The 3-Step Formula That Got Me Into Advertising
"I almost deleted my first podcast episode at midnight. My finger was hovering over the button. I thought, who am I to put this out there? But I didn’t. And that small decision led to everything I’ve built since."
Breaking into advertising feels impossible until you find a system. Thousands of students apply for the same internships, recruiters skim your resume for seconds, and even if you’re talented, you get overlooked. The difference-maker is structure. You need a clear plan that guides your energy and focus.
I built mine while sitting in a dorm room at the University of Illinois. I had no connections. My parents weren’t in the industry. My only edge was that I started early and built a framework to track my progress. I call it Nerd Up, Work Up, Cool Up. This three-step formula is the exact system I used to go from a kid in the Chicago suburbs to landing agency opportunities, starting a podcast, and building a career in advertising.
Step 1: Nerd Up
Before you chase internships or jobs, you need clarity. Nerding up means knowing yourself and knowing the industry.
Ask yourself: What role do I want? Account management, strategy, art direction, copywriting, production? You cannot apply everywhere at once. Pick a lane.
Then go deeper. Study the ads that move you. Which campaigns make you laugh, cry, or want to replay? Find out who made them. Search award databases like D&AD or AdForum. Track down the creative directors. Follow their careers. This is smarter than memorizing holding company org charts or obsessing over agency size. People create ads, not logos.
The moment you align your goals with real humans who inspire you, you stop guessing. You start targeting.
Step 2: Work Up
Once you know your lane, you need proof you can do the job.
For me, that meant joining the American Advertising Federation on campus and taking client projects seriously. By sophomore year I was leading campaigns for local ice cream shops and pedal tour companies. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I learned fast: over-communicate with clients, keep teams aligned, and hit deadlines.
That experience gave me stories for interviews. It showed I wasn’t just talking about advertising—I was practicing it.
If you’re a creative, this means building a portfolio. Copywriters need to write constantly. Art directors need polished visual work. Strategists should publish insights or research reports. Whatever your role, create proof of ability. Recruiters don’t gamble on potential. They hire receipts.
Step 3: Cool Up
This is the part most people ignore. Cool up is what makes you memorable.
Everyone can build a portfolio. Fewer people create something that shows passion and personality. For me, it was starting the Breaking and Entering podcast. I had no listeners at first. I almost scrapped it. But sticking with it made me interesting. It gave me a story beyond the resume.
Your version might be a YouTube channel breaking down ads, a Substack on creative strategy, or even a TikTok reviewing Super Bowl spots. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be consistent.
The best candidates aren’t only capable. They’re magnetic. Cool up is the difference between being a name in a pile and someone worth remembering.
The Payoff
This formula doesn’t guarantee overnight success. It guarantees direction. By nerding up, working up, and cooling up, you set a path most people never bother to map.
When I sat in that dorm room mapping my four years, I was intimidated. My resume looked empty. My peers seemed ahead. But breaking the journey into steps made it achievable. President of the ad club. Internships. A podcast. Each step built on the last until I was in the room with recruiters who mattered.
If you’re stuck, start now. Nerd up on the role you want. Work up the proof you belong in it. Cool up with something only you can bring.
That’s how you break in. And once you’re in, that same formula helps you thrive.
Listen to the full episode of the Breaking and Entering Podcast to hear my complete story and how this framework shaped my career.
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