What do you do if your entry level advertising skills are not leading to future success?

There is no substitute for upskilling yourself especially in this field of advertising where there are constant changes happening across data,tech and privacy. New rules are being set up, new guidelines are being framed across certain industries and consumer laws are being drafted across markets. The advent of AI is enough to let you know that skills of the past will no longer guarantee you success for the future. Keep upskilling !

Curiosity is the most powerful asset any person in advertising can have - you have to be curious about people, business, media and the connections we make. You can have all those certifications, but if you don't have curiosity those certifications get old really fast.

Suche Dir einen Vorgesetzten, von dem Du etwas lernen kannst. Wenn Du das Gefühl hast, Du kannst von ihm nichts mehr lernen, suche Dir einen anderen Job. Suche Dir ein möglichst diverses Umfeld mit Menschen, die anders denken als Du und andere Dinge können als Du.

One of the passion points of the advertising field, is that it's ever-changing. Intro-level skills are just that ... "introductory." Meaning: they simply get you started. As a Clinical Professor (who's continued to work with brands, agencies, and consumer communities), I often tell my students your REAL job is to discover your passion areas within advertising. Whether it's creative, tech, and culture or social media, research, storytelling, etc. -- each of these areas have a unique playbook. That playbook (or 'skills') will vary based upon the area. Find those key lanes and you'll develop your own professional development checklist. It will never be set in stone! As the field evolves, so will you. You'll translate across industries.

Always keep learning. Feeling stuck at the starting line with your ad skills? Time to level up. Seek out workshops, online courses, and webinars to broaden your toolkit. Connect with mentors for insider advice and take on projects that push your boundaries. It’s all about crafting your skillset into a key that unlocks more doors. Keep learning, keep growing, and the path will open up.

Success often requires time and perseverance. Identify areas where you may be lacking. Are there specific aspects of advertising or marketing that you struggle with? Identifying your weaknesses can help you focus on areas that need improvement.

If you're feeling stuck with your entry-level advertising skills and not seeing the success you hoped for, don't fret. Take a step back and assess your strengths and weaknesses. Consider upgrading your skills through online courses or seeking advice from seasoned professionals. Networking within the industry can open up new opportunities and insights. Don't hesitate to ask for feedback from colleagues or mentors to pinpoint areas for improvement. Stay updated on industry trends and be open to exploring different roles within advertising. Success takes time and perseverance, so keep learning, adapting, and pushing forward.

If your entry-level advertising skills aren't yielding success, take these steps: assess weaknesses, seek feedback, and upskill through courses and networking. Gain diverse experiences, embrace feedback, and set clear career goals. Adapt, learn, and persevere to propel your advertising career forward.

Start with some reverse-engineering; scan job listings for an appropriate (meaning, a good fit for where you are in your career) position and take note of the skills needed to succeed in that role. With so many resources for you to tap into—podcasts, webinars, online classes—knowing where to start with this self-directed learning might feel overwhelming, but if you have these key words, it can help you focus your search. Then commit to skill-building time each day, and give yourself permission to move on if the content isn’t valuable or doesn’t resonate. Trust your judgement.

I don’t know how you can improve without asking someone. And when I say ask is to talk to them. Call or in person, never e-mail. They are horrible for genuine feedback. Be brave, be bold, and call the person you want feedback from. Just call the agency and ask to talk to the person. That worked for me. It will work for you.

Over the years of my experience, I have observed that nothing truly works as powerful as Feedback. It is essential to seek feedback when your entry-level advertising skills are not leading to future success. Feedback can provide insights into areas where you may need improvement, help you identify blind spots, and guide you on how to enhance your skills and approach. Constructive criticism can be valuable for personal and professional growth in the advertising industry. While upskilling yourself, networking actively, and collaborating freely are also important, seeking feedback directly addresses the issue of identifying and addressing weaknesses in your skill set.

Usually when results do meet the desired expectations it would be advisable to: *Review objectives using the SMART model. *Review collaboration efforts between different teams and departments within the organizations. Usually, a lack of communication and cohesion may contribute to a weak brand awareness campaign . *Finally, after undertaking such programs it would be necessary to review if you can manage to undertake the project in-house or seek a professional advertising agency.

Humility is one of the most ROI-producing attitudes in life, that is, because we are always willing to improve, and as I recently learned to be vulnerable even if it sounds naive. It is usually one of the attitudes that makes you stronger.

Feedback is key nowadays to continue improving. It is quite common that we cannot see beyond our horizon, so it is necessary to know the opinion of third parties about our work or training to see things from another point of view.

I call this "Ego Over Execution," when leaders' egos prevent forward movement. Asking others for constructive criticism is not something people are lining up to do, but it is vital to learn more. It may be a prospect that you're pitching an idea to, it may be a co-worker, partner, neighbor..it doesn't matter, ask for feedback. Remember, people do line up to give unsolicited advice on most things, when it is solicited, is when you may find the feedback that changes everything.

Determine a field you would like to advertise in. Gather articles and or ads from that industry to compare and create ideas for ground breaking promotions to present to a perspective client.

One thing that I've found helpful is surrounding yourself with professionals in the same industry you are working in. Start with attending industry events, joining online communities and connect with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. By interacting with them you can get a great understanding about what are the trends going on in the industry, which skills are in demand and then you can eventually decide. Talking to industry professionals will not only help you gain insights, but will also help you to understand what mistakes you are making and how to rectify them.

One thing I have found useful is that you should surround yourself with those peopp that are professional in that industry, in this way u will be able to learn many things and it will also help you in growing

Try to network by first offering help with what they need. The art of networking is not an immediate effect. It takes time, probably years. But do it honestly and without expectations. Trust that what you give will come back to you in many ways. It's a chain of favors. And don't forget to always be kind and answer any question or request, even if you cannot fulfill it, a refusal also helps with new possibilities. Don't take anything for granted!

Networking is getting out of your comfort zone. Go to events and talk with people. The best way is to start small, in niche events. Meetups are great for this. Just introduce yourself and make honest, real questions. After that, ask for feedback or recommendations on what to do in fields that you don't feel comfortable with. Or if you are an expert, just go to these events and offer honest, candid feedback. Time and practice will help you to create your style and to find some ice breakers to start conversations.

Give to Get Asking for something for nothing will not take you far. Yet, this is what most people do when they reach out to others in a position to help them. Traditional one-way networking is dead. No one has the energy anymore to give their time to everyone who asks. Yep, networking is dead. Long live networking! Instead of emphasizing asking, focus on sharing. It may seem more transactional and quid pro quo but you need to give to get. Find out people’s interests and send them an article, a quote, a thought, an offer to help- anything that shows that you understand them and are as interested in them as you want them to be in you. Most people are givers, so they don’t like takers. So start giving!

I liked to think that there was business for everyone, I hadn't thought about networking in general, but we also hadn't thought about how our partners collaborated. My role model taught me that I learned that when I was there or not, It's important to meet your clients' needs first.

By finding professional business groups through LinkedIn, you can often network with fellow marketers to ask for advice or find resources that can aid in future job searches.

Networking is your Net worth! Get out and meet new people. Have fun with it! You'll meet many different levels of professionals that you can contact to learn from their experience. Smile 😃

I feel this is incredibly important as millennials and Gen Z start to become organizational leaders. We’ve seen what a “ladder” approach does. It negates great ideas from a collective to instead be directives from a few. Creativity and perspective are what ignites fires, and when you build a culture around that, there are less fires to put out.

There’s power in numbers! I collaborate with other organizations and agencies quite frequently. Goal number one is to make a good impact on as many people as we can, Collaborating makes this possible. And you’re able to show your skill set when many are watching. This has also grown my clientele and usually someone almost always wants to hire me to work with their firm.

Collaboration is key today to improve our professional career. Working on other projects outside of our usual field can offer us other perspectives on how to do things.

Las colaboraciones son fundamentales para construir una red sólida y genuina. Cada profesional tiene sus virtudes y muchos de ellos ya tienen una red de seguidores como la podrías tener tú. Busca que sean ellos quienes obtengan el mayor valor posible porque así ganarán mucho más y tú te irás posicionando como un dador de valor auténtico y real.

En mi experiencia personal, he observado que la colaboración no solo enriquece profesionalmente, sino que también fomenta un ambiente de trabajo inclusivo y dinámico. Por ejemplo, al participar en proyectos fuera de mi área habitual, descubrí herramientas y métodos de trabajo que optimizaron mis propias tareas. Esta apertura a nuevas experiencias me permitió adoptar enfoques creativos que antes no consideraba. En resumen, la colaboración es una piedra angular para el desarrollo de habilidades, la innovación y el éxito a largo plazo en cualquier campo. La capacidad de trabajar efectivamente con otros, aprender de diferentes perspectivas y adaptarse a nuevos desafíos es fundamental para sobresalir en un entorno competitivo.

Collaboration facilitates the exchange of ideas and thoughts among team members who then weigh in on them with collective expertise. Collaboration in this sense acts as a force multiplier for innovative ideas and as checks and balances for ideas that can't be executed or ones that need more thought put into them. While Collaborative marketing can significantly enhance and improve your marketing efforts by allowing brands to pool their expertise, creativity, and resources. This approach enables each brand to reach higher success than they could achieve on their own.

Based on my experience, I believe having a growth mindset is crucial for advancing in advertising. Staying informed about industry trends and maintaining proficiency is essential.

Just as it is advisable to receive feedback from third parties, it is essential that we do self-evaluation of our work. It is essential to set goals that are realistic and measurable.

In my opinion is so important taking time to develop yourself, understand how you work and what your main skills are and which ones you need to develop.

Consistency is key. Writing, reviewing, and reassessing your short and long-term goals must be completed consistently. If you spend all of your time in your business, you won't have enough time to spend on your business, planning, strategizing, and executing. Back to time blocking. It, honestly, took me many years to get this point through my skull but when you put it on your calendar and create a space where you won't be interrupted by notifications or people stopping by your office - you'll find a rhythm to reflecting. Mine is about 6 days a week when I'm biking or walking in the woods. It used to be very early in the morning when I would get to the office at 5am. Find your time, create space, and reflect!

360-degree feedback is crucial here because it's a powerful tool that can help you identify not only where your strengths lie, but also aspects of your work that could be improved or developed and where you might benefit from specific assistance from all parties and different cross functional team: -Direct reports -Stakeholders -Customers -Line manager -Peers

This is a big one! I think sometimes we forget the FUN of advertising and marketing, and one of the ways I have traditionally gotten my work to feel more meaningful and thus translate my passion to my higher-ups is through revisiting our "why" as an organization/content creator and using that to fuel the fun of marketing. Creativity, innovation, and translating passion to the consumer is a huge part of advertising and marketing.

Staying positive when struggling: Focus & Effort: Effort & Attitude is what we can control. You won't be overwhelmed by negativity. Increased Resilience: When things get tough, positivity helps you bounce back from setbacks. "You lose when you quit." Reduced Stress: A positive self talkhelps manage stress levels, leading to better focus, clearer thinking & improved decision-making. Positive mindset doesn't mean ignoring problems. It's about acknowledging challenges with a constructive mindset & focusing on solutions. Focus on the good: Acknowledge your effort. Progress is progress. Practice gratitude: Expressing gratitude for the opportunities you have, even during challenging times, can shift your perspective towards the positive.

In the world of advertising, staying positive isn't just important, it's practically a survival skill. It's about maintaining that façade of confidence even when the creative process feels like navigating through a foggy haze. We've got to inspire our team, sell our ideas, and keep pushing forward, all while pretending like we've got it all figured out. Because in this cutthroat industry, optimism is our secret weapon to not just survive, but thrive. 👍🏼

Accept the fact that you will face challenges, setbacks, and failures because that is how we learn. Do not be afraid of failures because playing it safe or simply not trying new things will not get you where you want to be. Reflect on what you learned and what you could have done differently. Then try again, armed with more information and wisdom. Remember that you can find excuses to quit or you can find excuses to keep going.

Always stay positive no matter what. Make it your mantra and build it into your daily life. Smile at someone and chances are they will smile back.

We are all completely surrounded by negativity. So many people choose to let negative posts, videos, neighbors, traffic, co-workers, and clients get to them. Like everyone else, I have bad days, but they are very few and far between. Consider the things, people, and environments that are causing you not to be positive and immediately start eliminating them from your life. Staying positive, asking for help, and perseverance is what separates you from everyone else. Pro Tip Curate your social media feeds to be more positive - start there today.

Know when to take a break. We're more productive when we're well-rested and have space to absorb what we've learned. It's okay to come back to something later.

Remember that going forward doesn't mean learning and doing new things every day. Staying positive is looking at a full perspective and not at the small things. Here is a great analogy: the book "Hyperfocus" states that we have something called "Scatter Focus" where our mind wanders. During these times our brain, in its subconscious does something that is Connecting Dots between different things. Perhaps in a couple of months you'll be walking and your brain will connect two different things, that will sound genious. That's Connecting Dots. That's when you should remind yourself to always stay positive. Learning is a marathon, not a sprint.

Consider finding a supportive community or group of peers within the advertising industry where you can share experiences, seek advice, and learn from each other's successes and challenges. Networking with like-minded individuals can provide valuable insights, encouragement, and opportunities for collaboration that can help propel your career forward.

Be patient. Your career will not be built in days or months or even a year. The beauty of marketing / advertising / communications is that the industry is ALWAYS moving at breakneck speed. Everyday there is something to learn somewhere. From your team. From your clients. And certainly from the world (physical and digital) around you. Lean in and soak up everything you can. The more you learn...and learn where to learn it...the better your foundational skills will be. And then your career will go ANYWHERE you want it to go.

Build your dream team (or join it!). My former manager at Google gave me a precious advice, quoting Jim Collin's Good-to-Great principles: "Get the right people in the bus"! The more you advance in your career, the more likely your scope will expand. We can not be expert of everything but we can build a diverse team of talents to cover the spectrum of skills that are needed to be successfull. Everyday I am grateful to my team for the successes, the challenges and the fun we get together!

You must continuously strive to make things. Make spoof commercials, make a commercial for your favorite local grocery, make a commercial about and for yourself - make stuff. Then put it out there. Make yourself available. It is difficult to convince someone else about your skills if you don't believe in them enough to use them on yourself. One last thing: leave the false humility at the door. It will only hurt your future prospects.

I always remind myself of these things: 1. If it were easy — everyone would be doing it. 2. Consistency is key! Every small step brings you closer to your goal. 3. Breakthroughs come after the most difficult moments.

If you're not finding success with your entry-level advertising skills, consider expanding into emerging technologies and other relevant areas. Connect with professionals in the advertising industry, attend local events, and seek mentorship. Gain experience through internships or freelance work. Success often comes from continuous learning, adapting to new trends, networking, and building relationships in the advertising scene. Keep pushing forward!

Take on passion projects that translate to what you’d like to do more of in your career. When agencies start seeing your portfolio leaning that way, it can open tons more doors for you. Can’t let your current job stop you from finding your dream job.

Have patience as your career in marketing, advertising, or communications takes time to build. The industry is constantly evolving, offering opportunities for learning and growth every day. Embrace learning from your team, clients, and the world around you to strengthen your foundational skills. By continuously learning and knowing where to learn, you can shape your career in any direction you desire.

I’ll do some research on the product or services, identifying what demographics it actually affects or interact with in order to manage and set measurable goals that I can easily implement and gain results. I’ll definitely re arrange the strategic to a different target until I reach the desired numbers.

Review and adjust your strategies, stay informed about industry trends, and explore alternative areas within digital marketing where your specialized skillset can lead to greater success in the future.