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!

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).

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.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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.