It’s always important to stand out from the others in your interviews. One easy way to do this is just simple preparation and gauging how the interview will unfold.

Standard advertising interview questions are:

What do you consider creative advertising?

Take an ad you like, think why you like it and there is the answer, you’re a consumer like everyone else.

What do you consider a successful intergrated/360/holistic campaign?

Where have you noticed a campaign that appeals to you through TV, press, poster, DM, web etc? If you can’t think of one, go seek one.

What do you know about the XXXX sector in terms of big players and advertising?

This really is if you are being interviewed for a specific account so for example this could be the automotive industry if being interviewed to work on the Fiat account - remember that sectors are then sub split, Fiat is in a different competitive zone to say BMW but is in the same competitive zone as Nissan/Ford etc

Have a look at this ad. What do you think was the creative brief?

This is 10/10 times one of the agency’s ads. A way of preparing for this is going through the agency’s client list found on their website, checking out what they’ve done and having a think about how they came up with their creative executions. Think about the target and how the creative look and feel will appeal to them. Remember that advertising is born from planning which is born from research so there will be valid reasons linked to the target for why ads look the way they do.

What do you do outside of work?

Just try and say a bit more than ‘I like spending time with my friends’, they’ll think you don’t have any with a pathetic answer like that. Stuff such as you like to write (for advertising blogs), you enjoy following XXX (music, film noire, wank like that really). Just try and show that you are someone who can be left with a client and be relied on to entertain them as well as to sell to them.

Sell this ad to me

This is where they will present you with a press ad or show you a TV ad and sit back to hear your pitch.

Simple structure to selling creative artwork is:

1. Describing Idea vs Execution: An advertising idea is a creative concept which propels a campaign. The advertising idea acts as the controlling idea for all advertising executions. An execution is the way in which the creative concept is executed, it is the rendering in words, sounds, pictures, symbols, colours, and of course mediums.

e.g. Dr Pepper: No one tried Dr Pepper as it was a new kind of cola and Coca Cola was the hero of carbonated drinks portfolio. So the advertising idea was “Nothing bad will happen if you try it”. The Execution: “Dr Pepper, What’s The Worst That Can Happen?”

2.Develop The Creative Rationale: The work is the starting point of a sell. Think of everything that is good and charismatic about the work i.e. funny, mordern, product name is part of the strapline. What do you know about the target which makes your findings fit?

(In a real sell it’s after you’ve built an argument for your work before presenting it)

3. Develop The Buying Rationale: Never finish a sell with a ‘So you like?’ It’s now time to summarise in about 30 seconds everything you’ve been through and then straight through to “Any questions”

There you go, that’s how to sell creative work.

So, moving on you’ve dealt with the grilling of questions from the interviewer and now it’s time to hit back and make this interview yours. So it’s your turn to take control.

Whenever you have any experience in an ad agency whether it’s a 1 week placement or a 6 month internship ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS get a paper reference from your manager. Along with this, print off the campaigns you’ve worked on in colour and as big as you can (even if you’ve had just a vague association use it as a reference as to what you’ve worked on before).

Now you can build your own portfolio/book. I was always jealous that creatives had portfolios and I didn’t so I made my own, this has stills from my website stunt (see About), references from my previous Account Directors and press executions with a short description of my role during the campaign.

Have this in a large artbag that holds plastic sleeves. Mount everything you’re inserting on black paper and then slide those bad boys into your sleeves. Viola, you’re looking like a smart account man as no other kid there will have one.

There you go, you should storm it…but it’s all about being prepared….without wishing to sound too anal. I have messed up before and learnt from it…such as turning up somewhat hung over with 3 hours sleep and then being confronted with the most aggressive interview ever. I sweated, I stumbled and I fell and once you fall you’ll make sure you don’t do it again.

Good luck

xxxx