Advertising Career Overview
If you're looking for a career that has a positive impact on the world and opportunities to make an impact, there's nothing more satisfying than advertising.
High pay, exciting projects, creative freedom: these are just some of the great things about an advertising career. But many misconceptions about this industry exist too for those who may be unfamiliar with it. For those considering an advertising career, we've put together this post to clear up any confusion.
There are many myths that exist surrounding the advertising industry:
You will be working in a high-pressure executive environment.
A lot of people who are new to the field mistakenly think that an advertising career is like working in a high-pressure executive position, but this couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, only about 10 percent of the advertising workforce works in an executive role. The remaining ninety percent of employees work in other positions such as account managers, marketers, planners and others. Of those executives, not all have marketing backgrounds and many people start out their careers as account managers, who help clients develop compelling strategies for their businesses which align with those of their agencies.
There are no creative or marketing opportunities for you.
Advertising agencies are a haven for artists and creatives. The work that is done within an advertising agency is based on creativity, artistry and design, as well as insight and research. The vast majority of the people who work in an agency also have some form of artistic background, be it graphic design, illustration or photography. As creatives we are valued members of the team and go to great lengths to make our ideas come to life in a way that makes the client happy with their campaign.
You will be bored.
If you've worked in any type of creative job and have had the opportunity to branch into marketing or management areas, you will have seen a massive difference in job satisfaction and workload. In fact, many people who come into agencies from marketing leave to go back to their original creative jobs due to the work/life balance within an advertising agency. If you choose an agency career, this is one of the first things that you would notice. When working within an agency, there are no limits on what you can do: it's all about the client! And if a client isn't happy with your work there are thousands of other clients waiting for your expertise.
You will be treated poorly.
Everyone who works in an agency understands that the aim is to win business for their clients. And although there are many people who dislike the fact that their careers are connected to advertising, it's something we all understand when we're talking business. However, this doesn't mean that you should be subjected to poor treatment from your clients and staff (unless of course they're being rude – but then again this would apply to any industry). As creatives, our job is to make sure that the agency and its team can continue to deliver great results on behalf of the client, so if a client has a problem with our work they should talk to us and not just ignore us.
You will have a large portfolio.
A graphic design or web portfolio is an essential for any designer or marketer looking for work in an agency. But don't stress if you don't have one already because it's not something that every person who works in an agency has either. In fact, most people start out their careers by shooting, editing and creating projects for their clients as part of their job. So although it's a great idea to build a portfolio, it's not the be all and end all of your career – most agencies now even encourage work on the job through social media and blogs rather than static portfolios.
You'll be stuck sitting in front of a computer all day long.
We all know that the hours in the office can be long and sometimes we wish we didn't have to do some of the tasks that come our way, but that doesn't mean you will be stuck behind a computer all day. Agencies are constantly on the move, whether it's going out to shoot photos or meeting with clients face to face in order to deliver projects. If you're thinking of working in an agency you should be aware that there will be work to do at home too, but this doesn't mean that you won't have exciting days out and about!
You won't make any money.
This myth is probably one of the most common out there, but it couldn't be further from the truth. Advertising is becoming a more creative and difficult industry to compete in, but this is only because the top agencies are trying to rise to the higher standard. And as agency staff we all want to be part of this high standard environment. So although it's true that there is a higher competition for certain jobs, the fact that agencies are now turning away many of their clients due to their lower quality work means that there are still plenty of opportunities for those who wish to work in advertising.
You might not get paid your full salary.
This is another common myth about advertising. Believe it or not, this does happen in the ad industry – but only for a very small number of companies who use this as a cost-cutting exercise. However, this is very rare and if your client doesn't pay you don't have to take the job! Always ensure that your client is paying you on time and keep records of all your jobs in order to protect yourself. If they're not paying you, there are plenty of other clients out there who may be willing to work with you.
You will hate your clients.
Clients can be horrible people to work with, but our job is to make them look good! And although it can be difficult sometimes, if you understand the business of your clients and know what they are trying to achieve by working with your agency you tend to have a much better working relationship with them. We are all human beings and we should all have respect for one another.
Working in advertising is a wonderful career choice and one that I personally have enjoyed immensely over the past eight years! Although there are certainly some downsides to what we do, they can certainly be outweighed by the benefits that come from being a member of an agency team. I truly believe that the reasons why people work in advertising should be positive and exciting, so if you're thinking of joining an agency think about all the brilliant things you will be able to do – there are certainly more than can be mentioned here!
This post originally appeared on The Copy Lab.
All images via Shutterstock.com.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
Conclusion
From my personal experience, the reasons why people work in advertising are largely based on how their personality and lifestyle lines up with their chosen career path. For instance, if you're a creative person and live for graphic design, you probably won't enjoy sitting at a desk all day. If you're an extrovert who loves meeting new people then advertising is definitely not going to be your perfect job choice. And while these are just a few of the reasons why people work in advertising, this list should hopefully help you understand yourself a little bit more.