You’re a college student who decided to earn a little extra money on the side; but you’re also spending a lot of time, energy and most of all, money, on your education. Advertising sounds cheap and stereotypical at a first glance, but if you think about it for a moment, the fact that you are a college student means you’re young. And young equals fresh and imaginative. Working in advertising as a student will go a long way in building your track record and CV for the years to come after graduating. Advertising is a global field of work, which means you will be up-to-date on current trends, events, and the psychology of the buyers you will be working with.
An agency that does advertising will always look for eager young minds to offer new outlook on current trends and market, and since you’re still reading this, it means that you’re interested in giving an application or two a shot. Even if your field of study does not cover marketing, graphic design or similar fields, there’s nothing in the way of giving it a try. After all, sometimes it does come down to will and talent. We’re here to list a couple of valuable positions you may want to consider if you are job hunting among the wealth advertising agencies out there.
1.Copywriter
This one you may have heard of. Copywriting means “writing a copy” for a client. This copy can be an article, a letter, an e-mail, or any sort of written document that is primarily used to sell or advertise a product. It’s used for marketing purposes and raising brand awareness. This type of work can also be done online as freelancing, so if you’re someone with a rich vocabulary, you might want to give this one a shot. It’s a good way to work on your writing skills and earn a little money on the side.
2.Art Director
The street term is “graphic designer”, and it represents the visual contrast to copywriting. Designers work on visual advertising and marketing materials based on client’s needs. Logos, brochures, posters, cards, you name it. This is a good way to build up a rep and a portfolio if you’re into graphic design or applied arts and it pays a lot, but it takes equal amount of patience and creativity.
3.Production Artist
Closely connected to first two jobs; this one includes preprint processes required to print whatever the copy-writer or art director came up with. It does require some base knowledge of computers and programs like Photoshop, but it goes a long way in building up a rep in advertising agencies, because even though they have market and planning experience, they do need to put those plans in motion and produce their advertising materials. Being someone who studies engineering, design, or art in general is a plus when it comes to applying.
4.Commercial Director
Not to be confused with someone in a comfy chair and a suit-and-tie, a commercial director works on creating storyboards and commercials for companies that advertise their products. It’s a perfect place for someone who studies marketing, design, or even filmography. It’s a fun mix of putting as much as you can on the screen in a very limited time-frame since the commercials are paid for on a by-second basis. If you’re feeling creative and don’t really feel like paperwork or technical work is up your alley, you might consider this one as a means to get some advertising work mileage and a little money on the side.
5.Account Planning
This is something you might consider if you’re into finances, legal or marketing. It involves research and analysis of advertising trends, the current market and trends, and consumer’s needs. It’s a fit position for an up-and-coming student because it doesn’t involve an executive position but rather a consultant role. Being someone in charge of steering the marketing and funding of an agency might just be a way to earn extra while studying, but also ensure yourself an agency workplace after you graduate.
6.Media Buying
A stark contrast to account planning, media buying involves research and use of funding for a certain campaign, but in a more direct form; buying out radio broadcasts, ensuring fliers and posters are in optimal positions across the city and anything that involves managing an exact funding to maximize impact of a marketing campaign. This is a fitting role for marketing students but also anyone with a sellers’ mind-set.
The advertising marketplace is a hard place to fight your way through to. It may take several weeks for you to land a side-job because an agency usually operates with a small crew that does all the leg-work, develops and engages the projects. It’s a worthwhile investment of time and energy, since this is a field that will only keep growing and developing as we go further into the 21st century.
