Advertising Skills are Transferable

Written by: Jake Krumweide

Looking in the lens of a student, the advertising world can look like an endless scope with no exact target to fix on. It comes as no surprise that many students feel overwhelmed when stepping into the industry, and are unsure where exactly they want to end up. As a senior studying advertising, I know all too well these feelings, and through my experiences, I have realized that not having a script written already has actually become more of a blessing in disguise. Due to the wide nature of the industry, an advertiser must gain knowledge in a wide variety of different skill sets that can be widely applied in a multitude of circumstances. This varies from a general knowledge of copywriting, to research and data analysis, and even to account management. It’s these skills that are honed in on that allow for a better understanding of what each individual wants to achieve for themselves.

When I first started on this journey, I thought almost certainly that I would be ending up working in a position that helped curate strategies for companies looking for marketing tactics to enhance the reach of their business. I went as far as to achieve my goal of acquiring a minor in business for this very reason. With that being said, I soon realized that my particular skill sets not only allowed for strategy direction, but also for work within the sales field. Because of the hands-on nature of an advertising student in their coursework, trial and error is a large motivator that gives confidence to a student by the time they have reached graduation. This exact principle is why I knew by my senior year that looking for roles just within strategy would be incredibly limiting for me. So I decided to look beyond that, and see how I could merge these two skills and allow myself to become the most effective advertiser possible. This is how I found a position that didn’t seem like it could merge the two skills, yet in fact truly does grant me access to them. I now know I will be helping prospects, and maintain relationships with our clients (sales) as well as giving them options based on their own needs to create a successful finalized product for them (strategy.) It is important to remember that you may not always realize that a position incorporates skills you may have until you give it a shot. Many of the skills given to us both naturally and by our education can be shifted across industries, and can lead to a successful career where you may not have otherwise thought you may have belonged.