Making Sense of the Marketplace 33 Advertising Agencies Advertising is not a metier for the faint-hearted. Designer or illustrator, you need to have your wits about you and be prepared to work extremely hard--late nights, all-nighters, even weekends on occasion, if that's what it takes--though, in most cases, you will be handsomely remunerated. There is a lot of money in this sector. Advertising space doesn't come cheap and neither does advertising creativity, especially where blue chip accounts are concerned. A commercial can take several forms: it can appear in the press, on various types and sizes of poster site, on television and the big screen, online, or as direct mail. A campaign-- generally a minimum of three consecutive advertisements--can be local, national, or global, and might use a single medium or a combination of media to get its point across. Given that each of these requires a slightly different approach, some agencies--such as those who concentrate on direct mail-- elect to specialize in certain types of medium. Others take a more broad-based approach, though they may target specific sectors, such as pharmaceuticals or the motor industry. Research will be necessary to identify which agencies are most likely to be interested in your work and which of them will grant you an interview. showcasing emerging talent, and provide opportunities to connect with industry professionals. Glance at any agency website, however, and you'll see no mention of jobs for entry-level designers; you're also unlikely to see any advertisements in newspapers or on recruitment sites for junior designers, barring ones that specify a year or two's professional experience. The general route into advertising at a junior level is via work placements. These can last anything from a fortnight to three or four months and, unlike those in other sectors, tend to be offered to graduates rather than students. The longer your stay the better, as there is more time to demonstrate your talent in addition to your teamworking and time-management skills, which are essential to the job. An ambitious design intern with clear potential might be offered a full-time position following a placement, but many designers embark on a series of internships, after which they should have built up a résumé that will interest headhunters, and made sufficient contacts to be privy to the advertising industry grapevine. Needless to say, the more well-respected the agencies you secure placements with, the more employable you will ultimately become. Blue chip clients paying high fees demand the best, so the more prestigious the agency, the more picky it is when it is hiring a newcomer. In theory, a larger agency has some leeway for nurturing, while a smaller one can provide more one-on-one time with senior creatives. Some operate placement schemes that students can apply for during their final year of college. These are largely promoted through professional organizations such as the ones mentioned above, or on the agencies' own websites. However, many more internships come about informally following a speculative pitch. Given that your chosen career involves dreaming up innovative ways to sell products, selling yourself shouldn't present too much of a problem. (If it does, you'd best quit now while you're still ahead.) You can make your pitch as a solo practitioner, but you usually need to have a copywriting partner; however, since aspiring copywriters also make overtures to agencies, and the custom is to work in a creative duo, the agency can partner you up when you get there. The creative director is the person to target with promotional material. Some of them loathe gimmicks while others are more kindly disposed, but the general consensus is that if you decide to go the gimmicky route, you must do something amazing. It's a fine line to tread. The young hopeful who submitted a portfolio that contained raw fish and the message "Do you have a plaice for us?" obviously hadn't anticipated its contents decomposing. "I search online or ask a friend about illustrators, but I'm constantly looking and keep a mental note of things I like. When a relevant job comes up I remember that illustrator/photographer and take it from there." Dave Day, Art Director, Fallon Routes into advertising design Getting into advertising as a designer, even if you did a specialized degree and/or come ready-partnered with your own copywriter, is no cakewalk. You'll need to be determined, resilient, and gregarious, as networking is about the only way to get a foot in the door. There are some resources to help you: professional organizations and educational charities such as the Art Directors Club, the One Club, and AIGA (the professional association of design) in the United States, and Design and Art Direction (D&AD) and Young Creative Network (YCN) in the United Kingdom, are committed to nurturing and