How to Start your Career in Advertising

The folks behind the blog Makin'Ads published a downloadable eBook about getting your start in a career in Advertising.

"We wrote How to Start Your Career In Advertising for those clueless 20-year-old versions of ourselves. (It's free to view and to download, because our 20-year-old selves wouldn't have paid for advice either.)"


Love it.

Kenji Summers

We've released some new footage from our Pursuit of Passion: Diversity in Advertising shoot. 

Here the team shadows Kenji Summers, a strategist from BBH in NYC, on a typical day at work. Kenji is a self-described + Strategist + Cool Hunter + Idea Spreader + Connector. He's a guy that I know will be making an incredible journey in advertising for years to come. Find out more about him on his personal site.

Wouldn't you want to work here?

I saw this in a job posting a while back and it really impressed me. 


"We also want to know what you’re passionate about. Art, music, history, volleyball, family, the environment, whatever. We’ve found that those that are truly passionate about life make everything we do better. This is a fast-paced agency, but we share real friendships within the office. We bring the company together with a catered lunch every Friday, monthly happy hours and the occasional chili contest. We’re a real team. And together, we’re developing world-class marketing, advertising and technology solutions for our clients."


There are a couple of reasons why I love what they wrote. First, they clearly say your passions (read: outside of advertising) are of interest to them. I always tell this to students and juniors. Hiring companies just want to know what else you bring to the table, because it's those interests that truly reveals who you are.


Second, they give clear clues about their office culture. Heck, it made me want to apply. 


Fast pace + friendships = we're rocking and having fun
Catered lunch + chili contest = we take care of our people while having fun
Team + world class = we have a clear mission and want you a part of it


You sure don't get this kind of detail in every job posting you see, but man, doesn't it help? 


When you get a better feel for the type of place you are interviewing, you have better chances of matching yourself to the right place. Now if every office had catered lunches, happy hours and a genuine interest in hiring passionate people,  job searches would be a piece of cake!

Glamour Don't #572

Dear unknown cell phone user, please don't text my cell phone asking for a contact name. I appreciate you signing your name, though unfortunately I didn't recognize that either.

To me, a text is urgent. Or at least urgent-er than a phone message. So I am not sure texting a creative recruiter or creative director on their cell is such a good idea. Unless you are a candidate accepting an offer of employment or telling me you are going to be late for an imminent interview, I don't understand the urgency. 

Now, had this been an actual phone call to my cell, I'd have been surprised but certainly wouldn't have hung up on the person. I may have even given them credit for being ballsy to call me on my cell, rather than on my office number. A stranger's text to me is a tiny bit intrusive.

Though after being taken aback by this text, I wondered why was it that this startled me? Was it surprise at a stranger having my cell number in the first place? Was it shock at blanking on their name when perhaps I really do know them and in fact gave them my cell last weekend at a dinner party?  Was it that I am just from a different generation and texting is an exception rather than a rule. Maybe anyone of these. 

Use this as a guide. If a recruiter or creative director didn't personally give you their cell number, best not to text it. Give them a ring instead.

p.s. to my texter: The person to contact in HR is Christine Hays. She can be reached at 949-754-2000.