Comments on: How to Get an Entry Level Job in Advertising

By: greg christman

greg christman — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:05:19 +0000

well played sir! Being bold & passionate is definitely a necessity when your hunting for a job in this business, not only is it needed 2 find a job but also it’s important when growing your career. The challenge is that being bold & passionate comes from an inner hunger & drive that I feel can’t be taught or adopted. Rather is just lives in lives inside some more than others, it’s an innate confidence that may rise & fall like the tides but deep within the current always resides. I think a big part of maintaining that passion & bold behavior is the sweet taste of success here & there, keep you hungry & also serves 2 replenish the energy that you expend in process. Maybe like Dimassimo in your case.

Thx 4 sharing your thoughts, refreshing 2 hear a different perspective of a well covered topic. peace

By: Jinal Shah

Jinal Shah — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:21:36 +0000

Seth – First question, was that a wig in the video or your real hair? :P Sorry, had to ask that one. :)

Great post :)

About the “mom voice” – I have to be honest. Am guilty of that, but that’s the only way we learn and figure the right balance out. I think it is not so much about having a false voice, but understanding and accepting that with technologies, there are now different depths to relationships and that it is OK to have mutually beneficial relationships. Not sure I have it all figured out yet – but its becoming difficult to find slots for my random serendipitous run-ins with various people on the net and in life.

Would love to see you explore that further.

By: Seth

Seth — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:00:23 +0000

So true about Buzzword Bingo, Kevin, but you’ll have to play without me because as I said I’m never watching that again. I will, however, be down for Bar Mitzvah Video Boozing – every time my voice cracks perhaps?

And, just to be clear, that was a wig!

Claudia, thanks for commenting.

Mike, I think there’s a bigger post about how more people seem to be approaching relationships selfishly lately. They have the “What can I get out of this?” mindset. That’s the one thing that frustrates me about Twitter – when the Retweeting and even more “genuine” interactions seem phony. It’s like I hear it all happening in the “mom voice” – how your shady buddy’s tone would change when he’d talk to your parents.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:22:22 +0000

Brilliant. People don’t just hand out opportunities. They recruit people that they enjoy and respect. And that goes beyond just having met for 5 minutes during an agency visit. Because that is a very long and blurry list.

Also I think there may be some kind of resume buzz word drinking game that you could play with the video.

Was your hair really that big, or is that the video quality getting in the way?

By: Claudia S.

Claudia S. — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:09:58 +0000

seth,

great post. and you are a brave soul indeed :-)

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:06:40 +0000

Action Steps!

Agree man. It’s crazy how many young people just want to meet to get something out of you — job, contacts, etc. I hardly ever get a “Thank You” for grabbing coffee with someone anymore. I’m always happy to help or give advice but it’s more about building relationships, and not networking.

By: Seth

Seth — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:43:37 +0000

Thanks Avin. And thanks Dennis. (Note: Dennis is also one of the three that followed up.) Glad to hear this may have been somewhat helpful. Just to be clear, though I started in new biz then did acct and planning and then just planning, I don’t recommend taking the acct job (especially at a big place) expecting/hoping to make the switch into planning unless you work something out beforehand. Once you prove you’re competent at the former (which I’m sure you would), there will be little incentive to move you to planning. But I do think openness to developing related skill set and surprising yourself is a great approach. Best of luck, man.

By: Dennis Demori

Dennis Demori — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 17:29:26 +0000

Hey Seth,

Great post – I’m part of that MAS group that visited your office, and I think you make a lot of valid points.

Building relationships is HUGE, but I think that because it’s been repeated so often people overlook it…and end up missing opportunities. This isn’t the kind of economy where shy people get dream jobs. It’s imperative to be aggressive (in a nice way, of course).

I also think you’re right on that the emphasis on being a Planner is part of the problem.

I’ve decided that the best way to get into Planning might actually be to pursue something other than a traditional Planning job. It seems like a lot of the agencies we visited in NYC valued Planners with increasingly diverse backgrounds, so I think specializing in something else first(Digital, Design, Research, etc) could be a really good segue into Planning.

I know it’s cliche, but the journey’s often more rewarding than the destination.

P.S. Thanks for sharing the video – but what’s with the Howard Stern wig?? :)

By: avin

avin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:24:17 +0000

good post dude. appreciate the guts to post the vid