Grad Down The Track: Jonathan Drennan

Hello gang.

A little while ago, we used to do a more regular feature on grads who've recently broken into the advertising industry. What with all the job features, it kind of fell by the wayside.

So it gives me great pleasure to provide a post from Jonathan Drennan, a grad who is on Leo Burnett's graduate scheme. The Leo Burnett graduate blog is here, if you want to have a read.

FROM IRELAND TO ADLAND

Five months ago I was sitting in the cramped office of the Belfast newspaper where I worked as a reporter. I remember the day clearly, I had just interviewed a distressed primary school headmaster whose school had been the victim of a sectarian arson attack. Suddenly, my phone flashed an unknown number. Groggily, I picked it up. It was the Head of Account Management at Leo Burnett offering me a place of their graduate program as a trainee account handler. My life changed in an instant.

A question I am constantly asked is why did I decide to switch from journalism into the world of advertising. From a young age, I was writing for newspapers. I walked into my local rag in my school uniform on a Friday afternoon and was writing a theatre review that night. I progressed until I had worked for a variety of newspapers in South Africa and Ireland before I had left university. However, during my master’s degree in Dublin, I had started to become frustrated with the profession that had always been my dream.

Due to financial constraints, news reporting in many cases had simply descended into adjusting press releases to suit an editor’s needs that day. Creativity was being stilted in order to provide a more cost effective product. After speaking to a variety of university colleagues working in the industry, I started to look into advertising as a career. I wanted a job that would be able to utilise any skills I had learnt in journalism. Formulating and delivering an idea, working under a strict deadlines, time management and learning how to talk to a wide range of people all seemed to fit the bill. I became desperate to make the change.

My parents were cynical. I had no direct experience of advertising agencies and they thought I was wasting my time in even applying for graduate schemes. However, I was and still am absolutely convinced that the beauty of advertising as a career is that any experience you have from life is relevant. To give you some context, on my graduate scheme we have a former PR executive, a former English teacher, a former translator and a former investment banker. We are in the business of dealing with people, so why shouldn’t these experiences be relevant?

The application process is extremely tough for everyone. Sometimes you wrestle with a quirky application question for two weeks and then you don’t even get the pleasure of an automated response from the agency you applied to. At other times, an application that you are almost ashamed to email due to your contrived responses can get you a coveted first round interview. It is certainly not an exact science.

Rejections happen to everyone. I certainly had my fair share. Advertising is a highly competitive industry and the sheer amount of applicants for every job is daunting. For each scheme you will find yourself against hundreds of similarly motivated and talented candidates. At times you are not a good fit for the agency’s culture which you can’t affect, but at other times you didn’t do yourself justice in your application or your interview which you certainly can change.

My Dad loves his cliches, but I really believe in this one. He says that every interview you do, you learn something new. This was certainly the case for me. After you have recovered from the day’s exertions, it is essential to be brutally self-critical. For the interviews I didn’t get, it was normally something I could improve upon. Deceptively, simple things like learning how to work well in a group task, is something that frustratingly can only come with practice.

In terms of positive advice for the interview process, I would say remember all the reasons you wanted to work in advertising in the first place. Maybe it was a Guinness advert that got you excited. Or maybe you are just absolutely fascinated by brands. Whatever it is, use this passion as a strength. Conveying enthusiasm is such a simple, but incredibly effective way of endearing you to the agency. Quite simply, it shows you care.

It is a rare luxury to not dread Sunday nights and I know I am lucky to fall into this category. This is a fascinating industry that is completely restless. No day is the same and I am constantly learning. I have received three months of incredible training and met a huge amount of people at Leo Burnett including the company’s global CEO from Chicago. I am about to start working on Client business in the next few weeks and can’t wait. At times the application process is incredibly disheartening. But if you keep banging on that door loud enough eventually someone will answer it for you.

BMB need YOU...(redux)

You could be involved in helping to produce stuff like THIS.

Hello all.

(NB - This job appeared last October, but there's a need for another production intern).

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.

THIS ROLE HAS NOW BEEN FILLED. THANKS FOR YOUR APPLICATIONS.

A new role from The Nursery...

You probably won't be working here. Unless you're naughty.

THIS ROLE HAS NOW BEEN FILLED. THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST.

A rather interesting brief has just winged its way to us at AdGrads.

Chris and the chaps at The Nursery are looking for someone to train up as a qual researcher. If you want to learn what makes people tick, and are fascinated about why they do the things they do, starting at The Nursery would be a good job for you.

Anyway, the details are below. Best of luck:

The Nursery Research and Planning is looking for someone marvellous to train as a qualitative researcher.

The company was formed in 2001 by ex ad agency people who wanted to fill the gap for a more useful, nurturing style of research.

We are the world’s leading experts in brand communications research. Typical projects involve helping agencies and clients identify the potential across candidate creative routes. We use a mix of qualitative research techniques and increasingly our innovative online research methodologies.

We need another smart cookie who ‘gets’ advertising ideas and can articulate why one concept is more promising than another. You may not have considered a career in market research but we reckon we deal with the most interesting parts of the advertising process. Think of us as marrying up consumer insights with creative ideas.

Only five people have left us in our 9 years: One emigrated to work for Unilever Australia (and live on Bondi Beach), one to a senior role at another research company and three have become planners. (at Red Brick Road, Isobel and Wolff Olins.)

Drop us a line with your CV explaining why you’d be great in this job.

Good luck.

Interview Aftermath...

Pretty good advice, to be honest.

I've been quite remiss of late, so sorry for the delay on this post.

I think there's a need to talk about the fallout of an unsuccessful interview. Now, with every process, there have to be candidates who don't get through. That's natural, and inevitable - there have to be winners and losers in this sort of thing.

No, what prompted this post was a post AdlandCreative wrote on his blog, detailing his experiences interviewing for an account executive position at Euro RSCG.

I'd like to claim that his feeling of not doing himself justice won't be shared by many. But that'd be bullshit, and not doing anyone any favours. I liken interviews to taking an exam. It's a one time shot; you do your research, you try to perform with some degree of fluidity and knowledge - but it really comes down to the day. You could always 'have done better' (whatever that looks like).

Now, not preparing is one thing, and you're right to feel a bit shit about that. But if you've put the effort in, you can't really criticise much more than chemistry between you and your interviewer, and your potential suitability for the agency. Like it or loathe it, but some agencies do naturally 'fit' people. It sounds a bit odd, and possibly a bit arrogant, but someone who works at AMV say may not get on half as well at a Mother or Saatchis.

What's more frustrating is when you feel you haven't done yourself justice, which was the nub of AC's post. When the words just don't come. When you blank. Again, i'd like to be able to say this won't ever happen again...but it does. The only solution is practice. Now, there are a host of mock interview techniques which might work for you. They never worked for me - I needed the real thing.

And, believe me (though, I imagine, most people are probably far better at interviewing than yours truly), there isn't a set process to guarantee a successful interview. There are far too many chaos factors for that, which i'll go through below:

1) Your interviewers

Planner? Account handler? HR? Each person's job role will entirely influence how he/she views you, and what sort of skills they want (regardless of the job that's advertised). Say it's an AE position - as a planner, i'd want to think that the person who's eventually given the job has the capacity to be strategic, to discuss client issues with me. I'm less bothered about your ability to get shit done - but for the account handler interviewing you, it'll undoubtedly be the first thing they look for.

And, of course, there's no way of knowing someone's mood. The seemingly cuddly planner could get shirky with you, and the old 'bad cop/good cop' approach that most account handler/planner interviewer combinations tend to go in for may not apply.

It's great if you can get your interviewers to like you, but it's not the be all and end all - some people, in a more professional capacity as an interviewer, like to be straight and serious all the time.

My suggestion to combat this is to not simply to learn the ads by rote, or try to stick to a script, or say a certain word/phrase in the hope it'll make you sound more intelligent. If you can demonstrate what you've learned and know in a different way, don't hesitate to keep it fluid and roll with the punches. You are, after all, a prospective junior in the industry. You don't know much - yet.

2) Thinking vs Feeling

A bit of an odd topic, but people do react in strange ways when asked to do things; just look at how unsuccessful many are when it comes to driving tests. You know what's coming up, but you can still bugger it up. A part of that often has a lot to do with wanting to impress. You want to show how much you know....so you either do one of two things. Clam up, or gush uncontrollably. I was always in the more emotional, slightly gushy side of things.

And this approach leads your interviewer (particularly if you're going for a planning job) to think you've got no quality control, and will drum your clients into a corner of unmarshalled bullshit. Hell, it happens to me now and then.

The other, more stage frighty situation, often caused by not knowing what to say first, is also a bit of a problem. One thing to bear in mind, and of some consolation, is that your interviewer isn't accusing you of a crime or anything so serious. You're a graduate who's being drilled by some thirtysomething who DOESN'T have a handle on all of the issues. No-one knows the procedure, really. This isn't a scripted interview for a job at PWC, say - it's undoubtedly been thrust upon them by their superiors and they really aren't sure of the best candidate or just how to assess people.

It's made even harder by the ever-quickening pace of technology - what do people/new candidates have to know? Why? They are JUST as likely as you to not know what to ask - so why should you cram on every topic? There's no way of knowing, so know your basics and say what you believe to be true. There really aren't that many wrong answers in this situation.

3) The nature of the role

Whisper it quietly, but not all grad jobs are created equal. Some are advertised to fulfil a VERY specific client need (whether it's being 100% on a massive client or just providing more support) and others are more general than that, with an eye on the future of the agency.

Now, this will inevitably colour the sort of responses and candidates the agency's looking for. If some of the questions have a more category specific bent than the other, there's a fair old chance (if they've not told you already) they are recruiting for a very specific position in mind, even at grad level.

A word on the more specific job roles - the agency definitely needs someone who can slot in and hit the ground running, far more so than the atypical graduate job, which is part of the regular intake, and people slot into different parts of the business.

There's absolutely no harm in asking when you first sit down just what the role will entail, and on which client/s it'll be. Yet a lot of grads don't do this when it's a one off job that's been advertised, and I find it very peculiar. Perhaps it's just nerves again. Don't let those get the better of you - you'll have to ask questions of your clients in similar pressured situations, and this allows you to better 'control' how the interview's going to go.

I hope those three were helpful. Ultimately, if you've gotten to interview, you are undoubtedly good enough to work in the business. You just need to practice those interviews, go to as many as you can, and keep learning - there are often a lot of rejections before someone says yes, and I know - it's hard to hear when you've just come out of university with a good degree. Just keep plugging away.

A bit of a different one....

It's just like this, honest.

Hello there. Thought I should drop you guys a bit of a different post than the usual advertising job opening.

I've recently moved agencies to a PR shop called Edelman. Now, we're hiring in our digital team, and one of the roles specifically calls for a grad.

Now, I bet you're thinking - this is a blog for advertising/media jobs? Well, this role is more like a typical digital agency position, and so I thought it'd make sense if I put it up here. It's an ideal role if you have an interest in digital communications, and want to be involved in the wider communications mix.

Details are here, and there are other jobs here if you're interested.

Two more opportunities....

It never rains but it pours. Two more opportunities have landed with us.

The first is with Iris, whose scheme closes on the 31st of January.

This year they have revamped their scheme and it includes:

· A two-year programme with four six-month rotations across planning, account management and specialist disciplines (PR, digital and experiential) with one placement in a global location.

· Guidance from board level mentor and iris buddies

· Accredited learning from the CAM foundation

· Monthly seminars with industry speakers to get an insight into the client side of advertising and marketing

· Peer group time dedicated to sharing, learning and supporting each other

· Over 24 workshops focused on key aspects of the account handler role

· Six integration days providing exposure to all of iris’ disciplines

The application form can be downloaded here: http://www.iris-global.com/irispotential/ and there is also info on how to get a creative grad placement there too (‘The Bunker’) Wannabe-grads can also find us on facebook or twitter (@irisgrads).


The second opportunity is with the Brooklyn Brothers, who are a very new creative hotshop.

They've just launched the Brooklyn Brotherhood. Check it out - it looks very interesting. Not your typical application. It closes on the 31st of March.

Best of luck with both of them.

Two new vacancies...

I don't know whose image this is, but nicked from imgfave.com.

Hello there.

Lot time no post, but we have not one but TWO new vacancies for you guys to have a look at.

The first is at Euro RSCG, who are looking for account execs (excitingly, there aren't any accounts specified...it could be anything). Shuck Jo Austin-Olsen your CV. Her email's as follows: joanne.austin-olsen at eurorscg dot com. This has now closed. Thanks for your applications.

The second is at Rapier, who are also looking for account executives. There are two roles here - send your CV to Nikki.Longhurst at rapieruk dot com.

Best of luck.