Two other grad schemes...

Another good thing with 'two' in the title.

Short but sweet, this 'un.

Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R and Clemmow Hornby Inge have opened their grad schemes. Sorry for not picking them up sooner.

Rainey Kellys' deadline is the 29th of November.

CHI's is the 27th of November.

Best of luck guys and gals.

Five First Round Interview Tips...

Try to look less like an illustration than this guy. Via country_boy_shane. Usual rules apply.

We're right in the thick of advertising interview season. By now, first round acceptance emails and letters will be winging their way to those lucky few.

And it suddenly hits you; shit, this is all a bit real.

Well, as someone who's had more than a few grad interviews, I thought i'd share a few first round interview tips. Read on, Macduff:

1) It's likely to be pretty formulaic.

For all of the challenging questions you received in the grad application form, most of the real life interviews will follow a set routine. They sort of have to; you've still got hundreds of grads at this stage, and you need to have something straightforward to judge them on. How they usually go is to talk about you and your achievements/CV/answers in the first half, then talk about some ads (usually print), and what you think the message behind them is. There may be a few lateral thinking questions thrown in at the end (what product would you invent being a favourite), but many don't even do this. It depends on the mood of your interviewer/how engaged they are with you.

2) Good Cop, Bad Cop exists.

Now, normally, you'll be interviewed by a planner and an account handler. Sometimes these are in the same room, other times they are in separate rooms. Every now and then you might have two account handlers, or (rarely), a account handler and a HR person. Though the latter is fairly rare.

In the most conventional (planner/account man) situation, there will definitely be a good cop and bad cop. And, to be honest, usually the planner's the nice one, and the suit's the more tricky. (Of course, sometimes both are lovely). Why? Well, planners are interested in people who are lateral thinkers, and got into the job to find out about people. Don't be surprised if they just let you talk, then get excited, and you find yourself talking about something else entirely. Account handlers on the other hand - they want to make sure you can do the job, and will be looking for obvious reasons as to why and how you can do it. You're a raw material to both, but in the case of the latter, you're one they don't want to have to refine much.

3) You don't have to fill the silence.

I speak with real conviction on this point, because it's something I (still) struggle with. It's especially hard when speaking a lot and having a point of view about an intangible book or theory in University is positively encouraged. And, while there are rarely concrete 'right' answers in advertising, there are those which are nearer to right than wrong. You can easily go the other way if you talk too much. Feel free to ask questions too - let people talk, tell you what it's like to work at agency x or y. They won't mind.

If you find yourself talking, and wonder just what point you're making - it happens to all of us now and then - then shut up, or re-direct the conversation.

4) Know your ideas.

Most candidates won't know the difference between executional and campaign ideas. Most won't have a point of view which bears in mind why or how crap work comes to be made - a lot just like the ads on the telly. So know this stuff. Don't get me wrong, post-rationalising why an ad is a certain way isn't an exact science, but you should have an idea about just why an ad turned out a as it did.

Just don't do what I did, and slag off a very well known campaign, then get told 'you're not strategic'. Don't let your prejudices stop you getting through to the next round - christ, i'm a planner now, but just speaking my mind without thinking things through when I was a grad did for me. (You'll also end up working with those people whose ad you spoke about at some stage. It's sod's law).

5) Relax.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood had it right. Relax, don't open your mouth without thinking about what you've got to say. And, for God's sake, let your personality out. It's the only way you'll know for sure about whether (at this stage) you'll fit into an agency. Yes, it's just a first round interview, but if you can't be yourself/feel trapped, then the place probably isn't for you.

You'll just know this, I think. An interview situation is always artificial, and you may just not get on with your interviewer (Lord knows it happens - you're probably the 50th person who's made the same comment about the work). Despite this, you can usually tell whether you'd like working in a place - you can sometimes tell from the worried looks on the faces of the account execs hurrying around the agency.

Letting your personality has another advantage too - you may not think it, but I bet your interviewer is wondering what you'd be like to be stuck on a train with, or on a very boring conference call. Will you be someone who's interesting and interested, or will you be someone who bores the bejesus out of most people?

Best of luck to everyone going for their first rounders...

BMB need YOU...

There may be this level of handlebar 'taches in the agency. One can only hope.

Hi gang.

There's another opportunity for you guys. If you're interested, email Tom Brady (tom dot brady at bmbagency dot com):

BMB are looking for a digital production intern for 3 months to assist in our burgeoning department.

Responsibilities include:

• Assisting with the scoping of projects (statements of work, timings, budgets)
• Liaising with the traffic department to make sure work is effectively developed
• Liaising with the client services department to ensure the smooth transition of projects
• Dealing with digital client administration as and when required
• Briefing designers and developers on projects
• Working with the TV production department on projects as and when required

This in an internship position with a nominal weekly allowance, but with the distinct possibility of a perm role at the end of the period.

The ideal person will have the following attributes:

• Knowledge of the digital advertising industry
• A well rounded, outgoing and enthusiastic personality
• Excellent attention to detail
• Positive problem solving approach to work
• Ability to multi-task and prioritise large workloads
  

So there you have it. Best of luck guys.

EDIT: This position has now been filled.

More Grad Scheming...

I can safely say you won't be working for him.

Following on from the seemingly exhaustive list of grad schemes we posted a little while ago, there are even more that've opened.

The Cossette lot have opened. So this means:

Dare Digital have opened, deadline's the 15th of November.

MCBD have opened. Get your apps in, also by the 15th of November.

I'm not sure about Elvis - couldn't find anything. Anyone from Elvis want to confirm?

If there are any more we've missed, give us a shout. Ogilvy & McCann still haven't opened.

For Creative Types...

Nice. Damn nice.

One more thing to tell you about; it concerns the creative fraternity.

YouthNet is a youth charity and online community set up to provide 16 to 24-year-olds with support and trusted guidance through award-winning website www.TheSite.org. They are running an open brief to improve their presence on and offline.

And this is where you come in, creative types. You get a few hours with the brief on Friday 25th (from 3pm-6pm). It takes place in Shoreditch Town Hall. Agencies can enter, I think, as there may be real life spangly work at the end of it.

More details here. Best of luck..

More Grad Schemes & A Paid Gig...

Hello again. After an uber list of impending grad schemes, a few more have been brought to my attention in the comments. Check them out here.

This is more about a paid gig though, for an agency called Mason Zimbler, who are after an account exec. The position is based in their agency in Bristol, and you can apply here.

They've also given me some more details about the position, which is below. You need a year's experience in a marketing or advertising agency. Best of luck:

Primary Focus of the Role:

The primary focus of the role of Account Executive at Mason Zimbler is to support the Account Managers in the day to day management of client activity on assigned accounts, through office based client services and administration support.

The job holder will work across specified Mason Zimbler accounts, and will involve general office administration, client services and creative liaison.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Liaising with creative, production and account managers to ensure that all budgets and estimates are accurate and available at the appropriate times.

• Estimates and costings, obtaining Purchase Orders from clients and ensuring approval from AM/AD or client.

• Briefing and liaising with production teams to ensure that innovative and cost
effective solutions are proposed and agreed.

• Client liaison at all stages of the process, including status and contact reports.

• Working with the media department internally or external media agencies.

• Managing all files/job bags, both physical and digital, ensuring approvals are
documented in writing and filed appropriately.

• Attending meetings and briefings, both client facing and in-house.

• Proof reading.

• Assisting in the briefing of designers and copywriters, liaising extensively.

• Report to account manager, according to agreed timescales, in appropriate format (both written and verbally).

Grad Schemes A-Go-Go

It'll be you in a year's time.

Hello there. This is meant to be a work in progress grad scheme list, so let us know if we've missed any off.

Anyway. Have a look at these (they've begun to open):

AMV BBDO have launched their graduate scheme (known as ‘the academy’). Details here. Both planning and account management. Verrry nice. The closing date is the 23^rd of October at 6pm.

BBH haven’t opened their grad scheme…yet. There’s an email for grads (grads at bbh dot co dot uk), though I’m not sure what’s happening so far this year. UPDATE: BBH aren't recruiting this year. The next intake will be at the end of 2010.

Update: BMB have just opened! Check out the 'join us' section on their site. The deadline's 30th of October.

CHI’s scheme will open up at the end of September. So keep an eye on this link.

DDB have already opened up theirs. Those scamps. The deadline’s the 6^th of November.

DLKW have also opened up. So have a squint at their grad form here.

Engine (the holding group for a heckuva lot of companies, WCRS included) have opened their doors too. Here. The deadline’s midnight of 22^nd of November.

JWT are also just about to open up their scheme. It’s not happened yet, but the very handy Facebook page is here. (Update - it's just opened here)

Leo Burnett's scheme has opened now as well. Deadline's the 23rd of October.

McCann Ericksson’s grad scheme is due to go live this month too. Another to check out – go to ‘about us’ and you can find the grad scheme link from there.

M&C Saatchi have opened as well. The deadline’s midnight on Monday 2^nd of November.

Ogilvy ‘s fellowship site is yet to go live. But it should do by the end of this month. So, again, keep your eyes peeled.

Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe are yet to open. Again, worth keeping an eye on – they should be opening soon.

WPP's Fellowship has also open. The deadline's the 17th of November at 2pm (GMT).

Hope those help - and best of luck...Feel free to tell us of any we've missed.