Still looking for an internship in advertising? Here’s some advice.
The internship, or job hunt is definitely a trying time. You are faced in a world of uncertainty, talking to strangers and getting ghosted/ rejected on a daily basis (depending on how many interviews/ informational interviews you are getting). Especially in advertising, when your book is the biggest part of your career. You put so much hard work and effort into making something that you have much pride in, only to get feedback that you have to work harder.
This is a good thing.
Feedback is so incredibly necessary when improving on your book. Without it, you won’t know what to improve on. And it’s a whole lot tougher when you’re in it alone.
Here’s some useful advice I’ve learned so far.
Get a copywriter/ art director partner. If you can’t find a partner to commit, find someone to bounce ideas and share the work with. Working alone is a lot harder. However, don’t rush into finding someone just for the sake of having a partner. You need to work well together.
Set up interviews/ portfolio viewings. But then get back to the grind and make working on your book a full-time job. Try and find a few ACDs and CDs to give you feedback along the way. In the end, they’re the ones that will hire you.
Set a work back schedule. Give yourself a set amount of time to complete a project.
Once you improved your portfolio. Repeat. Meet with the ACDs and CDs and get more feedback. Who knows, maybe you will get hired? It’s about making your book great and making connections. A bit difficult, but from what I’ve learned… this career is about passion, determination and hard work. Getting an internship doesn’t guarantee you a job either, so working on your skills before you find one is a good thing to do.
Right now, this is the stage where I’m at. I’ve learned an incredible amount, but now it’s time for me to get down and dirty and work on my book. I just finished my program 3 weeks ago, and literally just started searching for internships a week ago. It doesn’t happen overnight. And in the end, your persistence and grit will help you in the future of your career. When you get discouraged, just remember this is part of the process. This will only make you better.
Comment below to tell me about your experiences finding an internship or even a job as an art director or copywriter. What have you learned so far? Or any advice you can give?
-S.