Liliya Plotkina Advertising/PR ‘11 Account Coordinator Roberts Communications

 Account Coordinator at Roberts Communications.

  In the industry since August 2011.  Work primarily with Xerox branding,

sponsorships, regional/local events, but also touch pieces of Ad Council business.

I get it.

This is a huge period of change,

upheaval, and uncertainty in your life.

You know where you want to be…now how do you get there?

  Intern, Intern, Intern.  Make and keep connections.  Develop a portfolio.   Lots of legwork.   Start early.  Don’t get discouraged.  And after you get the job…groom your

brand continuously.

WHAT: Working for free (or for pay) at an agency you admire.

WHY: Develop experience, comfort, and interests. Get people to know you. Get people to recognize you. Get to know people. And yes: Resumé fodder.

HOW: 1.  Start with a Google search: “Advertising agencies [city

name here].” 2.  Don’t just apply to places with huge, well-known

programs. 3.  Find work you love, and follow it to the source. 4.  Ask, and you shall receive.

WHAT: Be friendly. Be hardworking. Be humble. Remember people’s names, faces, titles, and jobs.

WHY: Everyone likes to be recognized…people in this industry work hard. Many people will say that it’s all about “who you know”…well, get to know people! It’s easier than you think.

HOW: 1.  Start with professors. Ask them if they know anyone in the

industry in the area. Many do. 2.  Remember to check in with former internship heads,

supervisors, etc. 3.  Contact the people you admire, and ask them for an

interview for advice.

WHAT: A collection of work you’ve done. Strategic, creative, written…whatever! Presented in a clean and stylish manner. Get help with the design if you don’t feel comfortable.

WHY: There’s a lot of young, unemployed ad people out there. Set yourself apart—you are bringing something new to the table, right? Show it off.

HOW: 1.  Do schoolwork you’re proud of. No, really. 2.  See #1. 3.  Ask professors, industry experts, friends, designers, math

majors, whatever for reviews of your portfolio.

WHAT: Blog. Apply to jobs. Go to coffee meetings. Attend industry events. Offer to do favors for people you admire. Don’t be afraid to sweat…how bad do you want it?

WHY: This is a tough industry. Hard work now pays off later. Your reputation starts now, in everything you do.

HOW: 1.  Start a blog: constant supply of writing samples. 2.  Send out promos. 3.  Research and read books—become an expert! 4.  And get used to it…because once you get the job, the

legwork doesn’t stop.

WHY: It’s going to take you a while to get out of “college mode” and into “workplace mode”. Do the kind thing for yourself and leave plenty of time for learning.

Remember to cultivate your hobbies, interests, and self.

A job is important, but it isn’t

everything.

…What can you expect?

•  To not know everything. Or, really, anything. At all. •  To feel totally overwhelmed. •  To feel excited, motivated and ambitious some days… •  …and worried, exhausted, and hopeless the next. • To be uplifted…and humbled.

• To experience some of the coolest, most rewarding work and people that you ever have in your life to date.

Ok, you got the job. Great work! But it doesn’t stop here. It’s OK to take a break and get your feet (and mental state) back on the ground. But you should remember to:

•  Keep in touch with the people who helped you. •  Keep working hard. •  Keep up with your legwork.

 Account Coordinator  Account Assistant   Jr. Account Planner  Assistant Account

Executive  Media Assistant   Jr. Media Buyer

  Jr. Copywriter   Jr. Art Director

…Sure, kid. Knock yourself out. ;)

Entry level salary expectations: Between $25K and $35K (average). Entry level doesn’t get to negotiate, usually. Sorry.

Don’t say no to less pay with a better environment.

Better to take an imperfect position than to have months of joblessness on your resume.