Advertising is a rapidly changing, competitive industry that offers some serious potential to pull down a healthy salary and climb the ladder quickly, provided you adhere to some sound advertising career advice. If you are looking at becoming a better account executive, here are six pieces of advertising career advice you need to know.
Loyalty: This may seem like a no-brainer, but you need to be loyal to your agency and its clients. Chronic bitchers and whiners are a dime a dozen. If you don't like your agency, either learn to like it our get out. You'll never be happy otherwise; and you won't get very far, either. So learn some loyalty. And if your agency has the Crest Toothpaste account, don't use Colgate. If you have the GE account, don't have Sylvania bulbs in the sockets. Help your clients help you.
Discretion: The client-agency relationship is a marriage, and its survival chances often depend on keeping secrets. The only secret is the secret you keep. Remember that, and you will have advertising career advice that builds trust client after client.
Stay Healthy: Advertising is a tough business that can be very stressful. Nine to five? Yeah, right. If you are the type who calls in sick a lot, try another line of work. Take care of yourself; and for God's sake, quit smoking. That's not just good advertising career advice, that's advice that will help you in every aspect of your life.
Stay Sober: Let's make his one short and sweet. Many people get fired from good account executive positions for drunkenness. Ever know anyone who got fired for being sober?
Be Punctual: Being on time isn't enough. For a bit of insider advertising career advice, plan on being 15 minutes early. Clients are notorious for starting meetings on time. You need to be there when they do. Develop a fear of ever being late. It will serve you well.
Be Proud: Take pride in your agency. T aake pride in advertising as an industry as well. And an essential key to becoming a better account executive is taking pride in your career. Why wouldn't you be proud, though? You get to work with interesting and creative people every day, and shape the way people look at your clients' industries. And if you can't be proud of that, there isn't much else in the way of advertising career advice that can make you better.
