Do some spec work. That shows agencies you have the calibre of thinking they're looking for. Do some ads for the clients of the agencies you want to work for. Easy as that.

You try your hand at freelancing too. If you don't get a shot- target an ad agency and choose a product that they've advertise and put your spin on things. How would you do it better?



Create your own ads, work for free, search for jobs online - this will give you experience.


And if they asay you don't have experience you can proove that you're able to do the job - after all that's what counts.


Also, about the ad achools - I can vouch that yes, their are snobbish rich kids that seem to be born with egos. I was fortunate to land a scholarship -but boy did some of those students want to see me go down! And, yep, years after the fact, they still won't have anything to do with me. Talk about backstabbing, bad-mouthing me to the directors the whole shabang!


No, only the rich kids should be at R&Y ect. How can a drivers/maid's/cleaner's child be at such an exclusive school? This sort of thinking sucks -we all deserve a chance to shine.


But, let me give you some advice - Don't be intimidated, Don't let them get you down and most of all Screw them!



And to all of those snobbish peeps (you know who you are), here's to you making me see just how strong I really am woohoo!

...I just don't have the damn agency exp.
Thanks for the advice on the other stuff though. And thanks for your post. I share the same sentiments.

Chatting to ViV Gordon? She's great :)
Good Luck!

I went to AAA, finished in 2004. Only landed a good job in advertising end of 2007. It goes to show, it's not what school you go to, it's WHO YOU KNOW

Again, not WHAT you know but WHO you know, unfortunately.

yup, you need to work for free before you get that dream job.

You might only have to do it for 6 months if you are lucky, but sometimes it will take 5 or 10 years before you will be taken seriously.

Don't feel entitled to anything. You need to work for it.

hahahah, well in my time, one had to suck up and laugh at any stupid jokes by some director if not sharpening pencils at some studio, hence i'm here today running my own creative spaza shop. AAA also helped but at that time we had the likes of one Gordon Cook who imparted not only advertising knowledge but the entire business understanding, it was like an MBA but an expensive one. big ups to that oldie!

We complicate this ourselves.

Given Mkhari has never set foot inside AAA.. perhaps for a client meeting yes.

Point. You don't need the education offered by AAA and Vega. Use your local library. Then work on your dialect just a little. 90% of what you do in advertising is based on your natural talents anyway. Anybody ever heard of studying to be a CREATIVE director. Perhaps to become a director yes, but not creative. That's all natural.

So if u think u have the gift, try your hand at rebranding your local spaza shop, execute a mini repositioning strategy for Sphiwe's Autos down the road, or Willie Waslap se Voorrade around the corner from your office.

This is not rocket science. I promise you. You've been lied to if you think you NEED that AAA or Vega diploma to work in an agency. It's because the agencies collude with them that makes it difficult to get into the big agencies without the diploma.

So if you REALLY want to get a foot in the door, the only person that can help you is YOU.