Top 10 creative tips for college students to get hired by an advertising agency in Miami.

By: Giano Currie

For those seeking a job in Miami’s creative industry it is sometimes challenging. Competition, work experience and having the right connections sometimes keeps us from landing that perfect job. But on the bright side Miami offers a lot of opportunities for the creative of heart. We have put together a list of ten creative tips suggested by top Miami advertising professionals that will help you to land that creative job.

 1. Apply for a MAIP internship.

Having real world experience, even for an entry level job, is crucial to landing a job in advertising. MAIP is a Multicultural Advertising Intern Program that gives aspiring and diverse entry-level advertising professionals the opportunity to get real-world work experience, development training, and networking opportunities in the advertising industry. When applying to this program it offers a full-time paid summer internship that lasts 22 weeks (with 12 weeks of virtual online training and 10 weeks’ agency internship experience) at agencies nationwide. So if you are new to the world of advertising, MAIP would be a great way to get some real world experience and possibly meet your future employer.

2. Get a Creative Degree!

If you have a passion for creative communications, then you should consider the Global Strategic Communications (creative track) Master’s Degree offered by FIU in connection with the Miami Ad School (MAS.) This program is a one of a kind chance for you to gain the knowledge necessary to analyze a business issue and recommend the best creative marketing communications solution while also improving your art direction and copywriting skills. Having a creative degree will greatly improve your chances of landing that first interview.

3. Put your social media skills to the test!

It’s all about the connections! Most advertising professionals knew someone that worked at the agency before they applied so by checking your Linkedin, Facebook and even Instagram networks you could have a long lost friend who works at one of the ad agencies you were looking to apply to. But if you come up empty handed use the free Canva app to make a creative resume template, tag the agencies you would like to work at and post! Agencies love creatives who are social media savvy so why not use it to get your resume out there.

4. Use LinkedIn as a roadmap!

Use LinkedIn to view the profiles of people whose position you want. This helps you see where they started and what kind of experience they have gained before getting the job. Try to apply to positions in the same areas of the company they did because that’s probably the kind of experience required to be where they are now. Using LinkedIn as a frame of reference for the skills that are required is a great way to get a vision of what you must do to get there.

5. You need to attend Hispanicize

Hispanicize is one of the biggest annual Latino events for digital content creators in Miami. If you are an aspiring creative living in Miami this is a must attend event to meet professionals in digital creation, journalism, marketing, entertainment and tech entrepreneurship industry. Hispanicize is expected to host more than 3,000 Latino trendsetters and newsmakers during a 5-day event from April 3-6, 2017 so start adding it to your calendar.

Hispanicize 2016 Recap Video
http://hispanicizeevent.com/about/2017-hispanizie-recap-video/

6. Become a member of AAF Miami

The American Advertising Federation is a national organization of advertising professionals that provides members with substantive learning and networking opportunities. AAF Miami is thus a prime place to be for exposing students and young professionals to the inner workings of the advertising craft. By becoming a member you can benefit from job placement information, educational seminars, have access to the 350-member directory and 200 affiliate groups across the U.S.

7. Apply to them all!

No matter where you want to work, the reality in advertising is you need to start somewhere if you want to gain experience. Apply to as many agencies as you can because the more you apply, the bigger your chances are of getting a call back. Don’t know where to start? Get your hands on the Book of Lists published by the South Florida Business Journal. They have a full list of ad agencies in South Florida.

8. Didn’t get that internship? Try Roaring Concepts, a student run Ad Agency!

(FIU students only)

The FIU American Marketing Association, one of the top chapter in the U.S. launched its very own student run Ad Agency about 3 years ago and it has given students from all majors the opportunity to get real world experience without the hassle of getting an internship. Roaring concepts provides branding, market research, creative strategy and college campaigns to 4-6 local companies every semester adding value to all their members.

9. Start creating

No matter what direction you take in advertising you need to show that you are committed! Starting your own projects is a great way to build your personal brand while adding assets to your portfolio. Starting a blog, making a commercial or designing a flyer are things you can start on your own and can also be a lot of fun without having the added pressure of a deadline. Some quick and easy projects you can do on your own are shooting a Doritos commercial or starting a quick top 10 blog on Medium.

10. Love what you do

While this might seem cliché, it is one of the best tips we can offer to anyone working in the creative industry, simply love what you do. If you love what you do and you are passionate about it an employer might see that and give you a chance. Here is a quote that you should remember for the rest of your life:

“If you do what you love, you won’t work a day in your life.”
-Marc Anthony

Follow these 10 tips and within no time you’ll be working for an Ad Agency in Miami.