Reddit reviews Pick Me : Breaking Into Advertising and Staying There

The advertising industry is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.

I'm a Canadian, did three years of Advertising in college and then my post-grad in Toronto for Copywriting. I've worked at two of Toronto's top agencies and now I work in Detroit.

Most of what everyone has already commented on is pretty accurate.
In my years working in the industry I have come to realize these things:
[not sure if you're account side or creative, but here's my creative side experience]

-It's not for everyone. People see movies like What Women Want (seriously, you have no idea how many people say that's the thing that got them interested) and see this glamorous, fun, attractive side of it. That is not what the industry is actually like.

-It's long hours, tight deadlines, and more stress than you can ever imagine. At every job I've had, it's normal to work everyday 9-7pm, and routinely work on the weekends - whether from home or at the office.

-Develop thick skin or you'll never last. This isn't a feel-good industry where you're mom tells you how creative and smart you are. It's competitive, saturated with talented, driven individuals and your work/ideas will constantly be shot down. You will do hrs of work and be told to go back to square 1 and do it again. It is not uncommon for me to write 50-100 headlines/concepts etc, bring them to my Creative Director and have him maybe like one or two of them.

-It's stressful. Very stressful. There's a lot of money on the line, with bigger agencies and bigger clients you're talking millions of dollars based all on your ability to provide an idea/concept that will lead to sales/actions from consumers.

Having said all that, it's an amazing industry and you will meet some of the best people to work with. You'll love coming in every day and having the ability to be creative, do different projects, learn new things constantly, and not have a monotonous 9-5 job.

Getting a job in this industry has always been tough. This is not a new development. As I said, it's competitive, there's a deluge of students coming out of ad schools and universities every year looking for positions in an industry that doesn't have a high turn over rate. Add to that the current economy and you're in for a rough ride. But, I've always believe that what E.M.Forster said is true, “One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested”. Those who are passionate and driven and willing to think and do what others will not to get a job will always succeed. Cold call, find creative ways to present your book [assuming you are going for creative], do whatever it takes to get in front of Creative Directors, go to portfolio nights, etc. Don't just hand out resumes or send a couple emails and hope to get a job. As other have said, sometimes it does come down to who you know. But every job I've ever gotten was because my book was better, I showed drive, and the ability to provide ideas. Lots of ideas.

Most agencies could care less where you got your education, all they want is ideas and a good attitude. Some of the best creative directors I've worked for didn't come from traditional advertising backgrounds. One was a musician and gave it up to become a copywriter. He didn't know anything about the industry but was incredibly creative and put together an amazing book that showed he had the ability to think differently and bring something unique to the table.

Hope this helps some. And good luck out there.

If I could suggest something that might give you a better picture of what you're in for, check out this book. It helped me a great deal when I was in college http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Me-Breaking-Advertising-Staying/dp/0471715573

If you decide you want to go into the creative side, there's a book called Pick Me that you should buy. When it comes to building a portfolio, I think it's a little more important than Hey Whipple. However, Hey Whipple is a book you sorta HAVE to read if you go into advertising.

Also, one thing if you're considering applying for internships in NY. I'm really good friends with the HR lady at my agency. She told me after she fills the slots, she doesn't look through the rest of the resumes. She gets well over a thousand applicants for 15 spots.

APPLY EARLY!

For christ sakes do not wait 'till the last day to apply for your internship unless your dad is the Pope. You will not get it. They won't even look at it. Usually internship spots open in january. Apply then. Have your book critiqued, redone, redone again, critiqued, redone, judged by a group of your peers, redone, critiqued, and redone again by January. Start Now for next year and you'll be in good shape.

If you're wanting to be in strategy or in management, then ignore the book stuff, but still apply early.

Sorry I'm a little late to the party, but I thought I'd add my two cents.

The great thing about copywriting is that anyone can do it, no matter their background. So don't stress about having the "schooling" needed for the job. All you need is a good work ethic and clever skills.

First — Definitely read up on all the books listed in other comments.

I'd also look into [Hey Whipple Squeeze This] (http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Whipple-Squeeze-This-Creating/dp/1118101332) by Luke Sullivan, [Pick Me] (http://www.amazon.com/Pick-Me-Breaking-Advertising-Staying/dp/0471715573) by Nancy Vonk & Janet Kestin, and any and all advertising annuals you can get your hands on. Annuals are a great way to learn what works and see it in action. You can find some [recent award show annuals here] (http://www.welovead.com/en/bookshelf).


Second — Build your book.

Free time is a great asset. Use it. In order to really break in, you'll need a portfolio or spec book. This is a book of ads you've created that prove you can solve problems and write. Pick some products and make a campaign for them. The rule of thumb is 3 products with 3 ads each to show you can expand the idea beyond just one print or digital execution.

Many people go to portfolio school to build their book, but it's not necessary for everyone. I didn't do it and many copywriters I know didn't either.


Third — Network.

Although all of the above are important, they won't mean squat if you're not in the right place to talk to the right people. Try joining your local advertising club and go to their events. I'd also strongly suggest looking into [Portfolio Night] (http://www.portfolionight.com/12/). This is a global event held throughout the year that brings young creatives face-to-face with advertising professionals. Not only is it a great way to get some feedback on your book, but an outstanding way to network. You'll meet others like you and start conversations with the very people who could land you your next job.

Hope that wall of text helps. Good luck, man.