THIS WEEK: SWITCHING CAREERS INTO ADVERTISING

Dear DOYLE,

I’ve been working as an associate in a City law firm for the past couple of years, a job I’d dreamed of – and studied for – since I was younger.?Problem is, the reality doesn’t match my expectations.?I won’t go into specifics with you, but I feel like a want to do something more creative.?Perhaps I’ve watched too much Mad Men during the pandemic but I think advertising would be a good fit for me.?What do you think?

Mia, London

I think this is great.?Nobody should feel trapped in their job, and plenty of people will find themselves in this exact situation at some point.?Tastes change and evolve over time, so it’s perfectly understandable that what piqued your interest in your teens would be different to that in your twenties.

Anyway – sounds like you know all of this, so just need some help reaching Madison Avenue.?

First things first, good news – there are no formal qualifications needed to start working in an agency.?It’s true that in the recent past a degree was an unspoken cost of entry, but now many businesses take people on without this, and often have entry schemes for those who didn’t go to university (not that it’s an issue for you, anyway).?

The author wrote in an earlier column that you shouldn’t get too hung up on which type of agency (PR, advertising, media, etc) you end up in as you can always switch, and that advice still rings true, but you should start with a plan of where you want to work and importantly, what type of thing you want to do therein.?You said you want your job to be more creative, so let’s focus on actual creative agencies (aka ad agencies).

Research two things to begin with:

1. Companies
2. Jobs inside the agency

Do you like big companies or small??Google the top 20 biggest agencies (by size of billings), look at who has won awards recently and start reading trade publications.?You’re trying to familiarise yourself with the industry landscape, both the companies and the staff.

Broadly speaking there are three main departments in an ad agency; account management (they have overall responsibility, representing the agency to the client and client to the agency); planning (who take ownership of how to solve the client’s brief) and; creative (who write the ads).?There’s overlap between all three but as a general rule of thumb the split is as such.?As with all jobs think about what you enjoy and find interesting, and what you’re good at.?In the author’s experience lawyers tend to be pretty handy with a pen, so if you’re set on a truly creative 9-5 a role as a copywriter may be a good fit.?Equally, if you focus on transferrable skills you are no doubt an expert diplomat, adroit at managing clients and with bags of personal authority, thus account management may be the place to be.

After you have worked out what interests you, Google the top brass at the companies you have found and email them directly with whatever questions you have – what was their career path, how do you get their job, do they offer internships, can they see any issues with you making a switch, etc.?You’ll be surprised at how many are willing to help in some way, shape or form, and it’s a great way for you to start networking.

I’m an optimist and assume you will get your foot in the door, so a few things to consider when inside:?

• Don’t worry about potentially being a bit older than some contemporaries.?You’ve got the benefit of knowing how a workplace works (part of learning curve of any entry-level position).?Plus agencies tend to operate very flat structures so you should be able to rise to a position you feel comfortable with relatively quickly (competence permitting).?Also, there are bound to be other ‘switchers’ you’ll have a natural rapport with too
• The author doesn’t have first-hand experience of working in a law firm, but speaking to those that do it sounds like there are a lot of parallels between day-to-day life in one and in an agency (true of many service sector jobs, one imagines), including the amount of hours in the office.?Use your work ethic to your advantage
• Prepare for a pay cut, initially at least.?Junior salaries in ad agencies are no match for the big bucks on offer in the magic circle, but as mentioned you can progress quickly and advertising execs can live quite charmed lives

Keep me updated on this exciting new chapter.

DOYLE

NEXT WEEK: NAVIGATING A REGULATORY STORM

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DOYLE is an international advertising agency for ambitious brands.?Contact us to discuss how we can help grow your business.

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