"Switching Hats" in Advertising
I’m a Creative Recruiter/Partner with a group of amazing, wicked smart women at BLT Recruiting, but before the days of matching spectacular candidates with spectacular companies, I worked at BBDO Los Angeles, first in account management, later in broadcast production. Many job seekers ask me about my experience switching from one department to another, and I’m happy to share a few things I learned during that process.
Assess the situation
If you love your ad agency/company but don’t love your role or your department, then take a look around and see if there is a position in which your interests and strengths are better aligned.
For me, I realized that I just didn’t love account management. But I did love working on our TV commercials, from casting to pre-production and post-production. Despite the crazy long hours, I loved being part of the storytelling process.
Volunteering/ shadowing
In order to know if you really want to leave your current role in one department for one in a different department, you should develop a deep understanding of what it’s like on the other side. A great way to do this is to volunteer to help out that department whenever you have free time (after regular hours, on weekends, or on those rare instances when you have downtime).
Know the salaries of your targeted new role!
Before putting your current job in jeopardy, be sure that the salary of your targeted new job will meet your needs. Not every level in every department is paid the same amounts. If you feel shy about asking coworkers about their salaries, you can always check with places like 4As, Glassdoor or other job sites.
Make yourself an irresistible candidate for your dream job
Just because you’re a rock star in one role, doesn’t necessarily mean that you are seen as a rock star for a different role. You’ll be competing with other people within the agency and with fully qualified candidates from outside the agency for your coveted role. You must eliminate any weak spots, any holes in your qualifications or eligibility.
Nerd up! Learn your new role! Classes, books, webinars, tutorials, podcasts!
There are many ways of learning all about anything you need to know about your dream job through industry classes like 4As, portfolio schools, extension classes like Atheneum Collective, YouTube tutorials, TedTalks, podcasts, etc. Some ad agencies reimburse their employees for taking these classes.
Speaking to the bosses!
It can be a little tricky to tell your boss that you don’t want to move forward on your current career trajectory. It might be best to speak to your HR Manager first to see how your agency feels about allowing these transitions. Look around your ad agency to see if others have made the transition and speak with them about how they did it. Use your discretion.
Finding and training your replacement
Your boss might be totally fine with allowing you to move on to greener pastures, but if you’re staying at your current shop, she/he might require that you find and train your replacement before they consider this transition complete. The upside is that you know your role inside and out, and can easily identify people who would be good at it.
Working two jobs at once, the great “in-between”
Once you are transitioning from one role to another, you can get caught with one foot in both roles. And of course, both roles most likely require full-time attention. Be sure to set up a transition timeline with both departments. It’s important that you leave your role on a high note.
Keep your eyes on your future!
Once you have started working in your new, dream role, treat it like the prize that it is. Your new team is your priority. And though you can and should be available to your old team to answer any questions, always remember that you have new loyalties. You have a new boss that has taken a chance on you. Be excellent and make sure they don’t regret it.
Have questions about job transfers that we didn’t address here? We’re always here to help; don’t hesitate to reach out: hello@bltrecruiting.com.