Got Internships? Pt. 1

Graduating this year? Got a job lined up? Probably not. So what’s on your resume? If you walked in an agency to interview for a jr. art director or jr. copywriter position, what kind of experience are you bringing to the table? If I looked at your resume and you listed McDonald’s cashier or sales associate for the Gap as work experience, my response might be, “Next!”

Where are the internships?

If you’re a senior and you haven’t locked up an internship yet, you are going about this job search ass-backward. But don’t panic, your career hasn’t ended before it’s begun.

I had seven internships before graduating:

• AAA Michigan, Communications Specialist
• DMB&B, Copywriter Intern
• Little Caesar's Enterprises, Communications Specialist
• Ross Roy, Copywriter Intern (2 summers- I count it twice)
• National Council on Alcoholism, Communications Specialist
• 4-H Youth Programs, Communications Specialist

And because I chose to work, I graduated in six years, instead of four. I was "two years behind schedule," but I got out with a reel of produced radio and tv spots and I had a portfolio of produced print ads, not just my "A+" class assignments.

I'm not bragging. I'm telling you to arm yourself. As a college grad, you aren’t just competing against other grads for an entry-level job. Today, there are thousands of mid-and senior-level unemployed creatives willing to take huge salary cuts to take that entry-level job away from you.

You can’t compete against someone with real world experience, until you get some real world experience of your own.