Some Agency Props..

Like this a lot. Via invisibleElement. Usual rules apply.

Well, after Sam's denunciation of another agency's graduate recruitment, I thought it'd be a good idea to talk about when an agency does it really well.

[NB: I've not been paid, nor do I work for the agency in question. Honest.]

TBWA, take a bow. This pdf is very very good. It should be required reading for anyone contemplating a career in our business. If I was a potential grad, it'd be bloody useful.

Nice one chaps.

We Will Not Be Silent

Build from the bottom. Via Paul Goyette

I was having a look at the Facebook groups and came across a thread about how a London agency was handling graduate recruitment this year. I wasn't impressed so I blogged about it on my blog. But I think it's important more people read it, so here we go.

We started this journey just under 15 months ago, the whole point of it was to be a place where people could find out about a career in the communications industry - because as fate would have it a significant number of advertising agencies are ridiculously poor at setting their stalls out to potential new hires. They then aim to charge large multi-disciplinary corporations with the mantra that 'we know all about communication'. Ironic methinks.

A year on, we are fortunate enough to still be considered relevant; because of the fact that you guys take the time to read and interact with us - which is awesome, because of the generosity of some of those already in the industry, but also possibly because a vacuum exists that few have attempted to fill. As a result, the IPA have been touch a few times, some agencies have labelled it as recommended reading, others have elevated it to essential - which is nice.

You see hits and links and free lunches are great, but they're not the point.

The point was, and still is that advertising agencies are in the proverbial bucket of crap when it comes to the hiring and retention of the best that society has to offer. The reasons are too numerous for me to dive deeply into for this post, but essentially ad agencies have been dipping into the same bucket for too long, ignoring some kung-fu crazy people, and losing many other potential grads by simply not getting the word out about what an amazing career working in comms can be. People then go into finance and consulting and are miserable. I'm generalising of course. But it does happen. A lot.

This was an attempt to increase awareness about advertising as a career, and hopefully begin to be part of a change in the way advertising agencies recruit and retain junior staff. By and large we'd like to think that it has been a positive influence, agency websites are much more forthcoming about what advertising is as a career and the IPA are really pushing to improve this facet of the industry.

AdGrads is now a funky little community on the web, be it on Twitter, Facebook or the blog itself. So as in any community, people talk to each other about what's going on. And because of this, when an organisation is unhelpful, rude or plain ignorant to a member of the community, word gets around.

Many London ad agencies are recruiting at this moment so there are countless of y'all who are examining applications and websites and hoping to stand out; just as I was not so long ago. Many of you are studying as well as trying to complete obtuse application forms. I'm sure some of y'all have part-time jobs on top of this. It is only your enthusiasm and passion that is driving you. Of course it's a requirement to have these qualities for the world of work, but that doesn't mean that they should be ignored.

So imagine a London agency that claims its goal is to use creativity to solve business problems.

Now picture said agency running a grad scheme this year. Let's say they have a fancy flash website. Where do you think they should put information about the graduate scheme on it? Perhaps in a 'careers' or 'join us' or 'contact us' section? No no, they're far too cool for such silly things. Let's imagine they devote a tiny little link right next to the hugely popular 'T&Cs' link right at the bottom of the page to the future employees of their company. And let's imagine they use the grand font size of oh say 6 for this link.

Now perhaps this would link to a section with a little bit about the agency, what they believe in, why grads should apply, what kind of training they should expect, maybe what they'll earn and other things like further reading that could be done, who to contanct with questions - that kind of thing. That would be useful, wouldn't it? But again no, our agency is perhaps far to busy or lazy to do anything of the sort (and let's remember that agencies such as BBH and Ogilvy HAVE gone to the trouble of doing all of this, and will probably get a higher number of quality applicants as a result). Let's say they just whack up a Word document of the application form. And nothing else.

But you see, advertising applicants - or AdGrads if you will, aren't put off so easily. We know this. So let's have one of them call up our agency to ask them for some further information about the scheme. Wouldn't it be bad if our agency was unable to tell an applicant the nature of the job it's offering? First telling them to look at the form, then claiming to not know what the form actually says, and finally resorting to telling the potential applicant to essentially 'apply and you'll find out everything if you get the job'. Doesn't sound like a very wise and informed bunch of people does it? Maybe not the kind of effort you'd want out of a company where you'd be expected to put your heart and soul into, to do all the little things that senior people may not want to do, but still need to be done.

And perhaps this wouldn't seem like the kind of company that uses creativity to solve business problems. Because it seems to me that this kind of attitude is exactly the kind of business problem that might need some creativity to get solved. Or barring that, maybe just some common sense.

Let's call this agency BMB.

If I could, I would tell the inevitably hard working men and women involved in this state of affairs that the funny thing about living in the age we do is that this kind of behavior, be it with your clients, your employees or your future employees spreads quite quickly. And the little student who you show disdain for may know some more students. And these students may know some people who used to be students, but now write a blog about getting into advertising. And maybe the guy who writes a blog about getting into advertising thinks that maybe this year, you don't deserve to get the best people, because as his dad often tells him "You get what you put in". And it doesn't seem like you're putting that much in this year.

"Power to the people, right on"
John Lennon

This is our 100th post. Quite fitting given the subject I think. Thanks for sticking with us.

Possibly the finest post on ad careers ever..

But not before the best chart ever. Via Jcniemeyer. Usual rules, etc.

I'd love to be able to claim that it's one of mine...but i'd be lying through my teeth.

No no, it's by an engagement planner at W&K, Jerome Courtial. He's written a rather special post right here.

It should be required reading for any ad person, or wannabe ad person. Be sure to look through all of the links too - he even references Claude Hopkins, someone only Paul Feldwick, me and the ad historians seem to know exists.

Short but sweet this 'un. Hope those applications are going well. Apply some of this thinking to your interviews and you'll go far.

(Yes, I have used that chart in a presentation. It went down well).

Tales of Twitter

Twitter is awesome. We love it.

And we're on it.

Check us out at Twitter.com/adgrads

Empty Space? No Problem...

Don't fear it...picture by stringberd, usual rules apply.

It would seem that with application season in full swing, some of you asking questions about the forms you've been asked to fill out.

Seems that the prospect of finishing off the app forms with white space has left you in something of a pickle; that you aren't quite sure of what to put. Well, here's a (slightly pointed) thought about that.

Once you finish University, you aren't going to be mollycoddled any more. Sure, many agencies will talk about their spangly recruitment programmes for grads, and will make good, i'm sure. However, advertising (or comms in general) isn't for those who like to be spoon-fed.

No, it's for those who want to take. Those who aren't satisfied with what they see on TV, in the media or just generally around them. Those who want to grab it by the scruff of the neck and make it all just a little bit better.

Blank space shouldn't be worrisome; so there's no clue as to what they want? Invent your own! There's a lot to be said for trying to make a compelling story about yourself, to explain how you came to be where you are today, and how you'll improve the agency beyond all measure.

Sam has already blogged about how he PR-ed his experiences with Saatchi & Saatchi, and how that directly led to him getting a job. There's a similar story for Anton and sort of a similar one for me (blogging does help, honest). We may not have all been on the milkround, but that doesn't really matter.

What empty space gives you is room to manoeuvre. Make the most of it - it's what you'll be doing in your advertising career.

(NB: For that JWT question - I had the same one waaay back in 2005 - which helped me get to interview/was complimented on how I answered that 'use the space' question - I basically wrote a stream of consciousness using different typefaces. Made them chuckle).

Back..

 

New beginnings and all that, picture by this guy

This is kind of an apology. Cause we've been really shit. Like really. Laziness is gross like something nasty, and I've been super lazy (and so have the rest of the guys) in not updating the blog and replying to emails and all the rest of it. So this is, in fact, an apology to all y'all and a promise that we won't be as shit in the future.

I've updated a bunch of grad schemes with their dates and links on the right, along with links to our posts on interviews, forms and such delightful things. There is more on the way, and we hope to get some more star stories up soon. Also we'll be hitting up universities in conjunction with the IPA pretty soon, if you want us to come visit, let me know.

Also just like last year, we want you guys to tell us your experiences on how applying is going, to be featured in our Diary of an Applicant flavor of posts. If you're interested in writing about how stupid application form questions are, how EVERY agency says they're the best (and they ALL do, and it's impossible for them all to be, so obviously someone's a liar) or anything that you want, send me an email and let's talk.

Don't give up, leave a comment, ask a question or send an email: samismail (at) yahoo dot com

(It's written weird so I don't get a ton of porn and emails from Africa about big bucks headed my way).

We're back and it's gonna be awesome.

Peace.

The IPA Come Through..

There they are...photo via Mr. Whisper. Usual rules apply.

A few IPA related bits and bobs to tell you about

This event looks interesting. Facebook page is here. All being well, muggins here will be there (I like Short & Sweet as well, but it's not an IPA affiliated event).

The lovely Adah at the IPA has also informed me about the following events at London Universities (a few of which are in the past...oops, should have blogged it sooner):

FRIDAY, 26 September
Goldsmiths, Freshers' Fayre, Students' Union Building, 1:30 - 2:30pm

UCL 3pm - 4pm Entrance: Wilkins Building, North Cloisters

TUESDAY 30th September
London Metropolitan University - City Campus at 84 Moorgate, London EC2M 6SQ
lunch time

WEDNESDAY, 1st October
University of the Arts at the Truman Brewery 4pm till 6pm

FRIDAY, 3rd October
Westminster University, Harrow Freshers Fayre, Sports hall, 2:30-3:30pm

Worth popping along to one of them, if you're keen to get into this crazy bidness...