Episode 6: Army of the Undead: An entry-level approach to networking.

You're a recent entry-level graduate, the economy is horrible, you can't find work and nobody is endorsing you--time to bury your head in the sand, right?

Wrong. Unless you're an ostrich.

The first thing going through your young, in-experienced brain should be internship--paid or unpaid. You need to get in front of people and internships are the best way to do just that. Also, get involved in your local club. Whether it's an advertising, marketing, design or PR club--get involved and join committees.

Finally, the whole networking gig everyone tells you about, do it. Go to the events, meet people and start a dialog.

How?

Easy! Grab a business card and follow up the next day. In your follow up, ask what their schedule looks like for the following week and see if you can buy them lunch or drinks sometime and pick their brain. If you go to lunch, always follow up right after. Thank them for their time and say a little about what you've learned from talking with them. Make them feel their time was well spent.

Another great way to build a network is social media (keep your sites clear of in-appropriate material)--overused term I'm sure, but under utilized by many. Use the business cards of people you meet to add them to Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. Follow any blogs they're on, follow the companies they work for, start skimming the trades/newspapers for articles related to their company, to their clients and to them. When you see something interesting, let them know.

Always keep the dialog going.

With a trouble economy it’s eat or be eaten. What are you doing now that your entry-level competition isn’t doing? Who do you know?

Get hungry!

Get involved!

And remember: The only luck we have is the luck we make for ourselves.

More to come as I learn it.

Episode 5: Client changes are coming. Are you ready?

Building a relationship with clients is key to success in advertising. Heck in anything. Building relationships and truly caring about the clients...no, better yet, the people, is one of the most important things you'll do as an account person. Behind every great person though, there is a fierce client who has a fond idea of what their product or service should be. Why shouldn't they? It's their baby.

As a creative this can be problematic. I've read about reactions toward client changes in a slew of books. But understand those changes are not personal.

Vent.

Let it out.

Then get back to creating the best d*#m piece you've ever created. Changes are coming, just be ready to wow them.

As an account person, your job is taking care of the client while also taking care of your creative. It may seem like a tight rope to walk, but the great ones do it with ease.

How is your rope walking skills?

Find true value in working with your client: Do they like tennis? Do they like Grey's Anatomy? Find out, then make a note of it. Try to build your client relationships and the value of what you do will surely rise.

More to come as I learn it.

Episode 4: A Storm’s a Brewin’

The winds of client change are coming. Are you prepared?

As an account coordinator I’ve witnessed the power of client driven, creative changes and I can promise you it’s not fun or pretty. But coordinating these changes with your creative team doesn’t require pulling teeth. Be an advocate for the agencies, and then be an advocate for your client. Sit down and understand what these changes mean. How can they help our project for the best? How can I communicate these changes effectively to the creative team? Are there changes we can take advantage of (i.e. a new creative approach)?

Not all changes are unwarranted and not all changes are a direct attack on your team. Take what the client gives you and look for positives. Give your creative team time to vent, then put your heads together and create the perfect brand campaign.

More to come as I learn it.

Episode 3: They Love

You’ve got an interview in three weeks. You’ve done your research. You’ve cleaned and pressed your best suit. You’ve MapQuest their directions. You’ve gotten your thank you cards ready. You’ve prepared your questions and practiced your answers. The time has come. The interview moves fast. They love your answers. They love your questions. They love that you’ve done research. They love your clean pressed suit. They love that you’ve arrived five to ten minutes early. They love their thank you card.

But…

They have no openings at this time.

It can happen; all the preparation, several interviews, and still no job offer. Not every one will be a home run. But not every one will be a strike out either. Dust yourself off and get back up to bat.

More to come as I learn it.

Episode 2: Don't forget the small stuff

The glamorous life of an intern can be shrouded by the nuances of learning the business of account coordinating. An examples could include: stuffing envelopes, labeling, and then hand delivering them. Not very glamorous, especially when the temperature is 900 degrees out, but learning how to do anything as an account coordinator can be hard work, and not very glamorous.

BUT WAIT! There's good news

I like to compare the subtleties of a infant learning to walk, to those of an account coordinator. There are three stages to an infant's journey down the hard wood: crawling, standing, walking.

Crawling

An infant starts his journey toward walking by learning to crawl. Boring as it seems, crawling is the first step toward building the coordination to stand. Though, everyone wants to skip the crawling stage and get right down to walking, the child takes great joy in exploring his surrounding and taking in all the sights. As an intern / entry-level person, this stage is VERY important in getting to understand your surroundings, people you work with, clients, and a slew of other seemingly unimportant things. Don't underestimate the crawling stage.

Standing

You've suddenly understood the power of crawling and now you've graduated to standing. You've learned how the small things help in your day-to-day dealings. Now, armed with this knowledge, you're able to take on bigger responsibilities and brighter projects. The standing stage, though still not the full blown, front-stage star of advertising, you're one step closer to walking.

Walking

You've paid your dues and work hard at all the little things from crawling to standing; now you're ready to take on that big projects with lots of responsibility. Just like a child, walking is that grown-up stage where you're one step closer to taking the diapers off. You know the business, you understand the daily dealings, now it's time to put the seemingly irrelevant stuff to work and get out there and walk.

Like the stages of an infant walking, an account coordinator can benefit from the small things. Whether the small stuff makes sense, take pride in it. Treat all the little things like they're the most important part of the business. Because, learning to crawl helps you to stand, and learning to stand teaches you to walk.

Now get out there and start crawling.

More to come as I learn it.

Episode 1: Odd opportunity

Career beginnings are odd. You never know where your first opportunity will arise.

I recently graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in Advertising. I've been out of school a year, searching for an advertising job in a dead economy--face it I've seen more life out of a Frankenstein actor--and working at a job that pays the bills but doesn't satisfy your lust for advertising--'cause it's not advertising. But I kept my friends close and my contacts even closer, because networking and keeping in constant contact has landed me my first advertising internship at Springboard Creative, learning from the great Kevin Fullerton. So it pays to stay "top of mind."

So as an intern at Springboard Creative I'll focus on the business of building NEW client relationships as an account coordinator, and learn the nuances of my craft. I know what you're thinking: it sounds boring. Shouldn't you be creating something? Aren't you supposed to be a art director, copywriter, or interactive digital media specialist? Isn't that what advertising is about?

Sure.

Though I'm not creative, I do help by building trust with clients, creating relationships, and helping to guide talented individuals toward a goal--and that sounds PERFECT to me.

Since this is my first entry into my internship with Springboard Creative let me end with this bit: Be honest in your work, do what you feel is right, and for God sakes keep accurate billings.

More to come as I learn it.

Check back every week. Or follow me on twitter.