Advertising can be a rewarding industry to work in although it is fiercely competitive. So just how do you make your application and your resume stand out?

Rebecca Weaving is an Account Director at one of the biggest Advertising Agencies in the UK and has worked on a variety of advertising campaigns, including the Olympics 2012. She shares her career tips with Resume Surgeon.

What is Your Career Background To Date?

I went to Durham University and did a degree in History. When I graduated I worked for a small design company in their sales department but I was always looking for something creative to get into. I started my career in Advertising shortly after in 2007 where I started out as an Account Manager. During the past five years I have worked my way up the ranks – becoming a Senior Account Manager and eventually an Account Director.

How Did You Get Into Advertising?

I applied for the Account Handling graduate schemes in my second and third years of University after I’d decided that Advertising best suited my skill set. I applied to around five agencies each year and had a variety of interviews in London. I progressed to final round assessment in many cases but was never given a place on a scheme until I heard of a vacancy through a friend I’d met in interviews. I went to London that same day and was given the job!

Why Did You Want to Work in Advertising?

I wanted to identify an industry in which my natural abilities would be utilised – in other words, a job that I would be naturally good at. Advertising is also an incredibly exciting industry to work in. You can be both business like and creative, and you get to work with some fantastically smart and funny individuals. I wanted a job in which I would never dread going to work and was happy to sacrifice a higher salary for a creative and relaxed working environment.

What Is The Most Exciting Project You Have Worked On?

The Olympics!

What Three Ingredients Do You Need to Have to be Good at Advertising?

There are broadly two halves to the industry: Creative and Account Handling. I’m in Account Handling. I would say the three key ingredients that make a good Account Handler are organisation, personability and enthusiasm. You need to be able to inspire trust in both your creative team and your clients and Account Handling often means late nights and long days so you have to be committed.

What are Your Career Tips for Someone Wanting to Get Into It?

Although it seems that the graduate schemes are the only way to get into Account Handling, there are other ways in. Networking is vital as the industry is pretty incestuous. The more people you know, the more likely you are to be mentioned for a role. Remember, people always prefer hiring people they know, or know of. Getting work experience is crucial – many of my colleagues started on a two week placement and impressed so much that they never left! I would also say to show that you have interests and a personality. It sounds clichéd but the majority of people wanting to get into Advertising are incredibly bright. Your only point of difference is what you – and only you – can bring. In interviews I’m always more likely to put people forward who I feel I have a connection with, above those who may be smarter/more experienced.

When the weather starts to heat up and it’s t-shirt weather it can be hard to know what to wear to the office. Most companies operate a dress code so how do you know what is within its limits? It’s crucial you don’t go against company policy, especially if you’re aiming for career progression. We’ve put together a clothing check list below to help you get your office wardrobe perfect for the summer!

• Don’t go overboard. The sun can come out quickly in the UK but it can disappear just as quickly. You don’t want to be left at work wearing minimal clothing if the weather turns so make sure you’re prepared.
• Ask your boss if you are unsure. This is the easiest way to know what you can and can’t wear. If not, check your original employment contract which should give you some guidelines.
• Don’t show too much flesh. If a client visits your office and sees lots of casual wear they are likely to gain the wrong impression of the organisation. Whatever you wear ensure it stays professional.
• Think of your wardrobe like you do your resume template. It’s the first thing many people at work see and it can leave a lasting impression so ensure you change your outfits regularly.
• Wear neutral colours. It might be tempting to wear bold colours and bold patterns in the hot weather but remember you are in the office!
• Try to avoid sandals or beach footwear. Most companies will frown upon these because of health and safety. If you do want to wear them, ensure you have a spare pair of office shoes in your bag.  

Most employers will include an email address with a job advert so you can send your application directly to them at a click of a button. But there are some simple mistakes to avoid to ensure you maximise your chances of securing a job.

You can apply for a job in a variety of ways but sending your resume by email is usually the preferred route. It’s quick, simple and it usually reaches the employer instantly. But there a few mistakes, if made, that can damage your chances of securing a job interview. Check out the tips below to perfect your email application;

• Don’t forget your resume! Ensure your resume writing is excellent before sending it to an employer. And when you send the email ensure you attach the resume – it’s a bit embarrassing if you don’t!
• Choose your subject line carefully. You need to choose something attention grabbing and relevant to your job application. Include the job title, company name and job reference number if applicable.
• Address the email correctly. If you are sending out multiple applications it can be easy to get a name or company name wrong. Ensure that you check the job advert and that you address the email correctly.
• Spell check! Do not send your email until you have thoroughly checked for spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Once you have done the above you should be ready to send out a great email and hopefully the employer will be impressed!
To impress the employer even more how about using our online resume building service? It takes you through creating a resume step-by-step and you can choose from a wide range of eye-catching graphic designs. What are you waiting for? Get started today!

Looking for a job can be both time consuming and stressful. And if you have been looking for a job for weeks and been sending out your resume template and haven’t been successful – you could find yourself lacking motivation. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated during that job search!

Give Yourself a Break

Whether you are in a job and desperate to find a new one or you’re unemployed looking for your next career move, it’s important to give yourself a break. No one can be expected to look at a computer and apply for jobs all day long. You’ll quickly find yourself losing energy and concentration and it could affect your application. Instead take regular breaks and take a more relaxed approach.

Research

Constantly researching the kind of company you want to work for will help you to narrow down your job search and will make you feel more focused.

Reward Yourself

If you look back on your day and realise you have gained a job interview or taken a step towards a new job then you should reward it. Spend time with friends and socialise to keep your positive attitude.

Relax

Activities like yoga are a proven way of relaxing so why not take up a hobby like this? It is crucial that you allow yourself to de-stress from work so you can begin the job search again.

Networking

Networking with people who work in your industry and share the same work interests as you is crucial. This will help you to remember why you love the industry so much and it could also lead to new job opportunities.

Keep Looking!

Whatever happens, keep looking! Don’t be disheartened if you get a few rejection letters or it takes weeks for an employer to contact you. Keep applying and stay positive and it will lead to job success.

With the unemployment rate in the US currently at 8%, Resume Surgeon looks at some ways of dealing with unemployment.

If you have recently lost your job you are probably worrying and frantically preparing your resume template to send out to employers. But you’re not alone – millions of people across the country are searching for work and there are a number of things you can do to handle unemployment and look for jobs;

• Update your resume template.  Look through the content of your resume and spend time adding all of the skills you learnt at your most recent job. This will help you to gain focus on what you want to do next.
• Looking for a job can be difficult if you have no direction. You might find yourself in this position if you were not expecting to lose your job. So first consider putting together a list of specifications including what kind of job you want to do, location, salary, hours of work etc this will help you to define your job search.
• Job searching. Use a variety of sources to find work – online adverts, local press, recruitment companies, job centres and applying directly to a company are just a few ways to find work.
• If you have been made redundant or feel you were unfairly dismissed ensure you seek advice from relevant organisations. Spend time researching redundancy and dismissal packages to ensure you are getting the right one.
• Networking. Spend time speaking to friends and professional contacts to try and find out about new opportunities. If you are feeling isolated because of your job loss, try to meet as many people as possible to maximise your chances of finding employment.
• Budget your time. Ensure you budget correctly during your job search period. If you have used your specification list and have not found any positions that match your criteria, consider broadening your search to open up more immediate opportunities.

A recent report has outlined how crime in Detroit is threatening small business operations.

The report, on Yahoo, says that the lack of police officers in the city has owners and managers of shops worried.

Shop owners are apparently worried about consumers not wanting to shop. Over 1,500 robberies have happened in the city during the first three months of 2012.

If you feel your resume qualifications are holding you back from progressing then it could be time to seriously consider going back to school!

Regardless of whether you left education a few years ago or decades ago, qualifications on your resume will be just as important. Although qualifications aren’t everything (some employers are really eager to find candidates with ‘hands on’ experience) your chosen industry might require a specific grade or qualification. Or you might find yourself losing out during job interviews to candidates with slightly higher grades. If this is happening to you then why not consider slipping back into your shirt and tie and attending a training course?

The good news for those who feel they don’t have the time is that some qualifications can be achieved by learning from home or employing a tutor to work with you when it’s most convenient for you.

Here are some advantages to adding extra qualifications to your resume;

• It will make you feel more confident
• It will add depth and content to your resume template
• It will help you to specialise in your chosen field
• It can impress the employer if you have taken the initiative to learn these skills outside of work hours
• It could help you to network and could lead to other opportunities
• It will make you feel productive during your job search

There are a number of places you can achieve extra qualifications so take the time to carefully consider what qualification is right for you and get searching!

You can impress an interviewer in a variety of ways and one thing most employers look at during a job interview is attitude. If a candidate has a positive attitude then it will most likely rub-off on the employer and leave them with a good impression. But what if you have a bad attitude?

A bad attitude can really hinder your chances of securing a job. Here’s a few things that can be regarded as bad attitude during a job interview;

• No regard for appearance or dress code
• Chewing gum
• Being late
• Having an excuse for being late
• Not asking questions
• Looking at your watch
• Negative facial expressions
• Not engaging with the staff
• Not keeping eye contact and looking un-interested

All of the above will make the employer feel uncomfortable and will also make them feel like you aren’t that interested in the job role. So instead, try the below to ensure you maximise your chances of job interview success;

• Research the office dress code and dress accordingly
• Don’t chew gum!
• Research how you are going to get to the offices and leave plenty of time to get there
• Look at the company website and think of some positive questions you can ask
• Practice your facial expressions and prepare for the interview
• Be friendly and approachable with everyone, not just the interviewer
• Ensure your interview body language remains positive and that you demonstrate your eagerness for the job!

The number of employers hiring in America has increased for the first time in four years, reports Bloomberg Business Week.

The number of positions available increased in March to 3.74 million – which is the highest it has been since June 2008.

The new figures suggest more employers in America are beginning to feel confident about their hiring activity.

When you are looking for a job you are probably looking for a well paid position as well as something you enjoy. Not all positions will have salary brackets so how do you know which ones are well paid?

The first thing to realise before you look for a position like this is that you need both experience and expertise in a field to command a higher salary. If this isn’t you yet then  consider volunteering or gaining more work experience because this will help to boost your resume template and will help you to negotiate salary in the future. Also it is crucial to realise that although well paid jobs are a bonus, job happiness and security is essential in order to have longevity. So take all of this into consideration before you start your job search.
Here are a few tips below which might help you find a well paid position;

• Networking. Networking within your chosen area is a great way of finding out about new positions and the more people you network with the more likely you are to find out about insider knowledge i.e. salary
• Research. Do your research and you will have a better chance of finding about well paid positions. By looking at different companies and their structure you should be able to get a vague idea of the sort of salaries they offer. Likewise do your industry research – most industries will have a standard starting wage so, depending on how experienced you are, you can rank yourself against this.
• Look out for commission. Most sales and marketing jobs will have commission and bonus packages. Most employers will keep this vague but if there is a mention of this on the advertisement then you know there is an opportunity to earn extra.