How Do I Get Advertising Work Experience?

Advertising is a highly competitive field that can be relatively difficult to break into. If you are looking for advertising work experience, you may need to take a low-paying internship or a low-level position within an advertising firm. Before qualifying for entry level positions, however, you need to complete a university degree program that teaches the skills required to create effective advertising. It may also be possible to get some job experience by creating advertisements on a freelance basis to use as portfolio pieces.

One of the best ways to get advertising work experience is to take an internship. Internships may offer low pay, a stipend, or college credit in lieu of a paycheck. Though most internships are aimed at students who are still studying advertising at a university, there are some available to recent graduates. Non-paying internships are usually reserved for students while paid positions may be open to people who are no longer in school. Internships are particularly useful because they often give people the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in advertising while learning from people who are experienced in the field.

Another way to get advertising work experience is to get an entry-level job at an advertising firm. These positions may not be directly related to advertising, but they might offer you a way to get to know the field and some of the people who currently work within it. When higher-level positions open up in these companies, people who are already working at the company are often preferred over outside applicants.

It may also be possible to get advertising work experience by working as a freelancer. Many small companies rely on freelance advertisers, who usually offer more reasonable prices than large advertising companies do. Freelancing can help you to develop a portfolio of work to help attract more clients or to get a job in an advertising firm at a later date. Creating mock advertisements, in the absence of real clients, or offering pro bono work for friends or acquaintances who need advertising services can also provide you with valuable advertising experience.

Before you find advertising work experience in an advertising firm, it may be necessary to complete a degree program in advertising and marketing. These degrees are commonly offered by four-year universities around the world. Though a degree may not be required at all firms, advertising is highly competitive, and it is unlikely that you will get a job without a degree.