An advertising portfolio is a collection of adverts and campaigns. An advertising creative (Copywriter or Art Director) will use their portfolio as their CV to show potential employers what type of thinking they are capable of. A typical portfolio would contain about 6-7 campaigns and assorted one-offs.

Don't give up. Creative directors and senior creatives are very busy and not easy to get hold of. Never ever be rude to anyone (including the lift boy). If you can't get to see the CD try someone senior.

Do your homework. Get names right. Know the recent history of the agency. Know what work the person you are seeing has done. Be prepared to wait, be cancelled on the day or even once you are there - that's life. Accept it with grace, never be rude and don't upset the creative PA - that's fatal!

Once you've managed to get an interview try and get a conversation going - talk about something the agency or person you are seeing has done. Build a relationship is key to getting hired.
Be nice, friendly and take criticism. Don't argue. Bite your lip - be humble. If asked what 3 agencies you'd most like to work at mention their's (and think of a reason why). At the end ask if you can come back when you've made changes and added some more campaigns because "you value their opinion". It's simple psychology - appeal to their inner ego. Treat them as a mentor. A lot of people want to cultivate young talent. Contacts are all important. It's a small business.

Even though it's unlikely that you'll get to see the creative director at this stage you'll probably need to get someone else to put your book forward. One tip - you can't sleep your way into the business!

If you have to drop off the book (which is usually the case) don't refuse on the grounds you never leave the book - it shows arrogance and most cds won't bother with you again. If the book needs explaining it's no good. Make sure there's an opening sheet with your names on (a pic also helps). You'd be surprised how many students forget this! Make sure your contact details are there as well and a leave behind. Try and get feedback.

After an interview most cds will forget you within 5 minutes of you leaving (we're busy people). Send them a reminder a few days later. Try and get another interview a few months later. If they win a big piece of business call them, they may need more teams quick.

Yes if they are good. It shows enthusiasm. Tip - make sure it looks like they were the only one to get it. Mass circulars end up in the bin. Oh, and don't forget to make it easy for them to call you. Better still, call them.

Read all the publications - Campaign, Marketing, Creative Review, Guardian (mondays) FT Creativity (Tuesday). Look at the awards books. D&AD is a good start but there are many others to look at - Campaign (posters, direct, press). Cannes, DMA, SPCA, ISP, Creative Circle, Epic. (Check out the American ones as well - not for the agencies but because some of the work is brilliant - One Show, Art Directors Club Annual, New York Festival, Communications Art Advertising Annual).

Some agencies don't enter awards or can't find categories for their more innovative approach. A hell of a lot of great work never gets to the awards (or the awards it deserves). Check out the agencies web sites. Ask around - head hunters are good. Talk to old students who've done the rounds. Find out who's done the campaigns you like (the publication ALF tells all, available in most good libraries ).

The most important thing is to make a valued objective judgement based on objective views. Don't just rely on the word of one person, no matter who they are.
The best way to decide which agencies are the ones you want to work at is to take your book in to see them (even better if you can get a placement).

Firstly, your mother was right. Buy strong shoes and a sensible coat. You're gonna need them for all the pavements you'll be walking over.

Secondly, wipe that smug smile off your face and admit: "I know nothing". And even if you do, by the time you've taken your portfolio around to twenty teams, any thoughts, preconceptions and convictions you had, will all be thrown out the window. It's a fact. Guaranteed. In the very near future, you're gonna be as confused as hell. But keep it simple. And roll with your instincts.

Also learn to Act. And I'm talking Robert De Niro/Meryl Streep sort of standard here. When your book gets shat on, be courteous. When some creative genius tells you that you haven't got a hope in hell of getting a placement, be courteous. And when you're blown out for that appointment again when you've specially travelled down from Manchester, be courteous.

A tip. Whoever you meet on the way up - you sure as hell will meet on the way down. So be nice. To everyone. Even if you hate the bastards. And no matter what - keep the faith in yourself and your book. Make sure it's pure, solid, not too highly finished. Work it. Work it. Work it. Forget the glitz and 'Mac attacks. Go for original products and services. Not Swiss Army Knife, Prozac, Condoms, Charities, Guinness - forget it! Don't even go there!

And look good yourselves. Apart from the strong shoes and sensible coat - remember the agency is buying how you would fit into their department as much as how good your ideas are. Go on. Be brave. Have a bath. Clean your teeth. Throw away some of those Oxfamclassics. You can do it.

And once through the door, don't be afraid to ask. And I mean ask for anything. Once you're through with advice, placements and other people to go and see, get onto layout pads, pens and anything else you can get your grubby little hands on. Face it. They're rich. You're poor. Pride doesn't even come into it.

And once on placement. Never leave. That's the plan anyway. Hassle, hassle, hassle for live briefs. If you're not getting any ask someone else. Be ruthless. Don't give a shit. Step on all the other placement teams around you - with a great big smile on your face - to be seen as the brightest and best.

Do you really want 2 years of doing the circuit? Get up off your arse and go and talk to the creatives. Go to the pub. Find out what's really happening in the department.

Because it's sure as hell guaranteed to be a different story to the one you've been told.

Once you've decided which agencies you'd prefer to target don't hit on them until your book is the best ever. Showing it to agencies you may not have considered readily will help you improve it. (Check out the agency list here on Ad-Mad, they're all good agencies).

It costs nothing to see people, the experience can only be valuable. You'll get useful criticism and as the industry is such a small one - creative directors all know each other and may refer you to another. It could take between 50 and 100 interviews before you get your first real job. And that's if you are lucky. All creative directors have a valued opinion (they didn't get there without winning awards) and can be very helpful. Almost all creative directors are nice people who want to help you.

Sadly it's insane and a few out of touch tutors still say this (this advice comes from someone who actually works in the industry). It's a bit like an actor leaving drama college and hoping to get the lead part in a major movie. Sure you should have something to aim for (but do your homework first, don't just choose one because your ego is so big you think you are only fit for the top).

It's important to have goals. But to ignore all others...madness! Remember, many great creatives had humble beginnings - two highly acclaimed above-the-line Creative Directors started out in the in-house direct mail department! If you have the talent (and the right attitude - no one hires arrogant students anymore) you'll probably make it there some day.

Although you may be advised to avoid somewhere that does 100% rubbish, many less sexy agencies will teach you valuable skills and give you the experience you'll never get in college. While you are there you'll be earning and it won't stop you targeting those agencies you really want to work at. Do be realistic though, every student wants to work at Mother, HHCL, AMV, Saatchi or BBH. Alas, dedication is no substitute if you have the wrong book or the wrong attitude. Sorry, but that's life.

The chances of getting a job, even with a great book, are slim (most of us creative directors may only hire one student team a year). Don't let this put you off. But a warning- if you haven't worked in 2 years because you've been too proud to take anything else the chances are you'll be even less likely to be hired because the team that did take a job now has a portfolio of real work, real experience and an award for something. Also you'll probably have a chip on your shoulder that'll make you arrogant and bitter. The DHSS is the least attractive agency of them all.

Agencies traditionally were either above the line (atl) or below-the-line (btl).
Above originally being commission based - TV, radio, posters, press, etc.
Below-the-line print based - direct mail, point of purchase, leaflets, etc.
However this is 50 years out of date and the more accurate definition is by marketing definitions.

All agencies are concerned with building brands but for an atl agency it's their main focus. Their advertising (Brand Marketing) seeks to change minds and create a unique image for the brand. Traditionally they use TV, posters and press to do this. However, with the movement of more clients budgets to below-the-line they are having to be more flexible.

Below-the-line agencies practice Direct Marketing and Promotional Marketing. Because brands are important almost all of their activity is also building the brand. Many clients are now putting their money below-the-line as it is closer to the sale and is more accountable. This has forced btl agencies to be more ttl and many are now doing the client's atl work as well.

Direct Marketing isn't just about big telephone numbers or direct mail, it also uses TV, press, telephone, internet and more recently, posters. It's actually far more complicated than most people think with many different disciplines. The key factor about direct is that it seeks to talk directly with you (hence the direct) and aims to set up a dialogue. Whereas above-the-line advertising seeks to tell you about the brand and change your view of it, direct seeks to build a relationship between you and the brand. and get you to change your behaviour. In simple terms, atl talks at you, btl talks to you.

Promotional marketing uses all the media available as well as point of purchase and on-pack. It seems to level sales though incentives like competitions or offers. Go in to any supermarket and you'll find a large percentage of goods have some promotion.
Below-the-line agencies are also doing more Field Marketing - using people (out in the field) to sell direct, sample, demonstrate products - the Marlborough girls are famous. Closely linked is Event Marketing - many of the drink companies have abandoned TV for this as it allows people to have a greater experience of a brand - some people now call this Experiential Marketing. Sponsorship is another important area as this associates brands with powerful events like the Olympics.

As more and more of client money is going into direct, promotional, field, event, experiential, on-line and sponsorship it's forcing the industry to expand at a vigorous rate (atl has been shrinking for many years) so job opportunities, salaries, job security and promotions are much better.

To the public everything from a TV ad to a telephone sales pitch, from a poster to a postcard, a banner ad on the web to a banner around a football pitch is advertising. By true definition, all agencies are ad agencies although in Britain many people still refer to above-the-line agencies as ad agencies but almost all the below-the-line agencies now do above-the-line.

The trend is towards total integration. Only a few are currently practising this - Saatchi & Saatchi, FCA! and Bates are the best examples. Smaller agencies do it because they tend to have smaller clients who only work that way.

Most of the major agency groups now have joint operations, ie Ogilvy & Mather and OlgilvyOne or Publicis and Publicis Dialogue. AMV works closely with Craik Jones, BHWG and Clarke Hooper Momentum. The future trend is very much combining these operations as one to offer total service through-the-line. This is partly driven by clients but also by economics - through-the-line/integrated agencies are cheaper to run and more profitable. You'll find smaller agencies outside London and most agencies outside Britain are integrated, they don't really differentiate, it's all about providing clients with the right solution to the marketing problem, not just a TV ad.

A great book - big ideas, many want ideas bigger than just ads. Something that makes them go "wow!". Ask yourself these simple questions about every piece in your book. Can people understand it? Is it different? Does it get a reaction (like wow! cor! ha ha! amazing! Jesus!)?

Nice people - no one hires arseholes, arrogant students, prima donnas, smart arses or idiots.

The right attitude - be prepared to work hard, be grateful, listen, learn, look for opportunities, be positive, accept criticism.

It varies a lot. Placements get anything from nothing to £200pw. Juniors start on anything from £12k to £15 on average.

Through-the-line agencies pay better and offer faster promotions and salary raises than above-the-line. A middle weight art director or writer after 2 years can expect up to £30k in through-the-line but may only get £20k above the line. It's hard to put any real figure on it as every agency is different, your headhunter is best placed to advise you.