Go Above and Beyond!

Through recent interactions with corporate higher-ups and HR departments, I've consistently heard that students coming out of school don't go above and beyond the minimum. Students are not focused on exactly what they want to do and what they can contribute, and do little more to showcase themselves than apply for jobs.

Focus is vitally important. Just knowing that you want to go into "advertising" is not enough anymore. With so many students graduating and so few positions available, employers want to know that, while you may be well-versed in a lot of areas, you're interested in a specific area. Personally, I'm passionate about brand strategy. I highly recommend internships that rotate you around different parts of the company if you are unaware exactly where you'd like to work. Before I started my internship at Zimmerman Advertising in Ft. Lauderdale, I was split between Creative and New Business. Afterward, I realized how much I enjoyed Strategy.

Do not just put together your resume, apply for some jobs, and call it a day. Add another component to market yourself, whatever you need to do to get yourself out there and showcase yourself. Options like websites and blogs are very effective. Whatever you choose, just keep up with it. As Kevin Costner learned in one of his many baseball-related films, "If you build it, they will come."