Newly Hired In Advertising And Media? Prepare Yourself For Your First Year On The Job

By Jane Reed

Apr 21, 2016 04:31 AM EDT

So you're fresh out of college and are already starting a new career life as an official working adult. Your first job in the media and advertising world will be completely different. Writer Christine Birkner spoke with several fresh and recent graduates who have entered the world of media and ads, to find out what their experiences are and lessons learned from their first year on the job.

1. Be ready to jump into the deep end: Adweek spoke with Julia Bush, Associate Social Media Editor at The Huffington Post about her experiences. "When you get there, you see pictures of Arianna [Huffington] everywhere," Bush said of her first day at The Huffington Post in June 2015. She thought at first she was going to do coffee runs and doing menial tasks. But she was shocked to be taken seriously at just 23 years old. Before she knew it, Bush had taken control of HuffPost's Snapchat efforts. "I could pitch something for Snapchat, and they would say, 'Okay, let's do it.' Eventually, she was able to get her experiences from making her own ideas. She pitches ideas for Snapchat and everyone at The Huffington Post would already point to her for anything Snapchat related.

2. There's no such thing as right or wrong timing: Roze Pirvany, Social Strategist at MRY explains that - "When you're coming out of school, you expect the fruits of your work to happen easier, because that's the way the academic system is: If you study for three weeks, you get an A on your test." She goes on to say that in post-grad it's different. It takes a bit longer to see results which is why patience is important.

3. Confidence will get you everywhere: Emily Dias, Junior Copywriter at FCB Health recalls her first year. "Agency newbies shouldn't be afraid to offer their opinions right away," Dias said. She stresses that agencies hire and want you for your ideas. Make sure to pitch them. They value fresh graduates who have a fresher outlook compared to those who have been in the industry longer.