You're struggling to get ahead in your advertising career. How can you break through?

Having your niche, your focus, your expertise is crucial in standing out. You have to prove you can add value to a business, so knowing them inside out and knowing how to apply your skillset to plug holes and create new avenues for growth is paramount.

I believe that advertising is going to become a very granular position that follows along where you are targeting people in the buyer's journey. Paid search ads are more MOF, whereas social ads can range the entire funnel. There are still traditional channels. Then there are the advanced strategies of programming using platforms like DemandBase or StackAdapt. There are many different playbooks that you can run with ads that drive different outcomes, Understanding which one you want to focus on and become well at will allow you to standout in a crowded market.

There's a lot of pressure when you are starting out to 'know what you really want to do'. Sometimes the best thing about identifying your 'niche' is building it via things that happen outside of work. Taking up hobbies, learning new things, spending time going to galleries, all of those elements help you to offer something different and bespoke, that only YOU can contribute. No one can be better at being you, than you! And as with most things, half the roles we see today weren't around 10 years ago, so versatility and applying an open mind are crucial to staying relevant!

You are sh*t at something. Find it and get better at it. I remember as a junior, reading comedy scripts at Mother to a room full of people and nobody laughed. They were funny scripts but I was sh*t at reading them. I was nervous and had no confidence. So I read fast and flat without any performance. There was no comedy timing and everyone could feel how uncomfortable I was. Robert Saville took the script and read them out loud and everyone laughed. He said you can write funny but you need to learn to sell it. The next day we said; send us on a Stand Up Comedy Course. Robert was impressed and said yes. It was the scariest thing I've ever done but since then I can present scripts with confidence and at least try to do my writing justice.

Learning new skills is very important. We are in an ever-changing world, with so many inventions and development by the day. So to be ahead or to have an edge , you also have to develop with the development.

If you don't have experience in your field of choice, but can show clear interest and commitment to it, recruiters will be more willing to give you a chance. Get certified by Google, Meta, and LinkedIn, and keep those certifications up to date.

Sounds very basic, but need to find a way to stand out from the crowd to have recruiters knocking at your door. I find having the goal in mind you want to achieve job wise and work backwards from this and plan the steps you need to take. It will give you a different thought process of what you need to do in order to enhance your career. Also ask yourself this what would a candidate I’m competing with likely to be doing to advance their career and then think how you go that extra mile to do more. You control your career, don’t let your career control you!

What are you bringing to the conversation? The advertising industry is constantly evolving with new technologies, trends, and consumer behaviors. Learning new skills allows you to stay up-to-date with the latest developments, ensuring that your knowledge remains relevant in a rapidly changing landscape.

Annoyingly LinkedIn will love this answer but the truth is there isn't a better networking tool out there. Post regular updates on your latest work or give your opinions and then reap the rewards. The amount of times a comment has lead to new business or new relationships is crazy. One comment led to me doing a podcast which led to them visiting our office all the way from New York. Nothing beats meeting people in person but first you have to find the right people to meet. It's a free playground so make the most out of it. If not, you're an idiot.

Some people love it. Some hate it. But it can make all the difference. Networking doesn’t mean just focusing on work. Think of it as making friends. Making connections. People will remember the nice person they met, the one that went out of their way to say hi, the one that asked them a poignant question. Just saying hi is networking.

If you are good at what you do, go out and connect with people that better appreciate it. Find networking events and trade shows on Eventbrite, or use LinkedIn to connect with the types of people you want to work with, reach out and have your CV/resume ready to go.

Remember to follow up and be sure to maintain your relationships. Don't just reach out when you need something. We talk about effective networking and getting into the right spaces, but none of that matters if you don't nurture and maintain your relationship. You can do this by inviting your community to events. Remember birthdays, sharing holiday greetings, and or course grabbing coffee or lunch.

Networking is powerful, and often very under used. In some cases, people's networking outshines their actual work ability (don't let that be you!)- sometimes it's about putting out in the world the kind of people you want to attract - referrals can come from doing your best work (and remembering to ask for a write up afterwards), adding new contacts on LinkedIn and bothering to drop them a message is also useful and finding communities that resonate with you!

Make sure your portfolio represents you - don't just put in a piece of work from a well known brand if it is vanilla. Only put work you are proud of. If you don't have that work - make it up. Yes, do spec campaigns. A team I know worked at an average agency for 7 years making average work. They wanted to work somewhere more creative. They showed their portfolio around and nobody was interested. They started from scratch and made an entirely new portfolio made up of spec work. They got hired at one of the top creative advertising agencies and now making world famous work. Your portfolio is a reflection of you. Do yourself justice and the right people will see that.

YOUR PORTFOLIO IS TRASH. Putting together a student portfolio/ book is hard. Picking the brands to work on is even harder. It is easy to get stuck in a hole. You definitely want to avoid being 'studenty'. Nobody needs to see another Durex campaign. When I was on the placement circuit somebody once told me to take a photo of a bin and do a portfolio based on the brands you see. It's a tough challenge as you will likely be coming up with ideas for big mainstream brands. We never did it but I've always thought it was a great idea. You could make a rubbish/ bin style website too. I'm not a big fan of gimmicks unless they feel smart. Anyway if you are starting out and you are stuck on your book - make a rubbish portfolio. I'd love to see it.

Sharing projects that you've worked on is an amazing way to get your name out there. Beyond just sharing what work you've done, consider sharing relevant thoughts or ideas you have on advertising, new tools you've found useful, or what you think of current trends, or ads that you love. Sharing thoughts in your niche will help start conversations and could lead to some valuable connections.

I have always thought of doing this and it wouldn't cost you much because the target audience is so small. But if you have the guts, run ads against the place you want to work and write a compelling ad that drives you to a landing page that shares your resume. Use multiple networks so people can see you know how to advertise in multiple channels and target the exact person you want to talk to, don't rely on a job board or email to get noticed!

Feeling stuck in your advertising career? Shake things up by learning new skills, networking like a pro, and maybe taking on some side projects. Don't forget to showcase your achievements and ask for feedback. Sometimes, a fresh perspective or a bold move is all you need to leap forward.

Constructive criticism is one of the most useful tools for self-growth, and something that every person on their journey should be open to hearing. I personally actively seek it. How can you improve if you can't see how people perceive you and what you could do from a different lens!

Your goal should always be to be the best. Work at the best advertising agencies. Create the best work. Will it happen every time - hell no but if you have that ambition you will fall short of a pretty damn good place. Apply that logic to anything and you will do well.

Goals are helpful because once you know your destination, you can build an effective plan to get there. Spend time thinking through what you want. Also, consider what you don't want. Be sure to consult with mentors on your approach and incorporate their feedback. From there, begin to take the steps necessary to reach your career goals.

One of the best books I've read that significantly helped me with goal setting was Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs Hardcover by John Doerr.

Get to know your client. It's important to establish a transparent relationship with clients, providing constructive feedback when necessary. Don't be afraid to tell them their baby is ugly (but gently). They are employing you to point out both the good and the bad. Getting to know your client deeply enables you to identify both their strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately helping them stand out in the market.

Ah, the eternal quest for advancement in the advertising world. The secret sauce? Find yourself a mentor who's not just a guiding light but also your biggest cheerleader. Seek out someone who values your potential and is eager to champion your cause. Remember, it's about going where you're celebrated, not merely tolerated. A mentor can open doors, provide invaluable insights, and help you navigate the complexities of the industry. So, don't settle for a place where you're merely tolerated. Seek out those who will celebrate your talents and help you reach new heights.

I used to run placements at Wieden + Kennedy. I would see loads of creative teams each week. These were the 3 questions I asked myself: 1) Can they construct a campaign based on a strong insightful idea and does it feel fresh? (Still to this day the best way to show this is with a set of three posters) 2) Beyond advertising have they done anything interesting? Eg have they got some press from a side hobby or a cool stunt. (This is a must - it's one thing to have great ideas but it's bringing them to life that really counts - I want to see some impact in the world especially when you have no client.) 3) Are they dickheads? (Confidence not arrogance. Couldn't care less if they are idea geniuses - if they are dicks then no chance)

If you're advertising using Google Ads, consider getting certified. There are various certifications you can get to showcase your knowledge to your employer: • Measurement Certification • AI-Powered Performance Ads Certification • Search Certification • Display Certification • And many more!

Consider learning and educating others of your journey, journal everything in the best way possible. Then, convert it into content on your favorite platform, the one you feel more comfortable with but most importantly that your content is relatable to the audience that surrounds that particular platform.

1 and 3 (from the options on the original article). Find your niche and network effectively. In my case storytelling saved me - I was a comic book artist turn magazine art director turn digital specialist. On the advertising world of awards and long careers my work and options became always connected to the ancient art of telling stories and after that work after work, person after person I’ve met was always looking for this spot in the world of amazing creative people.