Really, Advertising Grads, There Are NO Jobs?

Now, I recognize that this may ruffle some feathers. But I think it is time for a reality check for a segment of the graduating classes in recent years, looking to work in advertising.

According to a story in the NY Times Style section this week, there are some graduates from recent years that are in "limbo."

I work in an industry for which I did not go to university. At the core, the industry itself didn't really exist when I graduated 12 years ago. Advertising existed. But it held no interest for me. What did I want to do? I wasn't really sure. But I went to university to work in journalism. Specifically, broadcast journalism. I worked for a the first while after I graduated at a TV station in Tucson. But as I found myself coming in every day, and working for $8 (while also having to wait tables on the site to be financially secure), I had a thought cross my mind every day:

I don't fit in here. I don't really like the people. I have three hags in my department who are jealous of anyone young around here - and they make it obvious. I have a boss who sexually harassed the young woman in my position before me, and who had made passes at me. And I've lived in Tucson for the past five years. Do I really want to stay here my whole life?

Hell. No.

So I went to NYC, for a vacation, and came back with a job. Packed up all my stuff, and moved myself across the country three weeks later. The job I took was in public relations... Which held absolutely no interest to me. But it was my "foot in the door" to living the life I wanted: A big city life. One where I could just sit back and observe the world evolving.

But some of the graduates in this article, to be perfectly frank, are not very smart. Or ambitious. Especially the ones who want to work in "advertising." They only saw one specific way of their careers evolving, because they had a specific picture in their mind, and when that failed, they simply gave up... And communicated, "It's too hard! There are no jobs in advertising out there!"

Um. I beg to freaking differ.

As I said earlier, I work in advertising. And it's not where I originally planned to be. But I fell into my specific career, and found I LOVE it. I do search engine marketing. It is the FASTEST growing section of "advertising" out there. And if you like any of the following things, you should consider a career in search:

• Writing. Whether it be content or ads. You like to write? This is a great place for you.
• Social media. You like Twitter and Facebook? Come on over! I got stuff for you to do, and guess what? You get to play around on these two sites ALL DAY!
• YouTube and other video sites. Holy crap! You know how much time each week I HAVE To spend on YouTube? A LOT! And it's not because I am screwing around. It is because I have to optimize a video. Or look at a competitor's video and see what they are doing. Or maybe there is a new tutorial out from Google that warrants my attention.
• Math. I ain't no math genius. Not at all. But I rock at paid search and budgeting and estimating what is going to happen with a client's advertising spend in the search engines. I do tend to hire, however, plenty of math freaks out there. And they totally get off on doing paid search. They feel quite lucky to be able to do what they do all day.

Is search marketing glamorous?

No. But here's the reality people: The Mad Men world of advertising DOES NOT EXIST. Once you get your head out of the clouds and realize this, you will see the light.

Does it pay well?

Hell-to-the-yeah. Once you have a few years under your belt and you are reliable, it pays very well.

Can you advance quickly?

Oh yes! If you are good and ambitious, you can advance very quickly.

Is it a filed that will die out?

Hell no. In fact, it has grown so much in the eight years I have worked in it. (I am so ancient in this field! And only at eight years in!)

Is there a need for people in this field?

OMG! You can not imagine how hard it is to hire! We're ALWAYS looking for more people.

How does one get started in it?

Look to work at an agency. That is the best way to learn. Many people dabble in it on their own first. And pick up a few clients as freelancers. However, as a hiring manager, I tend to be skeptical of these people. They usually have bad habits and an even worse work-ethic. Best to learn it first at an agency, then maybe go freelance. But then you really have to hustle. And finding big clients on your own his hard.

So here is a reality check:

• There are advertising jobs out there.
• You don't need to have a masters or an MBA to work in search. (In fact, you won't get paid any more than any one else, even if you do. So don't bother.)
• You just have to stop thinking of your career path as having one potential direction... And realize that there are opportunities out there. You just have to leverage them and turn them into what you want them to be.