Related Posts
Enthusiast
Iceland to Ireland 🤔
When you fake it, till you make it.
How is Projects assigned to laterals in HCL?
Additional Posts in Strategy & Planning
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
I am hearing more interest in growing strategists out of other disciplines like account, research or creative vs. training from entry level.
Many entry level strat tasks are being automated, client timelines compressing in a way that leaves little room for training. The advice from Sup 1 is solid. Get in at an agency you admire in another role and seek a mentor within strategy. You will get there.
Agree with all of this. I have had only negative experiences with entry level strategists in a very fast-paced world with little to no time to train. So, how can you demonstrate your aptitude to write briefs, etc, that won’t be all on your manager?
Zoe Scaman wrote a LinkedIn post today that might resonate. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/zoescaman_the-job-market-out-there-right-now-is-rough-activity-7302657977893703683-WrbD
@OP a couple hard truths for you…
• junior strategist roles shouldn’t exist. They don’t have experience to guide clients or to take their recommendations seriously.
• like most profession service industries (law, accounting, etc), AI is killing junior roles across the board.
• getting a couples years experience as an account person is going to help you immensely - it’ll show you how advertising is made (this is a craft business after all) and how to deal with clients
@G1 exactly. You need to experience how advertising is made, what’s effective, what some traps are, etc. Doing a few years as an account person is excellent training because it’s relatively low stakes and gives you a really good understanding of the business.
I can relate, both as someone who “settled” for an AAE role 6 years ago instead of holding out for strategy roles, and also now as someone trying to make it back again.
If you’re working in account, make yourself available to the strategy team at all times. Bring work/thinking forward to the team to show what you can do.
Easier said than done but I regret not doing the same.
I feel like I’m being cornered in. I’m a freelance AAE right now. It’s not my favorite thing in the world. We have a strategist who’s leaving and I pitched the idea of a strategist opening in their wake to someone higher up, and they told me that I can’t waffle between the two. They keep holding this full-time AAE job over my head and say they want someone completely dedicated to the role. I’m dedicated to a 401(k), and vacation time (which I haven’t had in months). But at the end of the day, I really think I want to do strategy. I don’t know how to do it without talking myself out of a job.
Coach
Do the VCU brandcenter program if you are serious about it and can afford to. Otherwise, you could try getting a junior research role at a cool place like Nonfiction or Further&Further. That would certainly be a move in the right direction. Expecting an agency to take a chance on some account person who wants to make the jump with no strategy portfolio is a long shot. I saw this writing on the wall back in 2012 so I quit my job as an AAE and did the Miami Ad Strategy Bootcamp. It worked out but Miami Ad certainly isn’t the feeder system VCU is
Dm me. I’d love to help you!
done! thank you :)
It’s always been hard to break in and I’m sure it’s harder now. I started my career at a big market research firm before transitioning into strategy. I would look into roles at places like IPSOS or Nielsen, but also consider reaching out to small boutique research firms!
Have you done an internship? A few of my associates completed internships and were offered roles after completion. Wishing you the best of luck!
Yes there is definitely hope for you. It sounds that you are very passionate.
I graduated right before 9/11 and I could not find a “real job” until March of ‘02. I waited tables and temped but kept on applying and interviewing until I was able to finally land my first job in advertising as an account coordinator. That led to 14 years in account before moving brand side for the last 9. You will face setbacks in life and your career. But just keep on pressing forward. If it’s what you love, you will make it happen. Your passion will make you desirable.