I want to work in advertising. I go to a liberal arts college that does not have an advertising major.?

[nyro]

I am a freshman psychology major.

Should I major in psychology and then work in advertising later? How do I get the coursework needed for internships then? Do I transfer to a school with advertising? Is psychology useful for advertising?

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[Máire Siobhán]

I think it's a great plan! I have a BA in psychology, and I am a communications director for an international company. I handle the advertising and public relations.

I think it would be helpful for you to check into some of the advertising professional organizations, like in the US there is the American Marketing Association, the Business Marketing Association, and others to see if they have student rates. If so, join and go and get involved as a volunteer to make contacts for possible interships.

When I hire someone for an entry level position, I look for someone who can write, first of all, and whose writing has ZERO errors on their resume and cover letter and any samples of school projects they show me. The last thing a supervisor wants to have to do is double-check their staff's work and point out typos. I can count on one hand the number of applicants who have had no errors on their materials. Think of it this way--if an ad costs $2,000 or $8,000 and has a typo in it, the company has wasted its money. Once your boss sees that you are willing and able to do the quality control part of your job, you will get more responsibility. You definitely won't, if you are responsible for an error in an ad that you produced.

I also look for proficiency in software that we use for ad production. Proficiency in the software is just the first step, though. In addition, you will be a jewel among jewels if you are proficient in pre-press skills, including file formats for images and finished artwork, color, etc. You will probably start by doing production, and then move into the more creative end of things.

It would also give you an edge if you know what is a media kit, what is in it, and how to read an editorial calendar and ad specs.

All of these skills can be gained outside of a formal advertising program, and I think if you are able to talk knowledgably in an interview, on top of having the skills and knowledge I've mentioned, you would be more than competitive in the field. Often the degree is just a swipe card to get your name on the list for an interview. I think it's more imporant to learn how to think in college than to have an advertising degree, and that plus good social skills and a strong work ethic will have you running circles around your competition.