agency. One is the informal lunch and learn.
The person who is putting it on (usually someone from the agency, occasionally someone from the
outside) has spent a lot of time researching some aspect of advertising that they really love, and usually
they are very interactive. The information usually provided is personal experience, it's insightful, it's
usually straight from their own notebooks. Another is a presentation skills course we had in our
department over the course of six weeks. Each week we focused on a different aspect of presenting and
were given an interactive assignment to report back with the following week. I think this is a great
method or format for training. I know it takes time to develop the curriculum but I found it invaluable. I
use what I learned there all the time.
Lunch and Learns and Webinars are the most frequent and helpful.
Outside consultants and training programs offer fresh perspective. Internal training works best for nuts
and bolts functional instruction.
Nothing really
The in-house seminars conducted by in-house personnel are most effective. You are able to ask
questions and receive answers for "real-world" situations as opposed to textbook.
webinars and seminars
Our agency offers tuition reimbursement, but does not proactively offer any additional continuing
education courses. If an employee seeks out a course on their own, pays of it upfront and satisfactorily
completes the course--the employee is reimbursed. The employee must remain employed with the
company for one full calendar year after reimbursement, otherwise they must pay the reimbursement
back if they separate employment prior to fulfillment of the one year requirement. Sadly, within our
agency upper management does not seem to place emphasis on cultivating from within--they hire
people who come with skills rather than retain existing employees and cultivate continuity via enhanced
and continued education.
Our agency primarily offers access to a wide variety of external training sessions. Usually one or two day
seminars. Curriculum is dependent on the discipline. I have found courses/sessions on strategic
thinking/planning, public speaking and presentation skills to be most beneficial to my discipline (account
management). The courses that have been most beneficial are those in which the work was hands-on,
intensive and involved real-world client work. Generally speaking, the longer the course lasted (3-5
17
days), the more beneficial the course was to me.
I found the below courses of most value to me.
Writing skills Email Etiquette Excel workshop
Webinars is the extend of what they offer. No curriculum.
The best and truly useful trainings have been from outside consultants / agencies. Specifically, Excel
trainings and ad server trainings on location.
Agency offers courses on management and new programs/technology/platforms. I find that the most
valuable courses are the ones that allow me to learn on my own time, so I can spend extra time and
focus on the material without having to worry about it interfering with my work schedule.
Most is ad hoc or done internally. Internal training depends largely on the person training and the topic.
This is more beneficial for junior staff
They sent me to a seminar for a topic they felt I needed assistance in once; other that that the training
I've witnessed has been somewhat informal
Wide range of programs offered. Webinars are not usually as useful. I need hands-on -- even individual
help. Printed back-up manuals are very helpful. We have had some excellent computer training.
Omnicom University is a gold standard program - it is taught with business and agency cases - and
focuses on learning - with Harvard professors.
Not aware of any programs that our agency offer.
Fragmented offerings of training on system tools, research tools, planning tools and team building
exercises. Any employee driven is spear-headed at the Director level for their immediate reports which
has been beneficial for that specific team.
One can always learn more.
Training on new software is when reps come in and explain it, which I don't think is enough.
I like the courses where it's half theory, half practice because webinars and online quizzes just explain
the theory but when we put them into practice we can see the value in them. I also find it's better if it's
not an all day training because by the end of it you are exhausted and can barely pay attention. I find
the working lunches to be the best time for trainings.
Presentation skills was very good and helpful.
Haven't been here long enough to answer this
In-house training. Lunch Training.
Our agency does not seem to have a curriculum for training programs; it's very hap-hazard.
We have an e-learning system, but it is somewhat difficult to navigate and the courses are so long that it
can be a bit of a barrier to entry. Every once in a while they will bring in an outside source to train us on
specific tools that we use.
We have had very brief training on all IT programs as well as TNS, Tviews, DDS and more.
Had the RAB and a number of OOH representatives come in to discuss the landscape of their medium
along with new innovations. Great to hear about new and upcoming opportunities within specific
mediums. Also, had AOL's "Digital Prophet" come in to discuss the digital landscape and social. What
businesses are doing with the mediums to differentiate themselves and engage consumers.
It seems as though it offers everything.
I am in research so I cover a lot of planning tools. I have learned mostly through usage, but training has
18
been helpful and was a good introduction.
N/A
My agency has been increasing our training from out-side seminars. I think this is very benficial but if the
information is not shared will everyone people are missing out. I like when someone comes into our
office to give lectures and workshops.
1. Provided consultant training on new software ie: brought in consultant for Office 2010 for new
Operating systems for whole agency. 2. Have provided a user group to share frustrations or tips on the
new GMail software we just switched to.
Mostly just attending conferences/seminars that relate to account leadership (4A's), AAF and client
industry updates.
We don't do much - only external webinars, occasional lunch and learn's, and some conferences
through the associations that we are a part of. The most helpful thing is being a part of those external
associations and getting training through that. It's the best option given the size of our agency.
We have on line training sessions which are very tedious.
The "Lunch & Learn" program is a convenient and informative way to get caught up with the new ways
of the ever changing media industry. These programs cover an array of topics that are interesting to the
planner/buyer/supervisors of our office. I find these very enjoyable and have learned quite a bit from
these.
I have not been offered any training programs
They are willing to send someone to off-site training and they welcome new ideas for future programs.
They want to hear about what we are interested in.
not sure - haven't taken any courses and haven't reviewed offerings
NEW Assistant Planner Training Presentation Training taught by independent party
Most training currently offered is on the Account-side. I'd like to see more training for Creatives. The
only training we have had was when an employee was able to bring in a consultant (friend?) for some
CS5 training. It was helpful, but very much an overview. In general the Creative-side training is very
sparse; I'd like to see some high-level Adobe education opportunities.
While the framework for training exists at my company, the actual follow-through of employees to do it
is lacking--and not necessarily promoted by management.
Communications - 1 day course (in house/consultant - very useful) Leadership - 1 day course in house
with consultant - very useful Leadership 2 day course external, very useful
We offer training to new hires for their specific department. These trainings are often thorough and
extensive. I think we do a good job in this area. Trainings are conducted by existing staff members. We
dont do a good job of cross training. I think Lunch and LEarns have valuable but are best left to vendor
meetings rather than training. I don’t think web-based learning works.
There is typically formal training of all our media tools (IMS Clear Decisions, Kantar, etc) and whether
they are led by employees or outside vendors, they are usually very helpful.
Account Planning department has an eight-session training program, led by senior staff. No other
training is organized, it is sporadic and random. We participate in 4A’s training webinars.
E-Learnings are beneficial. For some things, like management skills and team building, I think an inhouse training would be more beneficial. We also had a Search/SEO certification that we needed to
take which was extremely beneficial and should have them in other disciplines.
19
Lunch and Learn / Webinars about how certain projects were approached from a business, technological
and creative stand-point.
the programs are very general and not customized to agency or marketing work
MPG offers Media 101 training to entry level employees 1x per year. While this is helpful and effective,
it is not offered frequently enough. Most other training opportunities are held via an online format
that is self-guided. This is not a very engaging method when employees are trying to understand
leadership or team building (these should be in-person sessions).
not much.
I have noticed that new employee orientation is changing, for the better. Also, there has been an
increase in the amount of employee-led informal learning, etc. Overall, there are several
opportunities for L&D that simply cannot be taken advantage of due to project schedules and the need
to have billable time.
Our agency doesn't offer any managerial training at all which I think would be very helpful.
Our agency does not offer any training outside of external seminars, conferences or webinars.
We do so many webinars - business writing, presentations skills, etc. These aren't valuable to me at all there is nothing worse than a webinar in my eyes - way too many distractions. What I do like, and what
is very beneficial to me, is all of our in-house training. The best is in-house training by coworkers - they
understand our day-to-day, and are able to make the courses interesting, informative, and they fit the
audience the best - because they are the audience. In-house training by consultants is also somewhat
beneficial, but sometimes it misses the mark because they don't know our company's culture as well as
we do, so a lot of what they teach is generalized.
webinars are very good.
A lot of training programs are offered. the most beneficial were from outside vendors --- typically
pertaining to presentation skills. The training course that have been most valuable to me are the ones
which encourage feedback, ask questions during the program and issue 'homework'.
We have a computer based training program. I don't find this to be effective - would prefer in-person
training, etc.
We have weekly lunches with internal expert presenters, a formal, long-term digital training program,
and various off-site training course offerings.
The agency so far has offered a series of digital training sessions, ranging from mobile, to social, to
project management. So far those programs have been helpful and interesting.
Recently large focus on digital training. In the past, great presentation training.
most valuable: managing expectations for performance
I appreciate that we are able to attend outside conferences. The lunch and learns put on by employees
are generally well done also.
My agency offers broad overview presentations about each task related to an agency from new biz
development to traffic. Any presentation or training is appreciated as in these day and times, it is better
to be skilled on all agency tasks rather than being pigeon holed to one.
It's all up to us to ask for something and the budget to go and get trained/attend a conference/ sign up
for a webinar etc. No formal training is offered.
ACE training- ranges from learning to do something you normally wouldn't (ex: Art Directors and Client
Service people had to write headlines.)
20
There is a training program but it is the responsibility of the employee to schedule and manage their
training as long as they have 40 hours. Not a lot of guidance.
Our agency put a concentrated effort on employee education through a formal process that gives
individuals to learn what is most applicable to their jobs. It has been a really great program!
This year, our company started an ACE program (Academy of Continuing Education) that requires each
associate to earn 40 hours of ACE credits each year. One hour equals one ACE credit. You can earn
credits by attending webinars, conferences, seminars, lunches, or by holding meetings, learning a new
skill, taking classes, reading industry-specific books, etc. Each associate sets up our own curriculum - i.e.;
I am supposed to spend 10 hours learning industry-specific topics, 5 hours on technology, 9 on cross
departmental training, 8 on leadership and management, and 8 on professional development and job
responsibility. Our company has been pretty good at providing ACE opportunities for us, but most of
them (especially the webinars) don't pertain to the categories in my curriculum (or if they do, they
aren't very effective/useful).
The agency I am currently with is outstanding in terms of training. Truly night and day difference from
my two previous agencies. They provide a training resource manual and the training process includes
shadowing my coworkers and hands on training sessions. They are very much encouraging of continuing
research and development in our profession.
We have a required program called ACE- which is basically a continuing education requirement. I think
it's a great way to increase your knowledge base and actively learn things that you may have never
considered looking in to. One suggestion for future new-hires/training: Perhaps a day or two should be
solely devoted to shadowing one particular person in your department. I shadowed various co-workers
but for an hour or two at a time. It was hard for me at first to grasp the "big picture"-- because I hardly
saw tasks from start to finish. Aside from that, my training was very organized. I had scheduled meetings
with co-workers from my department to demonstrate job responsibilities-- it really helped me get to
know everyone.
in-house training shows off what others are doing in the industry, webinars showcase how to
present/write a deck
I like that my agency offers opportunity for personal growth within the department through outside
courses in technology and software programs.
There isn't a specific training program available for my department. It's more of a "learn as you go" and
"I'll teach you when I need to do it" kind of situation. It's a little frustrating because I feel like I'm not
learning as much as I should be.
I think the agency has done a great job of teaching new employees about the internal requirements for
purchase orders, estimating, billing, etc. Seems like a no-brainer but I've worked places where you're
expected to learn by mistakes.
Once in a while people outside of the ad industry come in and speak about their careers/businesses. If
a technical skill is valuable for the interactive or broadcast departments, employees will be put through
training, which is great for the agency and the employee's growth.
I attended a management training seminar, offered by the AAAAs, that was incredibly helpful.
The training program for those in Account Management is good, primarily as it's provided by the 4As.
However, in other departments, there is very little consistency in scaffolded training or professional
development. It appears that structured development is at the discretion of the department head and
those who take initiative. However, the agency is very open when training in specific areas is formally
requested. That said, training is available to those who ask for it and they "know" it's available. That
21
information is not readily available to new hires so more transparency would be beneficial.
Of the programs offered by my Agency, I found the presentation course conducted by the improv group
the most informative.
They don't seem to offer any programs. The above list would all be effective and much needed
programs that could/should be implemented. Even simple mentoring would be helpful to implement.
The agency will sponsor several junior staffers' participation in the 4A's course each Spring to give them
greater exposure and more opportunity to take on new challenges. We also will get together for a
webinar every month or so, usually led by a consultant or other industry professional. Those have been
mostly centered around account management, however. Over the summer the agency began an
internal training program that involved outside speakers, development programs, and other activities to
try to fill in the training gaps that exist in our industry. It is something everyone responded well to at the
start, though I'm not sure if it has lost steam, funding, or interest. I haven't heard much about it since.
I'd like to bring back the on your feet session.
Very great digital training program! Comprehensive coverage of ALL digital topics imaginable.
Focused training. Sometimes it feels like a lot of information is put into an hour lunch.
From what I know, there is little-if-any established "curriculum" within our agency. I find value in
sessions outside of the office (4 A's one on Creativity back in October, for example) as well as anything
IT-related (as long as the trainer is in-person).
presentation skills, industry training/events, leadership, internal process training
Lunch and learns to discuss trends in digital and PR, Brief writing and concepting.
My company has an effective training program that includes both the training a person does as well as
the training session one teaches. It inspires everyone to be a part of the program. It has really helped
me explore new areas of technology that I knew nothing about.
I'm not aware of the specific training my agency has to offer, I'm sure they have something but it's not
communicated. I do feel like if I asked my boss, she would try and get the training I needed.
Find more value in less general and more specific focused courses. Have attended both and have a
better takeaway from a single topic with focus.
BSSP offers a bunch of training -- departmental with specifics about all aspects of the business, outside
consultants on future of account management, "Interactive As Second Language" where we learn about
all things digital. We also send people to conferences and they then are required to come back and
teach others what they learned.
The writing course offered for newer employees was a nice refresher course. It was easily tailored to
each participants' needs. The internal brand engagement meetings are also helpful but could serve as
useful team-building opportunities as well.
We have outside speakers, seminars, too infrequently. We especially need more inspirational sessions,
at the least! Is once a month too frequent?
LEAP Program - 1.5 year training program for new graduates. Very few agencies offer such a program
and I have found it to be very helpful.
We allow employees to choose from 4A's webinars and training programs.
I believe there are a lot of opportunities for training, but the challenges is making the time commitment
when billable work is always top priority
22
We presently offer what may improve an employee's body of knowledge in specific areas however we
are interested in being able to allow folks to participate in sessions/courses that sharpen their body of
knowledge and improve the employee's intellectual knowledge on the business we are in.
In the last several years, with the economic downturn, training sort of was put somewhat aside. That
said, it should get better in 2012.
There is currently no formal training program of any kind. As a new employee, you meet with direct
supervisors and pick things up as you go. Each department within the agency puts a very different
priority level to training and development.
Nothing is offered by the agency - if we find something on our own, sometimes they will pay for it- but
there is nothing offered by the agency itself.
New Hire Orientation was extremely valuable. Social media conference attendance allowed me to bring
home outside experts' advice to my team and my specific role.
Sporadic and irregular. Lunch and learns are 1-2 hours and range from broad strokes on what's new in
Social Media to explaining what SEO is. We recently purchased a subscription to an online teachyourself, tutorial website for Creatives to hone computer and technical skills. / / That is the extent of
formal training received over my 18 months in advertising.
4A's Course was great. It offered a good overview of all aspects of the Advertising/Marketing world. The
speakers were great and the overall course project was educational as well.
If there are programs, I have not been informed of what they would be. I have never asked, but this
form makes me think I should.
Agency is in a significant growth phase. Current course offerings are few, but plans are in place to begin
lunch and learns, etc.
Outside conferences on new technology/marketing have been helpful in exposing me to emerging
media. Various presentation training has been helpful, although the follow-on of providing regular
opportunities to use new skills sometimes lags behind. I wish we offered a more formal orientation.
Many people come in and don't even get an introduction to our file naming conventions, etc.
4A's webinars have been well received
Training programs that allow multiple facets of the agency to interact, and help you to learn more about
your internal team and how to capitalize those relationships to produce the best results externally
New biz
Our agency offers multiple opportunities for training of all sorts. We have been successful in receiving
training grants that have enable us to offer significant training programs that have advantaged many.
Specific training that has had measureable impact include new business development and technical
programming/software application.
Hiring outside consultants to give us more perspective about the outside agency landscape and client
side insights. Pushing us to always be better and think differently is invaluable.
I personally have attended: Project Management, Account Management, Managing Skills, various Lunch
and Learns, Negotiating Skills, etc.
Annual PR retreat with training sessions - Beneficial in that we have the opportunity to develop our PR
skills further and work with the different PR teams in EMA.
Webinar training has surprisingly been very valuable. In-person presentations from consultants have
been very informative too. My favorite topics are "presenting when you're not physically in the room"
23
and "reinventing account management." The speakers were engaging and seemed very knowledgeable.
/ / I really like how the agency encourages everyone to join instead of blowing off training.
Furthermore, I'm impressed that upper management actually incorporate the learnings into our daily
routine. The sessions I find most valuable are those that are broken down into bits that I can actually
apply to my job. / / I also find in helpful when our vendors (Mintel, Facebook) come in to talk about the
latest offerings and how to make the best use of their services/products. It's less entertaining, but still
helps me feel on top of my job to know what's going on. /
Department specific programs with details of how/what tools to use for each or every client; what is
expected of employee in their role within the department; webinars on new media
We've had training in Excel (in person by a consultant) which I found to be extremely beneficial to my
primary job function. He provided us with notes from the class, homework and examples we could use
on an every day basis which I've now applied to my job. / / I've taken a couple of the business writing
presentations online however my personal preference is a one on one classroom type setting with a
consultant. / / The employee "seminars" are occasionally presented in our monthly meetings but the
last two presentations did not directly relate to my departments basic functions resulting in a lot of
disinterest from employees. / / The weekly springboard trainings have been beneficial because it again
has provided an overall view of different functions of various departments, how they work and it all fits
into the bigger picture of the organization.
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7. Are there mandatory programs that you do NOT find to be
valuable? Why?
Text Response
Nope
None
No
Training comes primarily in the form of a webinar. I find them ineffectual b/c of the varying levels of
ability among attendees. On one hand, Information usually must be top line to accommodate. For
instance in a "social media" webinar, I'm expecting cutting edge information, how to apply to my own
campaigns, stuff I haven't heard about or only just heard about, etc. Instead it's usually a case study
promoting whatever sponsor funded the webinar or really basic information. Also, regarding software
training, webinars are ineffective b/c there is no way to practice while running through. There's no
possible way I'm going to remember the steps to run a report for the first time on my own, for instance.
I think software training should be limited to 1 or 2 students per teacher, and that each student should
be able to run through the process on their own...Not watch on a screen.
No
No
Diversity training... i understand the need behind it, but at every agency I've attended, the "so what"
falls flat in terms of anyone's day to day.
no not training programs
None. All are valuable to some degree.
None
No.
No.
I find everything the agency has to offer to be of value to me if i don't already know the subject being
presented
Nothing is mandatory.
No
Sensitivity and bribery training. A webinar that people can take at their own pace would be more
valuable than a course with forced time limits and restrictions.
Presentation training by an outside consultant was okay, but did not seem to reflect the nature of our
business well. One point stressed was that a live presentation should never contain the same content as
a leave behind, but our clients routinely ask us to "send the deck" over after a presentation and creating
2 separate deliverables is usually not feasible. Another point was "leave time to practice" - great
advice but obvious and also not always practical. In a short turnaround pitch, you only have so much
time...
no mandatory programs
No
Digital presentations that are presented by the President of Digital. Other members of the team provide
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valuable insight vs. the leader of the team.
sexual harassment
We don't really have mandatory programs.
n/a
Yes, I don't use them for my job
Haven't been here long enough to answer this.
n/a
Not really, there is always something to learn regardless.
Not applicable.
Not that I can think of.
No.
No
N/a
no, I think more training should be mandatory, right now everything is still on a volunteer basis.
No
Lunch & learn - just because no one really attends them; seems optional
No
S
None that I am aware of
Webinars can have interesting information, but don't really get much out of them.
No
No
I believe there are efforts made to make training available. But the workload, at times, prevents the
ability to take advantage of the training provided. I have found over my career that is much more about
learning as you go and learning how that account works, rather than general training. I would prefer
more time for training and the ability to take advantage, to further myself and my career.
anything web-based is challenging.
None.
No, we do not have mandatory training sessions.
No
n/a
n/a
Any of the oracle courses which are required for legal training. These are poorly constructed and have
no impact.
No programs at all.
not applicable
Anything that is a webinar - there are too many distractions. An email pops up with something urgent
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that needs to be done, the notification is on the screen, and you loose focus.
our programs are not mandatory
No.
No
No.
operational systems training leaves something to be desired
Security and ethics training that is not helpful due to the format. The computer courses are boring and
time consuming.
n/a
No
Not really; I think the ACE program is a good idea, I just wish our agency helped us find better
classes/resources/seminars to attend. We are responsible for finding them on our own, which is fine,
but most of us have very little time during the day to research those opportunities.
no mandatory programs
None.
Not really that many mandatory programs. I can't think of any outside of sexual harassment training.
No
Other than annual meeting, we do not have mandatory programs.
n/a
Not really. More info is always better than none. Agency does a great job of making these resources
available at a manageable frequency.
No there aren't.
I feel they are all valuable to a certain extent.
No, the programs that have been offered have been worthwhile
No, nothing is mandatory here.
Yes. New employees orientation requires a stop with each department head even if that person will not
be interacting on a regular basis. Needs to be more geared to their job responsibilities.
No.
The lunch and learn courses that were offered this past year were not very valuable. The topics could
have been interesting and beneficial, but the presenter was dull and didn't encourage much interaction.
The idea behind the lunch and learns is a good one, but the topics and presenters could use
improvement.
Nope, not at all. But it is a fine line, making things mandatory vs non-mandatory.
None
No
No. If they're mandatory it makes sense to create value in them
Nothing mandatory.
there are no mandatory programs.
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n/a
None thus far.
No
No, we have no mandatory programs.
No - there are no mandatory programs at our agency
N/A
All are valuable here, or I don't think we would do them. What's important is making sure that all team
members see that value in attending and then putting into practice.
No.
No mandatory programs.
No
No-- as a new employee in an entry-level position, I feel that all programs and training that I have
received thus far has been very beneficial
No
No mandatory programs that come to mind. Although, sometimes certain people are selected for
certain kinds of training. Wasn't the choice of the person, was the choice of the agency. I don't think
this has been harmful in any way, however.
We don't have any training that is mandatory.
No
No, they've all been pretty valuable. Not all as entertaining to partake in, but still good to know.
No
N/A
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8. Please elaborate if you can around the top 2 - 3 areas of
training/development that you feel would be most valuable to your
development.
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Due to the insights that can be derived from the comments, we present them verbatim in the tables
below, grouped by levels of experience.
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
Marketing program certifications; workflow management
More social media training; more presentation skills training
Media buying/planning/billing (DDS training); internal financial management
I feel new employee training is essential. It occurs at our larger office in New York, but is
extremely weak in the Mid-West and West Coast offices.
Strategic thinking; new media; presentation skills
Client relations; management/managing others; media math.
I feel that with so many changes to the teams that perhaps a team building course could help
teams work better together.
Learning the planning, buying and financial side of the agency's workflow.
We need more cross-departmental training, as well as more relationship management training
to be successful.
Training on new developments in media; training on the use of tools related to media planning
I think we need more formal training for new employees on all programs, and not just training
from their supervisor. I would like additional training on all things digital. I think it would help
the team to be more integrated. I would also like more training on some negotiating and
presenting skills, as we don't receive any formal training on these.
I believe the opportunity is there for training, but I believe that I could be encouraged more to
practice with them in order to have a better understanding
I do feel I would benefit greatly from more in depth training in new/emerging media channels.
Leadership training; business writing; presentation writing
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Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
Account management/client relationship training. 95% of our job is account management
focused, however we have no internal mentors or trainers that can help you to grow. The
average employee has less than three years experience, so the lack of a middle management or
mentor seems like an incredibly large miss; many of our young AM's growth and career
development may be stunted due to the lack of teaching/coaching/mentoring.
Negotiation training; account direction training; strategic leadership training.
I feel that New Business Development, Management/Supervisory Skills and Client Relationship
management would be very helpful to me. I'm at the point in my career where I've conquered
all of the 'whats' and the 'hows', but I want to understand the 'whys' and help come up with the
'what's next'.
Time management/staying organized seems like one of the most important aspects in my
department. I spent my first week or so studying how others managed tasks throughout the day.
A training session that stresses the importance of deadlines, organization, prioritizing, etc.
would really help.
Mentorship in agency; training in certain programs; agency departments 101
Client Relationship Management; Negotiating Skills; Management/Supervisory Skills
I think we all could continue to develop our presentation skills, and that is one particular area
that we could do better as an agency in supporting. Another is having a regular presence at
industry events, especially as they relate to strategy/planning.
Presentation and public speaking training/courses would be helpful with client presentations.
Team management; financial management
Presentation skills and business writing
I feel that understanding a little bit better what the other departments in the agency do would
be valuable to my development. Also, I think that project/time management training would help
and learning some discipline/specific skills would be helpful.
Although I have had extensive training prior to joining the agency, our employees as a whole
would benefit from improved writing and presenting skills.
Client relationship management; leadership skills; strategic thinking
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Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with Up to 3 Years Experience
At a previous agency that I interned at, once a month during the lunch hour, they had someone
from outside the agency world come in for a agency wide inspiration session Lunch n Learn. I
think my agency should consider implementing a similar program.
Strategic thinking; creative writing; and presentation skills
Account planning, budgeting and organization (always open to exchanging ideas, success stories,
best practices, etc.). Cross-department interaction has also been very fulfilling, particularly
developing my new media skillset.
1. I think a seminar in creative thinking development would be very beneficial to help us all
really expand our ways of coming up with ideas for future projects. 2. Discipline specific
seminars/class would be most helpful so that we are able to produce the most up-to-date work,
as well as be able to accomplish much more within the office without having to use outside
sources for programs we don't currently know how to use/are not well enough trained to use.
Training in new media and social media would be very beneficial; how they've been used
successfully, and the basics on how they work so that we understand how we can best
incorporate relevant new and social media into our current campaigns for our clients. Strategic
and/or creative thinking would also be very appreciated. As a newbie to the industry, some of
the best ways to learn these skills are from others who have been around the block a few times.
Problem is, the great strategic and creative thinkers within our agency are usually too busy with
"real" (i.e. client) work to impart knowledge on an everyday or casual basis. Specific
(particularly, computer) technical skills that make you more valuable to your company are
always the best learning opportunities, in my opinion. (i.e. Flash, Dreamweaver, designing a site
to be SEO-friendly, etc.)
Online courses; in-house development program; conferences
I think (1)Company/team building & creative exercises and (2)cross discipline introduction &
training would be most beneficial. Both keep the work environment positive and creative while
increasing the value of the employees of the agency.
Leadership and innovation.
Social Media/Digital planning and technology education; the basics of mobile advertising; new
media/technology
31
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 3+ to 5 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 3+ to 5 Years Experience
Strategic Thinking Course; Cross Discipline 101 (but that would have to take place within agency walls.
Don't need general definitions and explanations, need to know how others' agency roles fit into my daily
life, and how I can utilize the strengths of others to improve my own plans or how my work fits best into
overall plans); Marketing Plan Development
Presentation skills; strategy building; creativity; cross platform training.
Creative and strategic thinking will challenge our team to think outside of the box about new ways to
engage consumers with a specific brand. Staying updated on emerging media and technology provides
new opportunities for our teams to consider utilizing with the brands we work on. Also challenges those
companies to consider new, innovative programs within their media/technology platforms.
Coaching/mentorship inside the agency. More frequent internal seminars and commitment to
practice/implement the learnings
Motivational skills; inspirational development; strategic thinking; meeting management
Cross training for media types; management training; specific skills training.
I would like training on management and team building. I am always looking for ways to help motivate
my team and keep everyone happy and challenged. Secondly, it would be nice for some training or
additional tips on presentations and client-management/interaction skills.
1. Management/leadership training 2. Creative/ brainstorming 3. Account Management
Management/leadership training
1. Shadowing 2. Resource Manual specific to your position/responsibilities
Time management and Team Building seem like small areas at times and can easily be glossed over in
this fast paced ad world, I can understand that. But I think those are 2 areas that EVERYONE would
greatly benefit from. I took a time management course (just 1 day) through my former agency and was
immediately ions more productive at work. I don't care how many e-mails you think you can crank out in
a day and how quickly you think you can type :) time management is about way more than that. They
took us through working as a team, communication in general and keeping the pace moving while not
succumbing to stress. Overall, awesome! I would love a refresher course :)
Department training (within my current discipline). A week in the life of....different departments. It’s the
BEST way to learn.
New Business Training; Agency Strategy and Structure; New Media; Digital Strategy/Integration, Pricing
Strategy
Project Management certification; Presentation Skills
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Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 5+ to 10 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 5+ to 10 Years Experience
New business development. Strategic planning. Presentation writing.
I didn't even realize some of the things you listed above had "training" around them. I think
many would be valuable but would love to hone my interview skills, digital knowledge on how
the process works. I remember when I started in the biz about 10 years ago the print producers
used to demystify the production process - take us on tours of printing press, etc. Would love to
see the digital process behind the scenes.
Presentation Training; Leadership Training; New Media
I believe having more webinars or courses from sources outside of the industry would be
beneficial.
Advance training in Broadcast Traffic; Learning Digital Traffic; Network Clearance.
I would like additional training on strategic thinking and management skills.
Computer refresher courses; interactive training for production
I would like anything that is specific to trends in ag from an interactive perspective.
Business writing; writing briefs in a meaningful way to capture details accurately for internal
teams/projects. Presentation skills- anyone who isn't senior level should do this as often as
possible. Running meetings-people just assume you know how this should go, it would be nice
to get some tips to running a successful meeting.
Presentation skills; budgeting/strategy; supervisory skills
Marketing plan development; Computer Skills; Brainstorming/Facilitation
An opportunity to attend conferences with peers. This helps keep us competitive
Management; Presentation development
33
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 5+ to 10 Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 5+ to 10 Years Experience
The in-house seminars are great because they usually are about things regarding our niche
market. So it's very nice to learn more than the technical side of things.
New media training; meeting management; planning and organization of integrated campaigns.
Leadership training. Strategic Thinking
Presentation Development (teaching employees how to present themselves)
Presentation Writing & Skills; Financials; Business Writing
1. Training on managing "up." In other words, we get a good amount of training on how to
manage ourselves, clients, and those who report to us, but we rarely get training on how to
manage expectations and relationships with our bosses, our managers, etc. I think this is key for
more junior management who have report to multiple people, and a green tendency to be "yes"
people. 2. Production 101 refreshers. Process changes and evolves, and every agency has their
own way of doing things. It'd be great to have a technical 101 on print, broadcast, digital, etc.
production.
Cross Training to get a more well rounded view of how other departments work and how it fits
into the overall scheme of the organization.
I think the most valuable training we could receive would be cross discipline training, focusing
on new and emerging media. There are so many advancements being made in media, but I feel
like if you aren't specifically on a new media team, you don't know about trends unless you read
about them in the trades.
Presentation skills
Managerial training. Lots of people move up because of their strong executional skills, but when
they eventually become managers overseeing other employees, they aren't equipped with the
skills necessary to motivate and direct their employees. This has been a HUGE problem at my
current agency and agencies where my friends work. Keeping up-to-date on new
technology/media. It's a fast-moving world, and when we get busy on our day-to-day, keeping
up sometimes becomes a lower priority. But it shouldn't.
Industry knowledge; strategy,
34
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Financial Management; Social Network Interviewing
New media and technology: Digital is quickly surpassing many "traditional" areas as far as
media placements. Given the ever changing digital environment, I feel it is critical that there is
consistent training in this area. Planning and Organization: Agency personnel are now required
to do more with less. As people take on larger workloads, this will be a critical area as well.
Web related anything. Social media.
I would benefit greatly from management supervisory skills, leadership training and new
technology training.
New Media and Social Media
Additional computer training and social media
More in-depth training in the accounting software to produce the various reports it offers.
Management/Supervisory Skills; Social Media; Cross-discipline 101
Presentation skills; breakdown of office dynamics; advanced excel/ppt; SPSS
Would love to see more senior level development: supervisory skills, managament related, etc.
(1) Management skills. I have been promoted and have five people reporting to me, but have
never been trained on how to manage them. (2) New Business Development. It would be
interesting to learn about new business practices. Our senior management has been in place for
a long time, so we have a formulaic approach that may not be up-to-date with what clients
want. It would be great to learn what's new and what's successful.
Industry Best Practices courses
Negotiations; financial management; team building
Mentoring, as a supervisor I want to make sure I'm mentoring my junior staff and this would be
helpful for me to do this. Presentation skills development would also be helpful.
Strategic thinking; negotiating skills; leadership training
We need an assistant training program, completed in person, across all offices. We need a
schedule of outside the agency training programs. We need a mentor program. We need a
dedicated training program!
Financial; coaching
35
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Presentation/facilitation skills.
Management skills; time management; and coaching - as a supervisor I would like to have these
under my belt. Never know when the opportunity may present itself to climb higher on the
corporate ladder.
New media; building communications planning
Brainstorming Training: This is a generalization but currently at this agency, the brainstorming
process starts with a developed brief and then a team of AD, Copywriter and sometimes CD will
be locked in a room and throw ideas around with little input from various "experts" in the
agency. At my previous agency, it was a different story. It was a small agency of about 50
people and brainstorming sessions would be a collaborative integrated group effort in a
structured format. Alumni of Frog, IDEO or Red Spider would come in and train staff and help
guide the process until we owned that process. What we achieved in 2 days as a group of
integrated 10 resulted in about 10x the ideas that a small "traditional" team can achieve in a full
week. And the ideas were much more integrated across all channels because Creative, Media,
Production, and Account all brainstormed together. Leadership and Management Training:
There is not much consistency for professional development after reaching a mid level status.
Creative leadership training; exposure to new technologies and approaches that affect our
industry
Cross discipline training; technology training; training on the agency process here
Strategic thinking; client relationship management; social media trends/changes/etc.
Leadership training; brainstorming and facilitation; social media; Analytics/ROI/measurement
I think being able to stay on top of emerging technologies and media opportunities is the biggest
area of concern. It's nearly impossible to keep up with on your own. That and presentation
skills, which everyone can always improve.
Leadership and managing & motivating large teams. Also, creating priorities and how to stick
with them in an environment where things are always changing.
Social media; new technology
Leadership skills; building presentations (not just the act of presenting)
Presentation Development; Presentation Skills; Growing New Business Organically
36
Comments on the Top 2-3 Areas of Training Development
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Comments from Employees with 10+ Years Experience
Continuing education in actual technical skills would allow not only me, but people across the
agency, to expand their repertoire in a more fail-safe environment than just putting them on
projects to learn on the job. We are often asked to expand our skill sets, but usually expected to
do this on our own time and own dime.
Computer software skills
Time management and prioritization -- especially for senior leaders.
New business prospecting/telemarketing/conducting calls and getting appointments. Closing
skills. Time management.
Digital printing techniques Production/insight into non-traditional production
Training that facilitates a better learning and understanding of the clients' business issues would
be very helpful. More training on writing effective and holistic marketing plans. Training that
helps with financial negotiation and positioning would be great.
Supervisory skills are the number one training request we receive from the employees here.
That and team development as the dynamics that happen on a team can make or break the
experience of working here.
37