What Can I Do With a Major In Advertising?
UGA Specific Information for Advertising
Advertising educates students about the role of advertising, public relations, and marketing communication in business and in social and economic orders. The major prepares students to be creative problem-solvers, writers, managers, policy and communication decision-makers, media planners, and analysts in the fields of mass communication, advertising, and public relations.
Class of 2021 Career Outcomes for Advertising*
** Includes Self-Employed
Campus Resources
- Ad Club
- Pandora Yearbook
- Paw Print Agency
- Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)
- Rouge Magazine
- Talking Dog Agency
- The Red and Black
- UGA Mentor Program
- To find additional clubs and organizations, go to the UGA Involvement Network
- Connect with your Career Consultant.
Additional UGA Career Center Recommendations/Considerations
Knowledge/Skills Needed in this Industry
- Students interested in the accounts and management side of advertising should consider taking at least one course in marketing, business management, accounting, and/or finance. Try to become proficient in Excel before you graduate.
- Gain practical experience in problem-solving, customer service, marketing, writing, management, and sales. Gain persuasion skills through sales and learn how to sell your ideas.
- Demonstrate enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, teamwork, integrity, organizational and communication skills, and good judgment.
- For students interested in the creative side of advertising, develop and strengthen art skills, creativity, and initiative.
- Gain experience with social media marketing using platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Become proficient in social media analytics by using a program like HootSuite.
- More students are becoming proficient in online advertising services such as Google AdWords.
- Get experience with a variety of software programs, including Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Photo Mechanic, Apple - Final Cut Pro X, Audacity, and Soundslides. Additionally, Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash, Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid, and Fireworks are also very useful in the multimedia industry. LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is a great, free resource for this.
- Consider enrolling in New Media Certificate courses to gain understanding and proficiency in digital media such as coding, new technology, and social media.
- Create a portfolio of writing samples, ad campaigns, marketing strategies, graphics, and ideas. Making an online portfolio is a good way to market your skills for job opportunities by using websites such as Behance, Issuu, SquareSpace, WordPress, Weebly, and Wix. For more information, check out Portfolio Resources on the Career Center website.
Campus Involvement, Domestic Field Study and Study Abroad Opportunities
- Participate in organizations such as Ad Club, Talking Dog Agency (a student-run, full-service advertising agency), or PawPrint Agency (a student-run advertising agency serving non-profit clients).
- Take advantage of ADPR trips to Chicago, New York City, and other destinations to visit top advertising employers. In the past, the group has made stops at DDB, Digital Kitchen, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, and McGarry Bowen to name a few.
- The ADPR department at Grady also offers the NYC Maymester course as a Grady elective. Students spend two weeks in class in Athens, and one week on agency tours in New York. Previous classes have visited Ogilvy & Mather, DDB, Digitas, Translation, and Ignition, among many others.
- Join the American Marketing Association at UGA to gain knowledge in marketing strategies and research. You will also gain practical experience in applying social and digital marketing techniques with local and national businesses.
- Students interested in pursuing careers in the creative industry are encouraged to enroll in Summer at the Circus, a partnership between Grady College and The Creative Circus in Atlanta. The Creative Circus is one of the top portfolio schools in the country, offering programs in Art Direction, Copywriting, Design, Image, Interactive Design, and several other areas.
- Participate in the ADPR Choose China Study Abroad Program, and learn about brand communication in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong.
- Consider participating in the UGA Cannes Lions Study Abroad Program, which allows students to attend the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and witness thousands of ads from around the world being showcased and judged. This opportunity also allows students to network with producers, directors, and actors who have starred in motion pictures.
LinkedIn Groups to Join
- Advertising and PR at UGA Grady College
- Internships and Interns
- PRSSA
- University of Georgia Alumni Association Group (UGA)
- University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Alumni
- Tip: Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. Need help finding groups? Check out the Groups You May Like link under the Interests/Groups tab. Review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well.
- For more information on how to effectively utilize LinkedIn, check out the UGA Career Center's Networking Page.
Additional Internship and Job Search Tips
- For additional information on internships and job opportunities, look out for emails sent every Tuesday on the Grady Career Services Update listserv. If you are not on that listserv, sign up for the Grady job leads listserv here.
- Follow @UGAGradyCareers on Twitter for timely job postings and career advice, run by the Grady College Office of Experiential Learning and the UGA Career Center Grady College Career Consultant.
- If you’re interested in working or interning for a specific company, visit that company’s website. Job and internship opportunities are usually listed under the “Careers” tab.
- For a complete list of advertising agencies and PR firms, check out this list compiled by Grady.
- For information about job salary, company reviews, and job openings, visit Glassdoor and Payscale.com.
- For a general job search, visit websites such as Indeed, Monster and Simply Hired.
Supplemental Career Research Dashboard
Additional Career Research Resources
- O*NET (Click on Find Occupations)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook (Type in general term for career of interest)
- Career Insider: Vault Guides (Login with your UGA ID and select Click "Candid Career")
- Candid Career (View professionals speaking about their careers. Login with your UGA ID and select Click "Candid Career")
Employment Websites
- Handshake (Log in with your UGA MyID and password)
- Idealist (Non-profit jobs)
- Interstride (International Job Search resource for domestic and international students)
- USAJobs (Federal jobs)
- Adweek
- Advertising Age
- American Ad Agencies
- American Marketing Association
- Association of National Advertisers
- Creative Pool
- Digital Media Jobs Network
- Entertainment Careers
- J-Jobs
- Journalism Jobs
- Media Bistro
- Media Post
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) - Career Center
- Nation Job
- Production Hub
- PR Week Magazine
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA National) - Job Center
- PRSA/Georgia Chapter - Career Center
- Talent Zoo
- T. Howard Foundation – Diversity in the Media
- WarnerMedia (Formerly Turner Broadcasting)
Professional Associations/Resources
Employers/Position Title Reported by Class of 2021 Advertising majors
The information below represents employers and position titles from the Class of 2021 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Employer | Position Title(s) |
---|---|
20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 20North Marketing Inc. | SEO and PPC Analyst | 5280 Magazine | Editorial Intern | American Geophysical Union | Intern | Atlanta Business Chronicle | Reporter | Atlanta Journal-Constitution | News Intern | Augusta National Golf Club | Marketing Communications Intern | Baker Donelson | Paralegal | Bally Sports South/Southeast | Client Services Coordinator | CNN | The Row Researcher | CNN | News Associate | Congressional Black Caucus Foundation | Emerging Leader | Fountain Hills Times | Sports and Schools Reporter | Gannet | Community Impact Reporter | Henry County | Social Media Specialist | Insight Global | Recruiter | International Market Centers | PR Manager | KUSA-TV, 9News | Digital Desk Producer | Learfield IMG College | Georgia Bulldogs Host/Reporter | Made to Save | Communications Analyst | Mediacom | Advertising Associate | Nexus Marketing | Copywriter | Oscar Mayer Foods | Oscar Mayer Hotdogger | Pain Care Labs | Digital Multimedia Content Producer | Pain Care Labs | Digital Multimedia Content Producer | Premier Staffing Unlimited | Staffing Specialist | Revel Systems | Business Development Representative | Savannah Morning News | Quality of Life Reporter | Savannah River Site | Process Control Engineer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Smith's Olde Bar | Assistant Talent Buyer | Supreme Court of Georgia | Editorial Assistant | Tampa Bay Business Journal | Transportation and Growth Reporter | TEGNA | Multi-Platform Producer WBIR-TV | The Associated Press | News Intern | The Red & Black Publishing Co. | Special Publications Coordinator | The Red & Black Publishing Co. | Photo Editor | The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company | Communications Coordinator | The State Newspaper | South Carolina Gamecocks Reporter | Think 360 Incorporated | Administrative/ Marketing Assistant | Thrive Integrative Medicine | Front Desk Receptionist | Thrive Integrative Medicine | Front Desk Receptionist | United States Senate | Staff Assistant | University of Georgia | Media Intern | University of Georgia | Libraries - Assistant Evening Coordinator | University of Georgia | Assistant Director Creative Video | University of Tennessee Martin | Jumping Seat Assistant Coach | US Speedskating | Communications Coordinator | W&A Engineering | Proposal Coordinator | WAFF 48 News | Sports Reporter | WERA- Chanel 3 | Multimedia Journalist | Westminster Christian Academy | Assistant to the Head of Schools | Westrock | Sales Representative | WFXG FOX54 | Reporter | WMBB-TV | Multimedia Journalist | WTVG 13 ABC | Reporter | WTVQ | Multimedia Journalist and Weekend Reporter | WTVY | Producer/MMJ |
Graduate/Professional Schools attended by Class of 2021 Advertising majors
The information below represents graduate/professional schools and programs reported through the Class of 2020 Career Outcomes Survey. To view historical Career Outcomes for this major, click here and select "Historical Data" from the navigation menu.
Graduate School | Program(s) |
---|---|
Georgia Institute of Technology | Public Policy, MS | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Mass Communications, Master's | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Georgia State University | Law, JD | Mercer University | Law, JD | New York University | Law, JD | Northwestern University | Mental Health Counseling, MA | University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Sports Management, MS | University of Georgia | Law, JD | University of Georgia | Journalism, MA | University of Georgia | Social Work, MSW | University of Georgia | Journalism, MA | University of Missouri - Columbia | Journalism, MA | University of Oxford | Theology/Religion, PGDip | University of Virginia | McIntire MS in Commerce Program, MS |