Getting a job. For some people it’s the most exciting thing in the world. The thrill of the chase! Picking your favourite studio, agency, magazine, firm, whatever of your choice and banging down their door until they give you a desk and some pens. For others, its a scary, dangerous and intimidating journey. The interviews, the phone calls, the waiting, the pain! Well, we hear you friends. So we’ve asked someone who actually does the hiring for a little bit of inside info on what to say. That someone is Simon Hakim, the Managing Director and all-round forward thinking guy at The Surgery (http://www NULL.thesurgery NULL.com NULL.au).

Junior: There are many juniors out in the world desperately trying to get a job right now, but having no luck. From the many years of hiring people, especially juniors, what advice do you have to help them finally land a job?

Simon: Basically, people should approach a prospective job and its company with some kind of plan.

I’ve been to lots of meetings of late with young and senior folk wanting a job in advertising and/or with The Surgery. After all the coffee, beer and talking, there seems to be one inherent theme that constantly worries me.

Yes we know you want a job.
Yes we know you want a job in advertising as a suit, creative, public relations person or as a digital person.
Yes we know you are qualified, have experience and think you’d be perfect for a role with The Surgery.
Yes we know you’ve done this before. Or haven’t done this before but think you’d be good at it.

But by the sounds of it all, you just want a job. You don’t really know why, other than you’d be good at whatever it is you are applying for.  You just really want to work there or you kinda just need the money.

I won’t employ someone who doesn’t really know what they want or can offer me or my clients.

I want someone saying:

“You guys could soon be the hottest creative agency, but your work can be improved, and I’ll show you how to get there” or;

“I want to be creative director in five years time” or;

“Here are three ideas for three clients you have and this is why I think it would work and what the benefit to them would be. When can we present?”

Be proactive. Understand what you want and where you are going. Have a plan. Be creative and come up with ideas that benefit the agency or their clients. Give them a reason to employ you.