RY Next Gen: ‘Develop skills and gain confidence’

It sounds stupid, but I wanted to be a copywriter because of Mad Men.

 

Whilst I wasn’t expecting today’s industry to be as booze laden and smoke filled as 1960s Maddison Avenue (at least not until Fridays), I was hopeful that the work done would be comparable. At RY I’ve worked on many tasks for a number of clients, the red thread between them and the fictional world of Sterling Cooper being, creative thinking is key.

 

I believed that I could think creatively, I knew I wanted to write copy and help come up with creative concepts for brands, but what I didn’t know was where to start. Making up adverts in your bedroom can only take you so far and without a portfolio it can be difficult to get a foot in anywhere. For me, RY Next Gen helped me break the ‘no portfolio, no work’ cycle and allowed me to get a look in on the industry.

 

This ‘look in’ has been invaluable. I’ve been able to sit on and contribute to so many projects, learning from a host of talented and insightful people. Designers, project managers and other copywriters have all in-turn taken me under their wing, imparting knowledge, offering feedback and helping me develop my skills and gain confidence. I’ve been allowed to work on live briefs with as much autonomy as I can handle, and us interns have been trusted to deliver live work to a client almost by ourselves.

 

The people here are honestly so friendly and happy to talk you through anything you don’t understand. This is truly an awesome place to work and if you’re starting out like I was, it’s perfect. I’m happy to say that I am now full time at RY, so if you end up here for Next Gen, come say hi!

 

Benedict