being a copywriter? interview imminent

[Throbbing Angel]

Hullo,

I have a verbal offer of an interview for a copywriter position in the NorthWest (at an agency as opposed to in house)

My background is:
5 'O'levels
A Level Psychology (at night school)
A level in Creative Writing (at night school)
3 Banking exams (at night school)
13 years in retail banking
Started but didn't finish a degree (sociology & english) through illness and subsequent skintness
4 years data gimp/root cause analyst
Started on a Masters in Creative Writing in Sept 2005 - evening study whilst working full time
Completed a Professional Development course with a national literature based organisation

Have had a go at stand up, being in bands, acting with minor success. I am the student rep. Helped set up a creative writing collective and published a few inky broadsheets with local 'talent' inbetween the covers.

Now then, I like creativity. I think sitting around and trying to come up with plots, storylines, concepts etc is as valid as some other jobs and more valid than some of the shit boring temp shite I ahven't mentioned above.

I have done some very basic studies of advertising at degree level and the information about the job came my way be cause of my writing skills/creativity at Uni. So I called them and, as I think I'd like to have a go at this job,offered them a day of my services free of charge to see what the crack is. This offer was deemed as not necessary and we then chatted about what the role entails.

So, what do I need to know before I go in there huh?

I have had a quick look at these website to get more of a handle on what a copywriter does all day:

http://www.mightier-than.com/copywritingfaqs.asp
http://business.pressreleasemonkey.com/2006/04/19/what_does_a_copywriter_do/
http://electrolicious.com/archives/2004/03/copywriting_faq.html
http://www.will-harris.com/staging/html/copywriting.html
http://www.wordsleuth.com/copywriter.html

Any more pointers?

I'm intending going in there armed with:
-examples of my writing (published and unpublished)
-printouts of my blog and web pages that mention me on this Professional Development programme (maybe go with my laptop and the pages saved?)
-examples of ad campaigns I like and that I think work, and why they work (what it is trying to acheive, target audience, changes I'd make etc)

Essentially it's about making a point quickly and succinctly innit?

 

[crimethInc]

Hullo,

I have a verbal offer of an interview for a copywriter position in the NorthWest (at an agency as opposed to in house)

My background is:
5 'O'levels
A Level Psychology (at night school)
A level in Creative Writing (at night school)
3 Banking exams (at night school)
13 years in retail banking
Started but didn't finish a degree (sociology & english) through illness and subsequent skintness
4 years data gimp/root cause analyst
Started on a Masters in Creative Writing in Sept 2005 - evening study whilst working full time
Completed a Professional Development course with a national literature based organisation

Have had a go at stand up, being in bands, acting with minor success. I am the student rep. Helped set up a creative writing collective and published a few inky broadsheets with local 'talent' inbetween the covers.

Now then, I like creativity. I think sitting around and trying to come up with plots, storylines, concepts etc is as valid as some other jobs and more valid than some of the shit boring temp shite I ahven't mentioned above.

I have done some very basic studies of advertising at degree level and the information about the job came my way be cause of my writing skills/creativity at Uni. So I called them and, as I think I'd like to have a go at this job,offered them a day of my services free of charge to see what the crack is. This offer was deemed as not necessary and we then chatted about what the role entails.

So, what do I need to know before I go in there huh?

I have had a quick look at these website to get more of a handle on what a copywriter does all day:

http://www.mightier-than.com/copywritingfaqs.asp
http://business.pressreleasemonkey.com/2006/04/19/what_does_a_copywriter_do/
http://electrolicious.com/archives/2004/03/copywriting_faq.html
http://www.will-harris.com/staging/html/copywriting.html
http://www.wordsleuth.com/copywriter.html

Any more pointers?

I'm intending going in there armed with:
-examples of my writing (published and unpublished)
-printouts of my blog and web pages that mention me on this Professional Development programme (maybe go with my laptop and the pages saved?)
-examples of ad campaigns I like and that I think work, and why they work (what it is trying to acheive, target audience, changes I'd make etc)

Essentially it's about making a point quickly and succinctly innit?

I did an internship as a copywriter at a recruitment advertising agency last summer.

The biggest challenge a copywriter faces isnt the capacity to create/produce ideas, thats taken as a given, rather its persuading the marketing people to run with it...

as such, show you have the capacity to explain and justify your ideas, go armed with a good portfolio and be comfortable with all the jargon (USPs etc).

otherwise, good luck! copywriting is an excellant job, i spend half my time playing darts and online chess tournaments and the other half brainstorming with really bright, comical types (augmented with plenty of trips to the pub).

 

[Throbbing Angel]

cheers crime

anymore for anymore then???

 

[trashpony]

My job is different in that I work in house doing corporate stuff rather than advertising. So I don't write snappy copy so much as trying to get tons of stuff across succinctly and clearly without leaving the guts of the sentence till the end.

I had to edit a few different pages of copy, a letter and write an executive summary to get this job. And prove I knew what I was talking about.

So I'm not sure I can really offer you a huge amount of advice except to say that the prep you've done sounds good. Oh and make sure your grammar's up to scratch too.

Good luck - sounds like you're in with a good chance

 

[marshall]

Do you have any speculative campaigns for products in your portfolio?

You know, rough scamps for corn flakes, baked beans, breath freshener…stuff like that. Just headline and visual, really. When I was putting a ‘folio together, I’d take a boring ad I’d found in a supplement and then show what I’d do - given carte blanche.

Good luck, you might get some stick, but I love it – paid to sit and doodle for 20 years.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

this is the thing y'see - what portfolio?

I'm not a design/marketing student as such, I've studeied english, banking, sociology and now the MA in Creative Writing - what would they want from me - not the graphics surely - this was billed as 'a rae chance to become an advertising writer'

So - you think I should put together some stuff of my own as well as commenting on ads I like/hate?

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

haven't really any useful/constructive advice, just wanted to say good luck!

 

[Throbbing Angel]

cheers Ann

 

[Cheesypoof]

yeh i got some good advice - say all this - this is some of my cv and a mangling of job application bungled boogles.

Job description:
The CP department needs a skilled writer to contribute to a range of the department’s publications. This will involve research, following a brief, interviewing and writing first draft copy for client approval, in clear, concise, engaging Plain English.

The successful candidate will also be involved with new business pitch work for new magazines, which when won, they would adopt editorship of.

Responsibilities:
Research and write article documents in line with client brief, following guidance from the magazine’s editor
Work with sales and creative staff to generate editorial ideas for pitches, and be prepared to join the pitch team in presentations
Help out across the writing team with subbing and adhoc writing assignments wherever needed
Take on responsibility of running any new magazines, including client liaison, briefing designer, over-seeing editing and writing of the magazine.
Skills & abilities:
Editorial skills
Writing material that meets the client’s objectives and is appropriate for the target audience.
Demonstrating a flexible writing style – ability to adapt for sales material, tabloid style papers, corporate magazines.
Being able to write plain English – ie, when the task demands it, to be able to take academic, bureaucratic or marketing jargon and rewrite it in clear, expressive language without resorting to clichés or simplifications.
Showing a consistent standard throughout your writing – from concepts to editing clients’ words, drafting fresh text and proofing.
Attention to detail
Having meticulous grammar, spelling and proofing.
Ensuring quality control of work – by getting it checked at key stages before sending to clients.
Good presentation of work – putting text into context when sending it to clients; accompanying with explanatory e-mails etc; using RLC fonts etc
Client handling
Able to handle clients in an enthusiastic, tactful way.
Giving ‘added value’ to clients – being responsive to phone calls, e-mail requests.
Developing the client relationship.
Being able to explain why we’ve taken a specific approach to work by relating it to client objectives and audience needs.
Time management
Ability to juggle projects and stay calm under pressure on multiple projects.
Working with allocated timescales.
Building in time to schedule to review, proof and amend significant pieces of copy.
Being punctual for work, client and internal meetings.
Visual awareness
An instinctive understanding for what has to happen once you’ve finished writing.
Make it easier for design by sticking to space allocation, and devices for breaking up text. Know what designers’ constraints and considerations are.
Commercial awareness
Talking knowledgably to clients about their business/industry.
Visiting client websites and looking at printed material on a regular basis.
Working with the sales team to suggest new markets, contacts within your client companies etc.
Teamwork
Seeking a second opinion from editorial colleagues on all significant pieces of copy before submission to client.
Being aware of other people’s deadlines and offering to help where possible.
Contributing to a positive team atmosphere, eg sharing knowledge and experiences; taking the initiative to make the working environment a better place
Administrative ability
Keeping work diary up to date.
Naming and filing amended drafts consistently and correctly.
Documenting progress and keeping other team members up to date on work so that work can be shared or managed in someone’s absence.
Keeping an accurate record of time spent on job and completing timesheets on time.
Qualifications & experience:
No specific educational background required.
A minimum of two years as a corporate writer.
Experience writing across a range of industries and for a range of audiences.
Experience working in an agency, especially experience of working closely with a designer, would be an advantage.
Character & personal qualities:
Enthusiastic and inquisitive – a good writer has to understand the client’s business, their product/service and their audience. The ideal candidate would have to love finding out about new things and communicating them to others.
Focused on quality – should want every job to be excellent (or as good as is possible within the client’s budget and timescales) and should want to produce continually better work.
Not too precious – it is creative work, but it requires a levelheaded temperament and an understanding that clients will inevitably change your copy
Resilient – has to be able to deal with a client rejecting their favourite idea or a whole draft without being downhearted.

 

[marshall]

this is the thing y'see - what portfolio?

I'm not a design/marketing student as such, I've studeied english, banking, sociology and now the MA in Creative Writing - what would they want from me - not the graphics surely - this was billed as 'a rae chance to become an advertising writer'

So - you think I should put together some stuff of my own as well as commenting on ads I like/hate?

Not really sure what kind of agency you’d be working for (or whether it’s even too late to offer you any advice), but ime you would need a portfolio. And even if your layouts are only stickmen quality, you need to be able to show you can think visually.

Also, you’d probably – again I’m not sure what type of agency it is – be teamed up with an art director or designer, so being able to bounce ideas is important, as is the ability to dismiss your partner’s not such good ideas with tact/diplomacy or accept his/her ideas over your own without feeling put out/sulky.

If you’ve already had the interview, hope it went well. If not, again, good luck.