As I was lucky enough to spend my Summer interning at a number of fantastic agencies, I thought I’d share some tips on bagging yourself your dream internship.
Firstly, I would like to say to anyone who is considering applying for an advertising internship: go for it! I have been lucky enough to intern at a variety of amazing agencies this Summer, including Adam and Eve London and McCann Erickson Bristol, and it has been a fantastic experience. Although my internships were short, I met a lot of interesting people who I will be keeping in contact with, and have had some brilliant experiences. Most importantly I’ve learnt an incredible amount over a really short space of time, and now feel like I’m ready to hit the ground running when I graduate.
For anybody looking to gain some work experience in advertising, I advise you to consider these 5 tips.
1. Think Outside The Box
Don’t just go for the obvious. Applying for advertised internship schemes is great but try to do your own research. Find agencies whose work you really love, and make the first move. This can take longer but trust me it will be worth it. The fact that you have used your initiative gives a great first impression and you will come across as genuinely interested in the agency, which counts for a lot!
2. Persistence is Key
Advertising is a competitive industry, so try not to get disheartened if you don’t get replies straight away. Staff are often very busy, and your application is unlikely to be at the top of their priority list so it’s up to you to ensure that your application gets read by the correct person. A good tip is always to follow up an application letter or email with a phone call, as this shows your keen.
3. Go Regional
For those who can’t afford to live in/commute to London, don’t despair as there are a lot of regional ad agencies which produce some fantastic work! McCann Erickson, Golley Slater and TBWA all have offices outside London, as do many other agencies, so its worth seeing if there are any agencies in your local area.
4. Think Small
It’s worth spending time at both large and small agencies to get a feel for what suits you best. I know classmates who have interned at both large and small agencies, and had a much more hands on experience at the smaller agencies, learning much more as a result.
5. Milk It!
If you are lucky enough to get an internship my last piece of advice would be to make sure you learn as much as possible from the experience. Jump at every opportunity, learn as much as possible from your peers and ask for advice on getting into the industry. They’ve given you the chance to learn firsthand about the industry, but how much you learn from the experience is entirely up to you!
I hope these tips are helpful! If anyone has any tips to add please comment below.
