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.