Panel includes:

- Sara Rotman, Founder/CEO, CCO, MODCo Creative
– Elizabeth Brownsen, Executive Director, Team One
- Catherine Davis, President, Vizeum Americas
- Angela Courtin, Chief Content Officer of Aegis Media Americas & President of The Story Lab
- Leeann Leahy, President, The VIA Agency
- Julie Vessel, Group Account Director, mono

Do you agree that more women in leadership positions will lead to better (and fairer) treatment for all women in the industry?

Sara Rotman

I think the concept of “fairer treatment” in any business forum is unrealistic. That said, more female leadership will make people like Sheryl Sandberg feel less like an anomaly and eventually become the expected norm. It is only female leaders who garner the insane criticism about their personal lives over the good work that they’ve done. Just look at the recent coverage of Martha Stewart going to court in relation to the J.C. Penney/Walmart case. Instead of discussing the achievement of Stewart’s business, her power to bring in customers or even the merits of the case, the press focused on the length of her skirt. I have never heard the press speak about how Bill Gates dresses. Perhaps if we had as many business and political leaders from our female population, we would see how silly these inane details are — but for now, I think it’s a realistic depiction of how our society does not respect nor value women to the same degree as men.

Julie Vessel

Whether you agree with Sheryl or not, she is igniting a real, active and important debate, and I support that a conversation has been sparked. Our collaborative way of working depends on having voices and ideas from a variety of perspectives. To me, the fundamental truth behind this issue is what is true of any successful person: recognizing and “leaning in” to your unique strengths and talents. We are what we believe. So, the starting point for me to what Sheryl outlines is to get more women understanding and owning their unique strengths (versus dwelling on their perceived weaknesses) and encouraging them to bring those strengths forward in a real way every day.

Leeann Leahy

The problem is that working mothers and stay-at-home moms all seem to disagree, and rather than reveling in the many options we have, we as a gender tend to judge one another. People who choose to “lean in” think women who lean back are giving up. People who lean back think the lean in-ers are heartless and are trading their life for their career. And we don’t waste any time making passive aggressive or snarky comments to each other about those respective positions.

Angela Courtin

I’m glad someone is saying this and that it has sparked dialogue and debate about this issue. I’d like to think that more female leadership will lead to fairer treatment for all women; however, I have been challenged more by women when asking for an increase in compensation/title/work than I have by men. I hope that women of my generation will lead this movement to be supportive and fair. I agree that women need to lean in, ask for more, have a supportive partner and strike the right balance. We need to stop feeling like frauds and more entitled to our success. On the other hand, we still need to change the balance of power, and I would argue that men aren’t working any harder than women, but they have greater access to the top of the ladder.

Does Sheryl Sandberg’s privileged education, her history with Facebook and her rise at Google provide her with more credibility? Or do these things make her less relatable to other women out there?

Catherine Davis

I am disappointed by the negative comments, so many of them by women, around “Lean In.” What I liked about the book is the focus on what each of us can control. As a senior manager, I have watched women who should have sat at the table instead sit politely in the back of the room. I have listened as they questioned themselves for delegating a task that clearly was the responsibility of someone on their team. I have coached them on the difference between being respected versus liked. I have also been in their shoes and have had every one of those conversations with myself.

Sara Rotman

I agree with Sheryl in that we can only change our own behavior. We cannot sit and gripe about what society at large is doing — this is pitching against the tide and does nothing for anyone. Instead, it is on each and every woman to simply be better. I don’t believe that Sheryl is blaming women; rather, she is quite rightly expecting them to take charge of their own path and achieve what they set out to aspire to achieve. No one simply handed success to anyone — not Bill Gates, not Steve Jobs, nor Henry Ford — and for sure not Oprah Winfrey or Martha Stewart. So why on earth have we as women allowed ourselves to be convinced that being treated “fairly” must be a part of our success? This is a certain recipe for failure. But more importantly, how dare anyone — especially a woman — criticize any one of us who has (against all odds) found a way to become successful? It doesn’t matter who you are; the challenges remain the same.

Yes, Ms. Sandberg has a great husband, stock options and a first-rate education. Fantastic. Bully for her. We should all look at her and think, “My God, what an achievement. I want to do THAT” — not muse on about how we too would be successful if only we had those things. True success, just like a trim figure or a proven track record, is that something we can all earn as long as we’re willing to put in the work. Pointing a finger at Sheryl for her success as a means to justify our own failure is exactly why women aren’t succeeding in the same way as men. It is defeatist thinking and perhaps the very issue that Sheryl is trying to address in her book. The whole thing begs the question, where is our sense of solidarity and appreciation for our sisters? How can we expect to inspire change if we are the first to undermine the success of somebody who has achieved such a rarified level of success?

Elizabeth Brownsen

Great leaders like Lee Iacocca and Steve Jobs did not have to represent multiple types of people in order to make their advice on success relevant and applicable to many. We are not used to women succeeding, and thus we create barriers (practical and imagined) to their success. A Harvard degree and business successes are concrete measures for her success. Would we let someone who had a poorly behaved dog give us dog-training advice or take cooking classes from someone who was a bad cook? No.

Do you believe that Sheryl Sandberg is faulting women for not trying hard enough? Or if she trying to push women to be greater?

Sara Rotman

Recently, I was asked what was most challenging and rewarding about owning my own business. My answer to both of those questions is the same: The successes and failures are all my own. Each of us (women) needs to take responsibility for our own lives, our own failures and — for the love of God — learn to celebrate our own successes. Just as importantly, we need to applaud other women for doing the same. We must never stand around pointing fingers because it looks easy from the outside. Generally speaking, any type of success takes years of dedication, sacrifice and hard work. Nothing more. It’s difficult, uncomfortable and, as women still suffer a great deal of inequity in the workforce, it can feel unfair. But that’s the story, and it’s not going to change by saying it was easier for someone else.

The inequities that we face are, of course, unfair. But pushing past these inequalities and succeeding despite them is the only way to make change. As mentioned, the only thing that we have control over is our own behavior, so let’s get to it, ladies! Success is waiting, and we are the only ones standing in our way.

Angela Courtin

I think Sheryl is saying that women have to make sacrifices — more so than men — if we want to have it all…and that we can and should. As a mother of a 20-month-old who pumped through pitches in convenience store bathrooms and airport clubs, you never want to be told you can’t do something, and you never want to have to say that you can’t, either. So you do what you need to do and hope you don’t screw up your kids or your career. You lean into it because for some women, like myself, the only way to go is through.

Julie Vessel

The most powerful part of her book to me was, “see and speak your truth.”  The power of honest, transparent communication builds credibility and demonstrates the value that a unique perspective can provide. On the flip side, I know I’m a better employee because of honest and helpful feedback that I’ve received throughout my career.

Elizabeth Brownsen

No, rather Sandberg is giving realistic advice on how to work within the system we have right now, and that means working harder, smarter and not giving up on yourself.

Leeann Leahy

The stay-at-home mom who says, “OMG…I NEVER see you!” when she runs into the working mom in the pick-up line at school often means, “Wow! You are never with your kids.” And the career-driven working mom who says, “No really, YOU have the hard job” to her stay-at-home friends just as often doesn’t even believe it as it leaves her lips. It’s just what one says when she really wants to say, “Yes, I am sure you do THINK you are busy, but you have no idea what busy is.” I have been the shoulder that too many women from both sides have cried on after such comments. I am not even sure if we know how much our words hurt each other and are misread. The fact is that we have come a long way — long enough that we can choose which way we lean. But we don’t celebrate our choices; instead, we spend all our time justifying them.

The post Ad Execs ‘Lean In’ appeared first on The Agency Post.

Chuck studied the site, downloaded its book, read and reread it. He did the usual Google and LinkedIn searches, followed the firm on Twitter and studied the sites and interfaces it had created. Then, through a friend, Chuck landed an invite to a party in company’s offices — a celebration of a recent client product launch.

Chuck found the offics in a redeveloped, light-manufacturing area near the Bay. The building had floor-to-ceiling windows on the north side, where Chuck found the guests chatting. 

Chuck had prepared a series of questions, but asked just one, “How are your competitors responding?” The speaker turned toward Chuck and answered in some detail. Later, one of the senior developers complimented Chuck on his question and asked about his background. Chuck explained his interest in the firm and asked if they had any openings. 

The conversation led to an interview and a freelance UI planning assignment. Chuck spent the summer freelancing for the firm and mountain biking. He was in heaven.

Just after Thanksgiving, the practice leader told Chuck that budget was available to offer him a full-time position starting the first of the year. Over Christmas week, he shared the news with his family and asked how to negotiate the next steps. He was particularly concerned about time off as he loved mountain biking.

Chuck’s mom pointed out that his hourly freelance pay ($50) was likely higher than what they’d offer in salary. She said freelance rates were higher because the firm did not provide healthcare, vacations or other benefits. Mom also noted that freelancers commanded higher rates because they risked periods of unemployment.

“Pay rates often become an issue when a firm hires a former freelancer,” said his mom. “Management finds itself constrained by the existing salary structure, so they have to offer substantially less on an hourly basis. Also, Chuck, forget about the lengthy time off for mountain biking and snow boarding. They’ll expect you to be on the job every day.”

Chuck hadn’t thought this through. He was just doing the work and enjoying himself, but he still loved the firm and wanted that full-time position. 

His older sister had just negotiated her salary with a large consulting firm. Her advice was to think of the $40,000 he’d been paid so far as a baseline and to mention the annualized $100,000 as a friendly, but throw-away request. Mentioning “hundred” sets the top of the range — with the bottom being $40,000 — and it lets the other party know you are valuable but reasonable. She thought Chuck should ask for $80,000 but be willing to accept $60,000, which would leave a good margin for them. 

Chuck’s appointment with the practice leader was on January 3. He arrived early thinking: “I shouldn’t have had the second cup of coffee. I’m probably too alert.” Sally, the practice leader, smiled and said, “Chuck, I’m so happy that we can offer you this position.”

“Thanks, Sally, I’m really looking forward to being here full time.” Then he went ahead: “Sally, I did the math and discovered that if I stayed busy as freelancer I’d make a $100,000 this year.” Then he paused, feeling anxiety sweep over and hoping that he wasn’t blushing.

Sally’s smile disappeared. “You know, Chuck, freelance rates are much higher than the salaries we pay.”

Chuck interrupted, remembering that his sister had said to establish his anchor before Sally had a chance to establish a number. “Sally, I understand, so I thought $80,000 would be appropriate. He paused, feeling better. Sally didn’t seem angry; everything seemed okay.

“Chuck, your work has been terrific, but we have pay scales based on job categories, and I can’t pay you higher than others. It wouldn’t be fair.”

Chuck remained silent as his sister had instructed.

Sally went on, still friendly but in a more serious tone. “Chuck, we’re able to pay you $70,000 plus a full benefits package with healthcare and two weeks vacation, after a year.”

Chuck thought, “Wow, 10 grand higher than expected, but a year without vacation? I can’t do that.” And he said, “You mean I can’t take vacation for a year?”

“Not paid vacation,” Sally replied. 

Chuck pulled out his iPhone and did the math. He said: “That’s $1,400 a week. Could I take unpaid vacation?”

“I guess you could,” Sally replied. “That would be up to the demands of the project and your team members. 

That felt better. He wanted the job. He wanted to say yes, but sis had been insistent. She had said, “No matter what they offer, think about it overnight.” So he thanked Sally warmly and asked her permission to think about it.

The next day Chuck called Sally, said yes enthusiastically and confirmed the details.

What can we learn from Chuck’s experience?

• Being intensely interested is a big advantage. Let your feelings show if you “fall in love” with an opportunity. Genuine interest is immensely appealing.
• Thoughtful questions demonstrate sincere interest.
• Freelancing often leads to well-paying positions because it allows the client to see the candidate’s skills in action and allows the candidate to see if the position feels right.
• The party that throws out the first number establishes the range. In Chuck’s case, he effectively moved the range up by starting high.
• Chuck was nervous, but he had a plan. Clear, easy-to-remember plans are a proven way to relieve anxiety.
• Chuck used his advisors effectively. In effect, they acted as his negotiating team and while they were not in the room on the big day, he knew they were with him.

The post Chuck Zeros In: Lessons for Landing a Job and Negotiating Salary appeared first on The Agency Post.

I discovered five things. First, there are a great deal of views and opinions out there. More than 400,000 results popped up. In my unscientific, quick scan of the suggested reading, it appears the vast majority of these articles are written by baby boomers or Gen Xers.

My second observation is that basically every piece written communicates frustration and vexation on the part of the (older) writer towards his or her younger subjects. After a few reads, this actually becomes humorous. Much of the writing and advice comes across as flabbergasted and distraught parents reacting to their own out-of-control teens.

The third area concerns the broad generalities that have been assigned to this youthful workforce. They are labeled as entitled, opportunistic to the point of being “hustlers,” self-centered, nonconformist and disloyal. The only credit they seem to receive is that they are good with technology and social media.

Fourth, I was struck by how superficial and hokey the advice is for managing these “disastrous youth.” There are “11 tips,” “seven strategies” and of course, “five tricks.” This content is either comprised of generic common sense or insultingly positioned command-and-control techniques that would obviously backfire with anyone who has talent and a modicum of self-esteem.

My fifth observation is how incredibly adversarial all of this comes across. It is definitely “us against them,” with the older, supposedly learned and experienced set sounding supremely “right” yet appearing almost entirely defensive.

I am now 48 years old and remember fondly when I was the young upstart. All I wanted was to learn, be given a chance and make a valuable contribution. My experience in working with Millennials has proven they largely want the same things. I owe much to the leaders and managers who mentored me and allowed me huge opportunities to fall flat on my face just so I could pick myself up and do it right the next time around.

I cannot offer up sage advice that will instantly solve the “managing Millennials” problem because I do not believe it exists. The issue may actually reside with the management old guard who are defending the status quo long after the quo has lost its status. I relish the opportunity to work with Millennials so together we can learn and make valuable contributions. If this strange and unnecessary divisiveness exists at your company, the only ones benefiting from it are your competitors.

The post Managing Millennials Shouldn’t Be A Problem appeared first on The Agency Post.

In an effort to give qualified job seekers a true advantage, I offer a few notes below. Everything here is really focused on creatives or developers in the design and marketing industries, although a few could cross over into other professions as well.

So, let me start out by saying that I was taught many things in college about searching for a job, and many of them I now see as unnecessary and, quite honestly, have the potential to backfire on an otherwise very qualified candidate.

Things You Were Taught in School But Should Forget

1. When I was in school, I was taught to save the best for last in my book. These days, you have about 30 to 45 seconds to grab my attention via email or a link. My opinion is to lead with your strongest stuff. Don’t make me comb through a 10- to 15-page PDF. Grab my attention immediately. Why would I want to see more of something that doesn’t interest me?

2. Don’t feel like you have to spend hours developing your own personal brand or ID system. Kudos for the effort, but it is probably not going to be the deciding factor for me. A clean, well-organized resume and communication goes much further.

3. If the ad says “no phone calls,” that means no phone calls … major points off for calling.

4. Please do not show up 15 minutes early for your interview. I’m more impressed if you show up right at the scheduled time.

5. Unfortunately, enthusiasm doesn’t go a long way unless you have what we are looking for; then it could be a deciding factor.

6. A thank-you card is not necessary, though you will stand out from the pack if you send one. It is a very rare occurrence these days and a fresh gesture.

7. If you are going to present your work as images, have them professionally shot by someone who really knows what they are doing. Grainy, blurry images tell me that you do not understand the importance of good presentation.

8. Always leave something behind: your resume, business card, etc.

Some Obvious Things to Consider

9. Don’t send me a link to a Flash site. Whether at home or in the office, I’m probably mobile and looking on my iPad or similar device. Chances are I can’t view it. You have just gone to the bottom of the pile.

10. Do not be late for your interview.

11. Don’t send me an email asking for my email (yes, this happens).

12. If you’re going to send me a form letter via email or snail mail, at least take a minute to look it over and make sure if doesn’t say “Dear Robert” or “Dear Jessica” … especially if my name is Christopher.

13. Don’t send me a 15MB PDF. Send me a 3 to 4MB, compressed PDF that has a few really good pieces in it so I can get an understanding of what your strengths are.

14. Did you get an interview? Then you should probably send a thank-you email. You can even SMS your interviewer if you have their mobile info. Just an acknowledgement that you appreciate them taking the time out of their day to talk to you is important.

15. Don’t send me a one-line email that says, “PDF attached” or “Here is a link to my portfolio.” Is that the level of engagement, professionalism and interaction I can expect from you on a daily basis? I don’t care if you are the second coming of Saul Bass, if you don’t show some respect to the process and demonstrate competency, then forget it.

16. And last but not least, for heaven’s sake, if you do one thing: Spelchjek, spelcheck, spellcheck!!!! 

Additional Thoughts

17. I am going to get 200 to 300 responses to a job posting. You need to get my attention quickly and be courteous about it.

18. Take a minute and read the ad carefully and reply as requested. If the ad requests salary history, include it. If it asks for a cover letter, write one. I’m probably trying to figure out if you can follow directions.

19. Appearance at an interview: Check out the company or site before you go in. You can probably get a vibe for what the culture is like and dress accordingly.

20. Spend 5 minutes researching what it is we do so we can have a conversation at the interview. I would love to hear you ask questions and see what your thoughts are on topics and ideas. I’m not only trying to see if you are qualified, but if you are a good fit for our team.

20.5 I would love it if your resume was only one page.

The post 20.5 Things to Consider When Searching for a Job appeared first on The Agency Post.

“There are certain things in which mediocrity is not to be endured, such as poetry, music, painting, public speaking” — Jean de la Bruyere

Recently at a branding event in Riga, Latvia, I had the pleasure of delivering my 100th conference presentation. This milestone does not include client pitches and presentations, guest lectures at high schools and colleges or media appearances. There has also been a large number of webinars, seminars and panels.

Along the way, I have witnessed thousands of presentations — from the absolutely brilliant to the unbearably bad. Every business conference provides new lessons in public speaking or reinforces what works best. Whether these events are valuable, necessary evils, boondoggles, idea stimulators, fiascos, ego-fests, networking opportunities, money grabs or highly entertaining, you can always take away something to apply when your turn to present comes up.

Given the experiences accumulated, I have compiled some ideas and lessons. In doing so, I have avoided a few of the obvious and well-stated ones and have naturally not captured everything a speaker needs to be successful. Yet what follows should be extremely helpful when it’s your turn at the microphone.

Why Do It?

“The problem with speeches isn’t so much not knowing when to stop, as knowing when not to begin.” — Frances Rodman

Before even saying “yes” to an offer to present, you have to ask, “Why do it?” And I am not talking about the age-old question of comfort as a speaker but rather about motivation and value. I speak because I love to inform, entertain and educate. A huge benefit is self-improvement from feedback, not just in terms of my presenting style, but also in the content of the presentation. It makes me better in my profession. So here are additional considerations when contemplating a speaking opportunity:

Are you doing it because you feel you must or because you enjoy it? If you enjoy it, the audience should enjoy you. Either way, you can do it and perhaps do it well, but if you truly enjoy doing it, you will be more successful.

Is your content cutting edge and proprietary, or are you simply regurgitating common knowledge? Speaking means you are a thought leader. Expectations are set long before the day arrives, so make sure you can at least meet or, better yet, surpass them.

Can you commit to the entire event? From my experience, it is best to be there for the entire conference or event to demonstrate commitment, network and see the content before and following your presentation. Attendees are disappointed when a speaker appears for only their time slot.

How do you fit with the overall conference and the speaker lineup? Make sure the event is quality (organizer, location, fellow speakers, audience). Also ensure your time slot makes sense for the flow of content. 

How sophisticated is the audience? Regardless, your content should err on the side of complexity. An attendee will appreciate being challenged versus being talked down to.

Be Prepared

“There are only two types of speakers in the world. 1. The nervous and 2. Liars.” — Mark Twain

Making things look easy is hard. Those presenters who exude a natural confidence are extremely well-rehearsed. The real percentage of speakers who are “naturals” is a lot lower than you would expect. More often we are subjected to speakers who read their slides, “umm” a lot and make us as uncomfortable as they are. Here are a few questions to help guide your preparation: 

What do you want them to remember? This is the best question to ask yourself in preparing your material and envisioning its presentation. Think about how you want them to describe you after your presentation (e.g. authoritative, compelling, intelligent, humorous).

Is rehearsing really necessary? YES. And do it a few times in front of a few different people. Have them ask questions as additional preparation. It is amazing to discover that what you thought was coherent is actually messy and confusing.

How much is too much before content becomes overwhelming? “Less is more” definitely rings true here. Go deep on content, not long. It was Dianna Booher who said, “If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.”

Do I need a theme? A theme is the rallying point for your content. A theme should be clear, concise and entertaining. It is a great construct to engage with your audience and communicate your message.

What is the best way to organize my content? That depends on the subject matter, but once you arrive at what you think best, share it with the audience at the outset so they are prepared for length and for key areas within your presentation.

Wow Them

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Presenting is theater, and your primary responsibility is to entertain. If your audience is entertained, they will leave the room remembering something of value and hopefully it is the one message you had intended. This means having a clear, compelling and differentiated point of view. So it is important to note:

Do you truly know your style? Do not stray too far from who you really are. If you try to over-impress, it will come through. If you are too humble, it becomes slightly condescending. Audiences are a smart collective, so stay real.

Should I be concerned with my first impression? It is important, and you have to be confident. Among the best ways to accomplish this is to engage your audience without any visual aid. Connect with them in a few simple, short words telling them how they will benefit from the presentation.

What will make me stand out? Try for that one unforgettable moment. Think of it as an unveiling of sorts. It could involve a physical item or a quote that you encourage people to tweet. I often stop before key content and joke, “Now if there is one thing you should tweet, this is it.” Create some drama and modulate your timing, as Mark Twain said, “The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.”

Learn From It

“There are always three speeches for every one you actually gave. The one you practiced, the one you gave, and the one you wish you gave.”— Dale Carnegie

If you are speaking for the first time, manage your expectations. Speaking is a skill that takes time to master. Your first time will bring challenges, but you will probably do much better than you think. If it does not go well, laugh it off and chock it up to experience.

Whether you are a frequent speaker or a first-timer, document what you learned from each presentation and apply it the next time. And remember: 99 percent of the population is challenged by public speaking. Do not take it too seriously, and take comfort from George Jessel who said, “The human brain starts working the moment you are born and never stops until you stand up to speak in public.”

The post Lessons from 100 Conference Presentations appeared first on The Agency Post.

1. Show client passion. One student wrapped her cover letter around a Quizno’s sub and sent it to the AOR for Quizno’s. Yes, she landed the internship. If you use a client’s product, tell them about it in your internship cover letter. Better yet, show them.

2. Solve a problem. If you are applying for an internship at a small or medium-size agency, keep in mind that they’ll hire you if you have the hard skills to solve specific problems. Tell them how you’re going to use your SEO knowledge to increase a client’s PR. Tell them how you can make high-quality, short video tutorials for a client that can increase their Facebook engagement. Tell them how you’re going to use a client’s Twitter handle to promote a new product. Agencies hire students who have the hard skills to solve problems.

3. Be short.

4. Tell a story. One student’s internship cover letter to Google was a story about how he asked his middle school girlfriend to date him. Gutsy. The best way to tell a story is to focus on a single example and then tie that into your pitch. The point of this student’s story was: “I fumbled like an idiot asking this girl to date me, but it was then that I learned: There is never a perfect way to do something, you just have to follow your heart.” A week later, Google flew him out to California for an interview. 

5. Get weird. One student wrote her entire cover letter on a shoe. With things like “I will put my sole into it,” “I will lace up the competition,” “I am not afraid to get my foot in the door.” She got the internship with MTV.

6. Use Humor. The people who read internship cover letters aren’t agency robots. They go to parties, drink beer, watch movies and tell funny stories. These HR people get so many careful, boring, safe cover letters that humor will make you stand out. As a cover letter, one student wrote a “Top Ten Reasons to Hire Me” list. It was hilarious and even cited his homecoming king victory back in high school. If you can manage to mix humor with a meaningful message, you’ll win.

7. Be results driven. Agencies care about results and accountability. Instead of describing your passion for writing, try persuading with data. One student wrote a detailed analytics report on a digital restaurant publication she started. She reported results like: 320 registered users, 75 articles, 200 daily visits, 6.4 pageviews/visit, and more. You get the point — results matter. 

8. Don’t forget the goal. The goal of the internship cover letter is to get someone to talk to you. That’s it. Don’t focus on making something perfect if perfect isn’t what gets someone to talk to you. Be interesting. Most students get the goals mixed up – the goal isn’t to create a one-page document that records your history. You need to produce something that makes the agency HR team member say, “I can’t wait to talk to this student.”

9. Don’t send a form letter. Ever. Unless you have a 4.0 from Harvard, your form letter is worthless to an agency’s HR department. They just have too many options to choose somebody who cares this little. Shotgun approaches don’t work.

10. Throw it away. Go build something. Go meet somebody. The best way to land a remarkable advertising agency internship is to develop a reputation. If you have a reputation, agencies recruit you. Earn a reputation.

The post 10 Cover Letter Tips to Land an Ad Agency Internship appeared first on The Agency Post.

The role of technologists in organizations has drastically shifted from the IT guy making sure everyone is connected to the printer to visionaries that are leveraging state-of-the-art platforms to put a brand at the center of a consumer’s experience.

Gartner is predicting that by 2017, the CMO will spend more time than the CIO on technology. We’re seeing this already happening with progressive brands shifting budgets towards digital.

Technology can no longer be kept in a vacuum. When technology and creative marketing are kept separated, it is impossible for innovation to thrive.

The ability to syndicate content across all the relevant channels is as much a technology challenge as it is a marketing and communications one.

Who Is this CMO of the Future?

I believe the CMO of the future is going to be a hybrid of a CIO and CTO; they are grounded in marketing strategy but willing to execute by any means necessary. The CMO of the future will fear no man, beast or technology.

With so many responsibilities, it is integral that the walls within the C-suite are removed — preferably metaphorically, but physically couldn’t hurt.

The CMO of tomorrow will be a hybrid technologist, full-time dreamer and responsible for owning innovation for a brand. The big ideas can come from anywhere: from working with agency and innovation partners to tapping into marketplace trends themselves.

A strong understanding of web and social analytics is also going to creep into the CMO’s day to day. Big data platforms crop up daily, and the CMO of the future needs to be familiar with the landscape. The future of big data isn’t collecting it — it is being able to attribute and leverage it. Brands are beginning to hire data scientists and mathematicians to really harness the mass amounts of data.

The CMO role has always been a management centric one by definition. CMOs need to understand what is possible and roughly what it will take so they can red flag it when the team or partners aren’t getting it done. These new CMOs will be able to tell the difference between true digital partners and snake-oil salesmen. Agencies need to recognize this and act accordingly.

What Skills Must the Modern Marketer Acquire?

Know Code or How to Speak the Language: Having an engineering and programming background is becoming more and more common. A recent prediction from the IDC states that 50 percent of the new marketing hires in 2013 will have a technical background. Does this mean that every marketer should jump on Codeacademy and start making apps? No, it just means they need to understand how the pieces fit together. If you don’t know what kind of stack you have or the difference between front-end and back-end code, you should start spending more time with your team and agency partners. 

Digital Media Buying: Surely every marketer has their troops focusing on media buying — both internally and externally through media companies. Knowledge of the digital ad landscape and what’s possible from an ad-serving perspective helps. Companies like Right Media, Media Math and Audience Science take what you can do with digital media to a whole new level. Are you exploring behavioral retargeting, custom day parting and multi-variant content? If not, ask your media partner about where that makes sense for your marketing mix.

Analytics: Data from market reports and point of sale is just the beginning. Everyone has data. It’s taking action on that data that will differentiate between leaders and those fighting to stay alive. Adobe’s Omniture Site Catalyst, Google Analytics, Kissmetrics or Hubspot are just a few examples of web analytic packages.

SEO: Search isn’t dead. Far from it. It’s actually more important now than it has ever been. Discovery is a fundamental part of the human condition; we are curious beings. Modern marketers need to be skilled in creating content that will propel a brand to the top of a consumer’s discovery process.

API: For the non-tech savvy marketer, the concept of an application programming interface (API) can sometimes be tough to grasp. Connecting platforms, databases and functionality together is made possible through an API. Facebook, Google and almost all major platforms today have web services available to read and write from. Location data for mapping and logistics is offered through Google or Bing’s mapping platforms. Social media connectivity through Facebook or Twitter has become almost ubiquitous to any online campaign these days. The combination of two or more platforms is frequently used to add an additional level of engagement to an online experience.

Sensors and Future Devices: Some of the most fun I’ve been having lately is using Wi-Fi-enabled devices like Arduino and Raspberry Pi to build interesting installations and brand experiences. Couple that with more context-aware sensors like the Microsoft Kinect and you have yourself the power of an engineering R&D team for a few hundred dollars and some programming skills.

Marketing Automation: Dynamic, behavioral-driven content makes a difference. Marketing products like Eloqua, Pardot, Salesforce and Marketo are platforms that enable these things to be possible. However, a tool is only as good as the strategy behind it. Nurturing your prospects and customers with the right experience is an art form. Once that art is mastered, a marketing automation platform will allow you to perform at scale.

Digital Marketing is Still a Growing Beast

There is still time for traditional marketers to grow with the trends and adapt. If you’re already doing everything above, then pat yourself on the back. You are winning the battle already. If you aren’t, it’s never too late to learn. Look to your CIO, CTO and agency partners for assistance because the time’s they are a changin’. Follow me on Twitter @petesena and let me know what skills you think are necessary for the CMO of the future.

The post The Rise of the Marketing Technologist: The CMO of the Future appeared first on The Agency Post.

Never Dangle a Partnership Deal You Don’t Intend to Honor

I’ve seen this many times. Sadly. I had a client once who did this repeatedly. The result was the creation of several competing businesses — all founded by talented individuals who had been offered partnerships that were reneged on.

In each case, they went out on their own and took a nice chunk of business. Two of these jilted parties now run consultancies that are larger than my former client’s. A few months ago, my ex-client’s new business rep called to tell me the same sad story: they’d just reduced the value of his deal, and he left. He’s busy starting yet another competing firm.

Never Take on a Major Project Without Clear Leadership

The new business team wins the account after intense competition. The project requires the attention of all the skill sets that the firm offers, but no one takes absolute control of the whole effort. The result is predictable: the client feels mistreated, the managers play the blame game with each other, the account team can’t get the support they need, the budget is blown and the client leaves unhappy. Why? Because the discipline leaders are not used to working as a team, and there is no protocol for determining who’s in charge when all their skills are required. Worse, the boss doesn’t provide the leadership or put anyone clearly in charge. The combination of weak leadership and weak account management produces disaster.

Never Use Past Estimates as the Basis of Future Proposals

It’s so easy to just pull up that last proposal, change the names, dates, a few salient facts and send it off to that new client. Then you win the business, and guess what: that old job you based the new one on lost tons of money, and no one checked. So there you are condemned to repeat the same money-losing process, maybe hoping to make it up in change orders or whatever. Good luck.

Never Offer a Valued Employee a Senior Position, Then Renege

This is a bit like offering the partnership position, but with a twist. In my experience, the jilted party in this case often stays with the firm but harbors resentment, feeling unsupported, hurt, embarrassed, used and generally downtrodden. Performance suffers and, unless something dramatic happens to improve the situation, it’s all downhill from there.

Never Let Poor Performance Slip by Without a Reprimand

People need feedback. I need feedback. Everyone needs to know what the results of their efforts are, especially when that effort isn’t up to snuff. Unfortunately, most managers of creative firms don’t know and don’t want to know how to give critical feedback. So their teams don’t get the small immediate corrections along the way that they need to succeed.

Often, the negatives are saved up for the annual salary review, and the problems have grown into something much larger — leaving both the manager and the employee uncomfortable and unhappy. Managers must learn how to critique staff in the moment the need arises so that giving and receiving corrections are not such a big deal.

Never End a Serious Conversation Before You’ve Identified the Real Issue

It’s human nature, at least in our culture, to start difficult conversations with something other than the real agenda. It’s part of our social graces. It helps both parties become comfortable with each other before getting to the real issue. The problem comes when, sensing that a difficult subject is about to be raised, one of the parties breaks off the conversation. My advice: recognize the feelings that make you want to run for the hills, and use them as a signal to hang in there and get to the real issue. It may be a bit uncomfortable, but you’ll get better at it with practice.

Never Let Young Talent Blame the Lack of Creative on the Client

Or old talent, for that matter. This one has always galled me, and I’ve heard it all too often: “The client won’t let us be creative, or the budget isn’t big enough.” It’s the job of the creative team to be creative within the parameters of the client’s assignment.

Great work often comes from the most difficult circumstances. Remember the Apple Think Different campaign? They had no products to advertise at the time, so they told their public that they were different and hoped they would wait. Better yet, the VW Think Small campaign. They had only $700,000 to spend while the “Big Three” had $10,000,000 each to spend on their new compacts.

Never Think that It’s Only the Work that Matters

It’s the relationship that makes the work possible. Without a great relationship, you’ll never get the chance to do the great work. Yes, great work is critical to achieving your agency and clients’ goals, but you’ll never get a chance to do great work if the client doesn’t feel included, respected and well-served.

Never Tolerate a Bad Attitude

I’m sorry to say that I mostly see this one in young men. They sulk, they refuse to look you in the eye, they accuse you of misdeeds behind your back. They seem hurt, but you can never put your finger on exactly what it is that hurt them. The implication is that you’re not worthy of their attention, let alone their respect.

The only answer is to call them on it. Pick a repeating example, ask what’s amiss and wait for an answer. Explain the damage that the behavior causes. Ask for them to change. If they can’t, then say goodbye.

The post Never Make These Leadership Mistakes appeared first on The Agency Post.

If you want a portfolio that can separate you from the crowd, answer these questions and apply what you learn appropriately.

1.  Are you letting the real world describe the real you?

If you work at a mediocre agency, chances are the opportunities there are also mediocre. Don’t fool yourself into thinking someone will see your potential from that work and give you a break. Give yourself assignments. Use every free moment to improve your work because the only way to show potential is to prove you have it.

2.  Have you asked for a “hard” critique?

Pick a few people whose work you respect. Humbly submit your work for a critical review. You’ll see certain flaws in your work repetitively pointed out if you get enough of these critiques. Kill or overhaul the work in question, and repeat until the book is free of deep flaws.

3.  Does your work solve tough problems?

Award-winning work in your portfolio is important. But if it’s all for tattoo parlors and the like, you’re not showing you can do great work in the real world. If you have stellar examples of work for difficult client categories, you will definitely separate yourself from the pack.

4.  Are you putting work in your book to show “experience”?

An average entry makes the whole book average. And great agencies don’t hire people with average books. Cut the average work and take your chances. If that means you only have a couple of spots on your reel, so be it. The discriminating agency will appreciate your standards more than seeing your vast — but less than impressive — “experience.”

5.  When was the last time you put something new in your book?

I think an aggressive yet doable goal is to replace your portfolio completely every two to three years. Don’t hang onto old “award winners.” Do new award winners. Don’t love your work. Love the work you’re going to do.

6.  Did you give up on your dream too soon?

I heard John Boone, co-founder of Boone Oakley and most recently Guns & Kittens, give a talk about the 10 years it took him to land a job at The Martin Agency. He read a stack of rejection letters he had gotten from the agency over those years. In spite of the rejection, John kept trying. Those rejection letters tell a great story. The agency evolved from being pretty uninterested to encouraging and finally urging John to keep trying. In the course of trying to get into The Martin Agency, John created a classic spot for Nissan 300ZX that is deemed one of the best this industry has produced. Remember the Barbie/GI Joe spot? This was before he got hired to the agency of his dreams.

The post Redo Your Book and Revamp Your Career appeared first on The Agency Post.

I asked ad pros who have worked on some of the world’s most iconic brands to answer the questions young people continually ask me. Print out their words and paste them to your fridge. Practice what they say and one day you could be in their shoes.

Q: Describe the type of person you most want to hire.

David Baldwin, founder of Baldwin& (Raleigh, North Carolina) | Ad Age Small Agency for 2012

We hired a kid a few years ago who, when he took me through his book, began each sentence with the phrase, ‘We were trying to reinvent …’ He showed that he was interested and capable of thinking beyond advertising.

Q: What one thing should a person applying for a job with your company never do?

Kevin Roddy, CCO of Riney SF and chairman of The One Club (New York City)

Never be unable to articulate every aspect of the problem you were trying to solve and why you did what you did to solve it. I want to know how you think because I hope your work is smart and well thought through.

Q: Define the one thing a person should do if they don’t get the job they had hoped for.

Dave Holloway, ECD of McGarrah Jessee (Austin, Texas)

Show persistence. If I suggest changes to the work, the person should consider making them … they could also send new work, updates, articles … again, showing passion. It’s incredible how few people actually do.

Q: How should a person determine which company is best for them to work?

Carolyn Hadlock, ECD of Young and Laramore (Indianapolis)

Find the person, not the place. Working with the right person early in your career makes all the difference.

Q: How can I know if someone likes my work but really doesn’t have a position?

Cameron Day, ECD of Gyro (Boulder, Colorado)

If you have a good interview but there is no opening, ask for names. IF they really like you, they’ll send you to their buddies. If they’re reluctant, they probably don’t think your work is worthy.

Q: What is the No. 1 thing that concerns you about those young professionals entering the industry?

Cathy Carlisi, CCO of Brighthouse (Atlanta)

In addition to great work, great understanding of where advertising is going (content vs. media). I think that passion and understanding for your agency and deep professionalism is critical. The rudeness and sense of entitlement out there is crazy.

Q: How do young professionals most often miss their opportunity?

John Boone, co-founder of Boone Oakley (Charlotte, North Carolina)

You are a brand. Go advertise yourself. And keep an open mind. One of my best jobs was at a new agency no one had ever heard of: Team One.

Q: Who in the next generation will lead our industry?

Woody Kay, managing partner and CCO at Arnold DC (Arlington, Virginia)

The kids who succeed will be the ones who embody and embrace this culture of ‘fluidity and diversity,’ but also have a commitment to craft. Not just innate talent, but a confident command of the tools they need to use — words or pictures — to express ideas, to tell stories in a compelling and persuasive way.

There was a lot more valuable information these people shared. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough space here to elaborate. But these words of wisdom are enough to show that the secret to success is available. You simply need to ask those who have succeeded.

The post The Top Gift on Your Wish List Should Be Good Ad Career Advice appeared first on The Agency Post.