Expert: Peter Gabany - 12/2/2008

Question
QUESTION: Dear Mr. Gabany,

I am currently a junior at VCU where I major in both ad strategy and marketing. My goal is to become an account exec for a major ad agency. I am also an honors student with a highly competitive gpa, however, in order to graduate I must obtain an internship which I am having difficulty doing. I've applied to around a dozen ad/marketing agencies around the Richmond area with no luck. I've only received a response from one small agency who ended up not hiring me anyway. It seems everyone wants experience, because clearly my academic achievements count for very little. So here's my dilemma: How do I gain experience if agencies are unwilling to even respond to my resume because I have no experience?

On the same note, what else can I do to increase my appeal as an aspiring ad exec?

ANSWER: You need tenacity and patience. Why should any agency (especially during these times) need or want to see you? Let alone have you as an intern. An intern position is an inconvenience to any agency but it is also the best way to “test drive” new talent.

Please take no slight from this - it is not personal just business. The question above is a fair one and one that you better be prepared to answer and in a creative agency must be met with some sort of inspiration.

Think for a moment. You receive a piece of paper that passes for a resume. The applicant can do such things as operate a computer and create a pretty cool spreadsheet. But what separates you from the people applying to be the receptionist? Please don't say your education. This too is imperative. What is the thing or things that the agency wants/needs?

Remember it is you that said that you want to play a role as an ad Exec in a major agency. A major agency hires the best of the best. With your experience and education and resume what is it that separates you from the rest? The fact that you like advertising? Maybe design? Maybe business? Maybe media?

You must demonstrate that you are GREAT at what you do. I have a friend who has his pick of agencies out there today due to his tenacity and wit.

He planned each and every interview and does so to this very day - now to get clients. On one interview he got all the information on the individual that he possibly could.

He planned his interview at 11:45a.m. knowing that if it went well he may be asked to lunch. He ask the owner (interviewer) if he enjoyed driving the new Mercedes 500 series that he rented on a recent away trip to France. Puzzled the owner replied yes. He asked him if he really enjoyed a specific band and asked if he preferred one recording over the other. Eventually the guy was so intrigued he invited him for lunch to carry on the conversation.

When they got in the door of the restaurant they were asked if they had a reservation - the owner replied no - so sorry and apologized to my friend. Anthony (friend) said to the maitre D well yes he called ahead - a table for two under his name. The owner asked - how the F… did you know we were going to lunch? How did you know what restaurant I would pick? Anthony excused himself and pulled out a cell phone and called someone and stated that they were at XYZ restaurant. What happened was that Anthony could not predict where the guy would take him to eat and therefor made reservations at 24 restaurants. The call he made was to his father who then proceeded to call the other 23 restaurants to cancel the reservation.

Anthony had the scoop on the agency, what ad campaigns were successful and which ones tanked. He knew the staff by name and by reputation. he could speak to owner as though he knew the agency for a few years and this manifested a great dialogue and got him a job that wasn't even there.

It is a difficult environment to work in to get hired by and to get noticed. You have to love the businesses and be able to demonstrate your passion. By the way Anthony did this when he was 24 years old.

Find your USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Do your due diligence. Find out who they are pitching next and if its a pizza company - send them a pizza and put in it a note stating how you can help them deliver the pitch they need to get the business. If it is a bank - send them a change purse and tell them that you have got ideas on how the banking world must change in this economy and that you can help them win the business based on your knowledge.

There are so many problems out there to solve - just get the money and the job to start helping solve them.

I trust that you meant that you were from Richmond VA. Go see Mike Hughes, Brad Armstrong or Earl Cox of the Martin Agency and convince them that you have the passion; that you are willing to do what it takes. That you picked the Martin Agency because …………… Be incredibly thorough. Remember - you are on a new client pitch and you are the client. (This should indicate that you need to create a superb pitch deck with creative samples - you in normal clothes, dressed up, in costume - a media plan - interactive, online, print, even radio - do the voice-over. And be sure to demonstrate where they will get a return on investment).

Please let me know if this helps and I am serious when I say I would like to know how you make out.  

Cheers,

Pete

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Wow, this advise is priceless. Anthony seems to be more of the exception than the common individual, which is clearly the reason for his success. I'd love to hear more of his story (prior experience, education, an update perhaps). Anthony's procedure is simply one way of solving my problem but it's not the only way. Which leads me to your question: What separates me from the rest? Given I have no experience and little real world knowledge of an agency and how the ad business works, I'd have to say very little. What good is charisma and persistence if I have no clue what I am doing? I assume Anthony had some experience in the industry as well as a few connections and was able to take that foundation a long way, but how did he get the ball rolling when he was younger and starting with nothing?
Sorry for the speech but this topic intrigues me to no end and your expertise is extremely helpful. As for the Martin Agency, it's by far my number 1 choice in the area and I have come within inches of getting an interview there through various personal connections, but even with those connections, I'm told they won't hire me without more experience. It's a vicious catch 22.

Answer
Anthony went to community college and graduated. This was one of his first jobs - not the first just one of.

He is unusual that is true but his is unique approach is needed to compete in this environment. What do you have - anything that your mind can make up. I gave you an idea - create a pitch to sell yourself as you would to win a new client. Be out there - the Martin Agency is and people like that want passion, creativity balanced with the business pragmatic.

I'm sorry I haven't much more time today but do reply if you want more recommendation. you can also try calling me after hours to chat - 905-885-9895

Pete