Industry Insights
Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations
Counselor's Perspective
Advertising, public relations and marketing are all similar types of industries but have very distinct differences. Advertising and PR both deliver words and pictures, but what they really sell is image and reputation (think immediate). Public relations helps organizations build and maintain a positive image, advertising generates ideas and creates the image, while marketers create, manage, and enhance brands (think long term).
These industries typically hire for open positions as they become available. You will find that many of these organizations hire during the late spring and summer. Some training programs and internships have earlier deadlines. The best job search strategy is NETWORKING! Referral is a key component in getting your "foot in the door." Internships are also critical.
A Day In the Life
Brand and Consumer Marketing Intern, Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. (NYC)
Class of '08, English Major & Markets & Management Certificate
There is no "typical" schedule and therefore not a "regular" day at Nickelodeon, which is perhaps one of the leading reasons why I loved my internship as much as I did. Every morning I get into the office before 10am and check my email, my voicemail, and my daily schedule on Entourage to see if there's any meetings (whether departmental or one-on-one with supervisors) and when they are. I look to see if any emails are flagged as urgent (usually with things to print and copy for early meetings) and get to those as soon as possible. When I finish all that, I drop in to say hi to some of my supervisors and chat about the previous night / find out what's on tap for the day.
I've had several on-going projects throughout the internship which I developed myself with various supervisors based on my interests and the part of the network (and the brand marketing team) they primarily focus on. This has been
the best way for me to learn about not only the various Nickelodeon properties in closer detail, but about the entertainment marketing industry and its trends, and some of Nickelodeon's biggest competitors. I have regular
check-ins with my supervisors about my progress and learn how to put my findings in formal presentations like they use to pitch actual marketing plans for the network.
As the internship has progressed through the summer, I spend the majority of my day working on my projects, going to meetings to get a first hand glimpse of how everything comes together and how integral my department is to the network as a whole, and just getting to know my co-workers. Of course, if there's a pressing task -- like errands, dubbing tapes, labeling promotional gifts and making swag bags, or working on the Slime Truck (coolest brand marketing event!), that obviously takes precedent to my projects. Earlier in the summer before the projects got this in depth, I'd use down time to watch DVDs from the Nick library of all the shows to acquaint myself with what exactly I'm working on (and memorizing characters' names!) and learn the lingo that my team uses on a day-to-day basis. Now that I've learned that, if there's ever downtime (and sometimes there's plenty) and no project to work on, I read trade publications ranging from Daily Variety to marketing magazines just to stay informed on the industry.
Sometimes I'll have a slow morning and a busy afternoon, sometimes its the other way around. I usually eat lunch around 1 with the other interns in the Viacom cafeteria downstairs. My day technically ends around 5:30 but I often find myself sticking around until closer to 6 to finish things up.
Freelance Market Research
Karen Kariv, '01 (BS Biology & French and International Studies)
When my boyfriend (now husband) matched for residency in Charleston, SC, I decided the time was right for a change in careers. I applied and was accepted to USC’s Master in Public Administration program. My bosses at the time (and my parents) thought I was crazy: I would never make any money in the not-for-profit world. Plus, South Carolina? Everyone thought the same thing: I was essentially going to destroy my career path. Of course, this is true. Charleston is strong in two areas: travel and tourism, not market research. But I was set on a change.
The company I had been working for in New York was outsourcing a lot of work. The first few months here in Charleston, I benefited from that work. Meanwhile, I applied for every job that was posted on Monster.com, Craig’s List and other area job sites. I essentially blanketed the city with resumes. I got lots of callbacks and interviews, and I was over qualified for 99% of the opportunities available.
I started to notice that people were intrigued by the idea of marketing research and often flipped the tables during interviews. We’d have an interview for ten or fifteen minutes and then the rest of the time was used for asking about research and how it’s done. I quickly realized that strategy and research based marketing was a new idea in Charleston.
I made many connections those first few months. Charleston is a small town, and you quickly learn who’s who. I finally fell into a position with a leading advertising agency who had a strong relationship with a researcher who needed an assistant. Although it wasn’t a full time position and it didn’t offer any benefits, it was the perfect opportunity. The main project I was working on was for one of their non-profit clients and was scheduled to last many months. To manage costs, I was put on retainer. Finally – some security! Benefits were still an issue, but I was able to get health insurance through the graduate school.
As time went on, I realized that this was the perfect set-up. I didn’t have to keep anyone else’s hours, I had full control over the work I was doing, and I could still go to graduate school in the evenings. Not to mention, I was able to keep my research skills sharp and prevent any resume gaps. However, I still scour industry job sites, keep in touch with headhunters, and apply for jobs (contract and otherwise) all the time. Freelancing is big business, and it’s all about who you know. Keeping your name out is crucial to success.
Financial security might be the hardest thing to achieve. For the most part, I live month-to-month, saving every penny I can because I never know when the well is going to run dry. Taxes are always an issue because most of my clients don’t take them out. The first year, I got hit with a huge tax bill. Planning and accounting are of the utmost importance, and I’m still working on being better at it. On the flip side, however, if you’re smart about it, many things can be tax deductible.
My reputation is the most important element to maintain: I don’t advertise or sell. Every email is returned promptly. I am up early in the morning and late at night (and yes, sometimes I do work in my pajamas). My work must be above and beyond, and I go out of my way to follow up and make sure that everything I is dotted and T is crossed. One mistake and you could never get any more work. Working with me has to be easy: I want you to want to work with me. Saying “no” is not an option: once you say no, it opens the door for someone else to come in and take your work.
Along with that, however, comes the work-life balance. Working plus going to school is challenging. It leaves little time for leisure. It’s important to understand your limits. Over the past year, I’ve been working on a very time consuming project, taking a full course load and planning a wedding. I forgot to enjoy who I am and what I was doing. Being in front of the computer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week was not what I had signed up for. Having learned what is possible the hard way, I’m working more on what they call “quality of life” and making time for myself.
Freelancing is about relying on yourself. I’m always learning something: a new client, a new technique, a new business. I’m constantly reassessing and redefining myself and what I do. It’s a dynamic lifestyle: you never know what’s next. And it’s a lot of fun.
7:00 am Get up and answer emails, read the news.
8:00 am Field phone calls, hold conference calls, attend client meetings, prepare decks/presentations, design projects, write proposals, look for new opportunities.
7:00-11:00pm Finish whatever I didn't get done between 8-6. I'm typically lucky if I get lunch or time to go to the gym. As a freelancer, I have to make myself as available and accessible as possible. Work can be somewhat of an addiction: fear of missing something is real. Recreation and leisure is something I'm working on improving.
Funny, one of the hardest things to establish is the perception that what I do is work. After all, I'm "home" all day long - I should be able to run all the errands during the day - but the truth is that I'm more tied down now than ever before. It's hard for people to understand.
Opportunities
Advertising & Promotions Manager
Resources (counselor's picks)
People are your best resource to discovering opportunities in advertising, public relations, and marketing. The Career Center can help connect you to experienced professionals currently involved in careers in your area of interest. There are a variety of excellent resources on the web to guide in your search as well. While there are endless resources of varying quality available on the web, these are a few of my recommendations:
NewsAd Age
Ad Week
Brand Republic
Promo Magazine
Direct Magazine Online
Poets & Writers, Inc.
Blogs/Mags
Seth's Blog (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/)
AdverGirl (http://leighhouse.typepad.com/advergirl/)
AdverBlog (http://www.adverblog.com)
Organizations & Memberships
American Advertising Federation
American Academy of Advertising
Ad Club of the Triangle
Advertising Educational Foundation
American Marketing Association
Public Relations Society of America
Jobs & Internships
Communications Arts Network
Marketing Jobs
PR Week
Communication Strategies
The key to uncovering these often elusive job opportunities is networking. If you have never really conducted networking before, the Career Center has a number of resources and support to make your first networking experiences painless and even enjoyable! Start with a conversation with your career counselor about what you hope to learn through networking. A great online tool to start with is our volunteer alumni network, DukeConnect.
In addition to our alumni database, here are other strategies for learning more about an industry while meeting people at the same time. First, join a professional association! Most professionals working in these areas belong to one or more professional associations such as the Public Relations Society of America, the American Advertising Federation, and American Marketing Association just to name a few. The best part is that many of these associations let college students join for reduced rates. As a member of a professional association, you can receive up-to-date industry news and job/internship postings. Plus, most associations hold an annual conference.
Conferences are an EXCELLENT way for college students to make contacts that can lead to jobs. Find out when your association is having a conference and sign up to attend, or even better - offer to volunteer! Volunteering for a professional conference is a great way to show commitment and seriousness about an industry. Another great way to gain experience, make contacts and maybe even score some cash is to participate in competitions. It seems there is an endless stream of competitions available for college students to strut their stuff in front of industry leaders. For example, did you know that the world's most prestigious advertising competition, the ADDY Awards, has a college student division? Other notable competitions for college students that take place each year include:
- Loreal's Brandstorm Competition (free trip to Paris anyone?)
- CMYK Magazine Emerging Artists Competitions
- Radio Mercury Awards
- mtvU student voice contest (one winner every month)
Who is interested in Duke students?
It's important to understand that many companies represented at Duke Career Fair and through eRecruiting are not seeking applicants in advertising, marketing, and PR because these jobs are usually filled in a "just-in-time" fashion. This means that companies rarely recruit college students on campus in the fall and hold the position until after graduation but rather, they fill the positions one-at-a-time whenever a position opens.However, a handful of companies do look to Duke each year for job applicants. While they are not as plentiful as other industry sectors, they are great opportunities and should not be overlooked. Companies who recruited new employees through the Duke Career Center in 2006 and 2007 include:
- The Ad Club
- Advertising.com
- American Airlines
- Bloomberg
- JWT
- The Kessler Group
- Nielson Media Research
- Ogilvy
- Universal Buzz Intelligence
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