By: Emma Finn (Jr. Copywriter at BarkleyOKRP in Chicago)
We recently connected with former student Emma Finn, a copywriter who was among a group of students that transferred to Brandcenter following the closure of Atlanta portfolio school The Creative Circus in 2022. Emma has been at BarkleyOKRP since finishing her studies at Brandcenter in 2023. In a recent LinkedIn post, Emma detailed lessons from her first year as a working professional. The post garnered high engagement and resonated with industry folks, receiving agreement from seasoned pros. We reached out to Emma to hear more about her first year post Brandcenter.
If you told me I’d go viral for a post I made on LinkedIn before one on TikTok, I would have laughed out loud. When I posted about what I learned during my first year in advertising, I thought only a handful of my coworkers would see it. I never expected it to reach or resonate with over 75,000 people, but I think people connected to my earnestness. They’ve all been where I am, and it was probably fun for them to see someone so bright-eyed starting their journey in the industry.
A big thing I noticed was just how different it is working with real clients. At Brandcenter, the sky was the limit and you really only had to worry about your partner and professor’s feedback and deadlines. At an agency, you’re limited by timelines, budget, client quirks, risk aversion, and more. It’s still fun, just more challenging. It’s about how to find the fun within the challenge. It’s pushing yourself to find creative that works within these constraints and convincing the client to trust the vision.
Truthfully, the most important things I learned this first year were about myself. As I collaborated with higher level creatives, I saw how their work was so good and felt out of my depth. My internal perfectionist and people pleaser did NOT like this feeling. Coworkers were supportive and kind, so the only person setting unrealistic expectations of myself was me. These people that I was comparing myself to had years or decades more experience than me, of course they would be at a higher level! This might seem like an obvious epiphany, but it wasn’t for me. I’m honestly lucky to work with and learn from these incredibly talented people. As a junior, that’s the real job – continuing to observe and grow from those above you.
Here’s some advice I wish I had known or embraced. First, finding a job is a two way street. As much as you want a job right after graduation, make sure it’s the right fit. You’re deciding if the company is right for you as much as they are deciding if you’re right for them. The most important thing is to actually like your boss and coworkers. You’ll be spending a lot of time with them… Secondly, all agencies have “cool” and “boring” clients, so a flashy name doesn’t really matter. You can do great work for brands of any size. Next, embrace your own style. At the end of the day, anyone can design a banner ad or write a headline, but nobody has your perspective. You’ll be hired for what you bring to the table, so don’t lose that. Finally, done is better than perfect. There’s no point staring at a blank document waiting for the ideal inspiration, because there’s no such thing. At a certain point, you’ve gotta get something down. It’s way easier to edit a rough piece of work than a non-existent one.
There’s so much more in store for all of us. I’m excited to see what’s next for me, because if I gained this much in one year, imagine where I’ll be by the end of two.
