🎓 Tips for Fresh (and Not-so-Fresh) Grads: Determining the Best Copywriter Job for YOU
Is there such a thing as the "perfect" writing job? Let's talk about it!
Graduation season is coming up! Hats off to you if you’re marching soon, or you’re supporting someone who will be. 🎓 🥳
Even after almost a decade, I still remember the lead-up to grad season so clearly. I started applying for full-time jobs as early as 1-2 months before graduation. That’s how excited I was to become a full-fledged copywriter in an advertising agency! I was working on my resume alongside the last of my schoolwork, and fielding emails from HR officers while arranging my graduation Filipiniana and sablay.
Also, when I graduated, UP Diliman had just shifted the academic calendar year and I worried about how companies wouldn’t be used to “fresh grads” in June instead of March (silly, I know). But hey, it paid off, because I signed my first job offer even before graduation day. I even had to ask to move my starting date to a later date, just so I could have a week between Graduation Day and my first-ever day at an ad agency.
Since then, I’ve done my share of transferring to new jobs, for various reasons. One thing I’ve learned from resigning and applying to new opportunities?
There is no perfect job. No perfect boss, no perfect workmates, client roster, or office location. There is only the right opportunity at the right time. The “perfect” place to be for that season in your life. 🍃
That said, how do you determine the best job opportunity for you right now? This checklist can help.
Note: This is done from the perspective of someone who’s taken a copywriter role agency-side, client-side, and freelance. Your mileage may vary depending on the industry you want to enter and the position you’re after.
What fresh graduates should consider when applying for a writer job in the Philippines
Know what you want out of your first job.
As a fresh grad, you might gravitate towards big ad agencies or big multinational companies. But that’s not all there is. Sure, those big companies offer a lot of opportunities - but they could also put a lot of pressure on you.
Keep your doors open to other ways to “win” in your career: a great mentor, a growing company where you can make a bigger impact, and so on. Boutique ad agencies might have more bandwidth to train fresh grads, while big brands can be fast-paced but exhilarating. I wrote an article about what I learned when going from small shops to a giant indie agency - it might help you see the differences and similarities!
Get to know the company inside-out.
Research the company you’re considering before you send that cover letter and resume. Here’s a quick guide I personally use:
Are they legit? - Do they have a website, social media channels? What comes up when you Google the company and the owner - awards, partnerships, or controversies?
What is the company like? - Is it a big or small team? What kind of work do they produce (e.g. for agencies, they can be full-service, digital, or activations)? If they’re an ad agency, who are their clients? What values does the company have? What kind of culture do they have?
What’s their reputation? - Websites like Glassdoor and forums like Facebook Groups and Reddit can shed a lot of light past the sunshiny PR lens of the company’s website and social media channels. I like to use these sites to find real insights from staff or ex-staff from companies I’m considering.
Get to know the people in the company you want to join.
9 times out of 10, you’ll know zero people at the company you’re considering. But here’s a neat little trick: you can go to LinkedIn, go to “Settings” and make your visibility “Private”. Then, look up the company and view the profiles of people who work there. Ideally, they should be those in the same position you want to join.
Check if the staff tend to stay long at the company and if they get promoted. You might even find some ex-employees and see how long they stayed.
But hey, if you do know someone at the company you’re interested in and you feel you can trust them, reach out and ask questions! A little insider info always helps.
Read and reread the job opening details.
Are the skills mentioned stuff you already know, or are at least willing to learn? If there’s a salary range disclosed, is this okay with you? Are you required to work on-site, and is the location practical for you right now? Do you foresee moving or renting to make your commute easier? Also, make sure you read and reread your cover letter and resume before sending it.
Tip: Tap here for more job application process tips.
Check in with yourself while working on the skill tests.
Don’t just do the skill tests and submit them. Remember: this is a sample of what you’ll be doing everyday, for years to come. You’re trying the job on for size the same way interviewers are trying you on for size. How do you really feel about this kind of work?
Oh, and be prepared to present your work afterwards, possibly in another round of interviews. This will help your prospective manager get to know your thought process.
Ask questions in your interview.
Once you get to the interview phase where you get to talk to your line manager, ask questions! This gives you more insight into the company culture and the team you’ll be joining. Some questions you could ask include:
What is a typical workday like at [company]?
How can someone be a great fit for the role?
What would make someone a poor fit for the role?
What is the team culture when it comes to overtime work and weekend work?
(for ad agencies) Are you keen on getting awards for creativity or marketing effectiveness? Or do you prefer to focus on client satisfaction over joining award shows?
What is your [manager’s'] mentorship or leadership style?
Will I be replacing someone who left, or am I a new addition to the team?
Try to negotiate decision-making time so you can review job offers together.
Got multiple job offers in the pipeline? Congratulations! Now comes the tricky bit: how do you get the choices on the table simultaneously so you can decide?
Make sure you request enough time to decide as you wait for other offers to come in. Note that this request may not always be granted, and you might find yourself having to give up an offer while waiting for another offer that may not be as good. It’s a risk, but it also reflects how much a company might want you - or how badly they need to fill a vacancy.
When you do get to view two or more offers simultaneously, make a pros/cons list to help you decide.
Don’t view this job search - or your prospective job - in a vacuum.
As a fresh grad who wanted desperately to get into an ad agency in Makati (what I considered the New York of the Philippines), I took on the first offer I got, even if it wasn’t for a copywriter position. I didn’t even mind the fact that I had to travel 2-3 hours each way from my house to the office!
Back then, I could afford to think that way - I was young, healthy, eager, and my parents worked in the same city, so I felt “safe” in a way. And the job was interesting! I learned a lot, made important connections, and got a great start in the biz.
But a lot has changed since I was 21, and now, I’d advise you to consider the following:
Look at ALL the benefits - not just the money. Do you get good HMO coverage? How many leaves do you get every year? Can you work remotely?
What do you need in this season of your life? You might forego a higher-paying on-site job for a remote working position if you have an elderly or sick family member you want to help care for. You might negotiate to get your HMO package earlier instead of 6 months or 1 year into your stint. You might opt for a fast-paced job with higher pay to help your family out financially. This would all depend on your personal situation.
Again, there is no perfect job, just the perfect opportunity for you right now. Things could change! You may want to go from client-side to agency side. Life events may have you going from a fast-paced multinational to a more relaxed freelance post. You may want more job security now, but want to take part in a startup later on.
But for today, I’m here in your corner, wishing you luck as you set off on this new chapter in your life. :)
Reg
Buhay Copywriter by Regina Peralta is free today.
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