What is the usual entry job at an advertising agency?

Question

I'm interested in becoming either a Copywriter or Art Director, as those usually lead to a Creative Director position, but don't want to commit until I know everything I'd like to about the jobs. If you know what the very first (as in straight out of college) job(s) on the path to becoming a Cw/AD is/are, the responsibilities each entry job carries, how much one could expect to make working in the entry-level position, or the amount of time it will usually take to become a Copywriter or AD, please let me know. Any other details would be great, but I'd primarily like to know what other's people's experiences tell them about the four things I asked about.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Answer 1

Usually you'd come in as an entry level copywriter or designer and work your way up from there. I run an agency and I always bring folks in at that level.

We're an internet marketing agency so we also bring folks in as entry-level pay-per-click marketers, but that's unique to the online space.

Best of luck! It's a fun industry if you find the right fit.

Answer 2

In the advertising business, not all entry level jobs lead to a job in the creative department. The position of Copywriter and Art Director are two completely different disciplines, and each require training and a creative aptitude.

You should first determine where your skills lay, as that will determine your course of action.

For a copywriter (depending upon the size of the agency you are working at), the career path to a creative director position might go something like this:

Junior Copywriter -  you will spend most of your time writing brochures, sales collateral and other long forms, such a web sites.

COPYWRITER - in this role, you will work on actual ads and commercials. You may be teamed up with an Art Director to  flesh out current campaigns. So, for example, if you were working on the Geiko insurance "Caveman" campaign, you might be asked to come up with other ideas that revolve around the life of the caveman.

SENIOR WRITER - This is usually a person with 5-7 years of experience. This person is also teamed up with an Art Director and is responsible for coming up with original concepts and supervising the work of junior writers.

On the art side of the business, there are several paths to the role of creative director.

PRODUCTION ARTIST - This person is given a lot of the grunt work in the art department. They make sure the art files are technically accurate for printing or production, search for images and archive art files.

JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER - The role of AD and Designer are very different, but both involve producing original designs and layouts to support the concept. Like the role of Copywriter, this position often times involves fleshing out existing campaigns.

SENIOR DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR - These folks are responsible for developing original concepts and layouts and presenting them to the Creative Director.

SALARIES - These vary widely based upon talent, experience, where you live, whether you are working for an ad agency or an in-house marketing department, and other factors. The best thing to do, is to research various salary reports that are available online. These will give you an idea of average salaries in your area.

GETTING YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR. Whether you start out as a writer or an art director, you will want to create a portfolio of your work. In the ad industry, this is every bit as important - if not more important - than a resume. No creative director will want to hire a writer or an AD without having some idea as to the prospects skill level or having some evidence of how the prospect thinks. You should start developing your portfolio while you are still in school. If you want ideas on how to start one, drop me an e-mail.

I hope this has been of help to you. Good luck.