Dave’s Take

As someone who has worked in the ad biz for more than 20 years, I can honestly say that I’ve never seen the industry in as bad a shape as it is right now. Every advertising and marketing person I know is singing the blues, wondering if the outlook on our profession is as dismal as our imagination has led us to believe. Now we have factual proof that our fears are indeed based upon truth. In the recently released, “Advertising Age’s Agency Report – 2010″, the dismal state of affairs in which our industry currently wallows is spelled out in detail. While it documents how bad things truly are, it also gives us hope in reporting the corner has been turned and perhaps recovery is on its way.

The severity of the national decline in ad revenue is astounding. According to the report, 2009 witnessed the greatest decline in industry revenue in the 66 years Advertising Age has tracked it. Statistics reveal that total revenue for the American businesses of advertising, marketing, public relations and media services dropped 7.5% to a total of $28.4 billion spent last year. Not surprising, this rate just happens to exactly match the 7.8% drop in advertising/marketing/PR jobs in 2009. Even the ever-growing health care advertising market witnessed a decline of 1.6%. And despite the lowest cable and network broadcast rates in years, media placement agencies reported their net income fell over 10%. Event marketing took its medicine as well, with promotion-based agencies suffering through a 13% decline in revenue for 2009.

The final shot of bad news documented within the report is found in the number of registered agencies in the United States. Between 2008 and 2009, the total number of ad agencies dropped from 912 to 883. In regards to specific positions, U.S. agencies laid off a collective 58,400 jobs during that same time. A depressing 107,700 ad jobs have been lost since the recession began in 2007, with January of this year topping out with the lowest level of advertising employment since 1994.

But before we all jump off the nearest bridge we need to contemplate the good news the AA report has contained within its pages. It seems (hopefully) the worst has passed and the future is beginning to look brighter. Optimists point to all the major accounts in play as a sign the ad biz is gearing up for its rise from the ashes. There are even signs some of the major agencies are either preparing to or are actually hiring new employees. I sure hope that’s true, as even the most optimistic advertising professional has had their world turned upside down for the past three years. I think we all deserve a change of fortune and here’s to wishing 2010 is the year it happens.

In this economy, media jobs are tough to find and harder to land. As someone who’s always on the lookout for a long term gig, I know the online job sites well. While all of them have taken a hit in this economy, some are better than others in offering a solid variety of industry opportunities. Of the more than a dozen advertising/marketing job sites I regularly visit, three stand out for their competence and usefulness in the job search. All three are great for finding jobs not listed elsewhere and between them, anyone in advertising, marketing or production should find some light at the end of the tunnel.

TalentZoo.com: This free website features jobs from advertising, marketing and media companies. It is user friendly and offers a great base of jobs that are easy to search and apply for. By posting your resume on TalentZoo, you will allow advertising professionals from coast to coast to view your resume. It posts jobs that cover everything in advertising from management to media placement. Just as important are the discussions and articles posted on the site, covering everything from industry projections to interview techniques. Here’s the link to their site: http://www.talentzoo.com

GetCopywrtingJobs.com: Obviously as the name implies, this is a website dedicated to copywriters. While this free site may appear to be limited in its job offerings, it has a surprising depth of employment offerings for writers and editors. Whether you’re an SEO specialist, technical wordsmith or just a plain old copywriter, getcopywritingjobs.com has something for everyone who makes his or her living at a keyboard. Job openings are listed by state as well as position, so searches can be cross-referenced for best results. To visit their site, go to:
http://www.getcopywritingjobs.com

As a rule, I am leery of any paid job sites. I have learned the hard way that just because they charge, doesn’t mean they produce. Media-Match.com is one of the few subscriber job sites I recommend. Featuring hundreds of listings for production positions ranging from Grips and P.A.s to Directors, Writers and Line Producers; media-match.com is a job site worth the reasonable subscription rates they charge. With fees ranging from a monthly membership of $10 to an annual subscription of $60.00, they are worth the investment. They even offer a great deal for recent graduates – a mere $5.00 a month! Most film and video job postings found online are either outdated or incomplete, but the pros at media-match.com do an incredible job of screening postings, thus ensuring all their members of actual current offerings. As an added bonus, they even allow you to post your portfolio online. If you are looking for work in the film, video or television business, you need to check them out at:
http://www.media-match.com

Remember, the key to the successful use of any job site is persistence. Persistence in keeping your resume up to date and topical; persistence in writing specific cover letters for specific jobs; persistence in keeping your portfolio and other work samples available; and persistence in keeping your job log and contact list current. Always treat the search for a full-time job as a full-time job. I wish you the best of luck in your career quest.