What does a copywriter do?

An advertising copywriter writes in many formats to include: television commercials, radio ads, social media posts, outdoor boards, print ads and digital executions. Copywriters are also involved in "concepting" ideas that might extend to other areas. For example: ideas for events, social media campaigns, or  OOH (Out Of Home) concepts that might include clever ads in unique places like chalk drawing on streets, unique ads in a elevators, etc. Copywriters might also be asked to write copy for sales literature, website content or even packaging.

Do copywriters work on their own?

It depends, in ad agencies copywriters are typically paired with an art director on most projects. While the team works together to come up with big ideas, ultimately the copywriter is responsible for all the word and it's the art director has responsibility for the "look" of the ideas. 

What kinds of jobs are available to a copywriter?

Copywriters have many career options to include:

Ad agencies- Full service ad agencies offer many opportunities for copywriters. Some agencies are recognized in certain areas. They might be defined by industry expertise, for example; healthcare, sports, restaurants or automotive. They can also be defined by their tactics like, branding agencies, digital agencies, social agencies. Regardless, in an agency you will most commonly be exposed to multiple clients. One day you could be creating an ad for a bank, the next a day, you could be working on a campaign for tractors.

In-house agencies- In-house agencies are great opportunities for copywriters who are passionate about a particular industry or client. In these positions you will work directly for the client and work directly on their product or products. Examples of Companies that have In house agencies or departments are: Best Buy, Target, Lifetime Fitness and Hilton. 

Freelance- At some point in their careers many copywriters decide to branch out on their own and find projects they can work on independently. This may happen due to a desire to be on their own own. Perhaps a copywriter was caught in a layoff and freelance is a way to ay the bills while looking for your next job. Freelance provides flexible lifestyle because you can pick and chose the projects you work on and some lucky creative can work on these projects remotely. One word of caution though If you are a freelancer you are essentially a small business owner and you need to be prepared on how to run your finances to include estimating projects and invoicing client. Freelancers may work for agencies, design firms, and public relations firms or even directly for clients.

What is a copywriter's portfolio?

A copywriter's portfolio is a collection of ad campaigns, and samples that a writer uses to demonstrate their creative ability. When starting out, a copywriter typically makes a portfolio by creating campaigns for known products. A portfolio is also known as a "book". Ads that are not real work for clients but have been produced only for the purpose of a portfolio are also known as "spec ads" (short for speculative). You can see examples of student copywriter portfolios in our student copywriter gallery.

What is a portfolio school?

A portfolio school is a specialty school where coursework is primarily dedicated to creating projects for student portfolios. Faculty members at these schools are typically professionals working in the industry. The most recognized portfolio school programs are from 1-2 years in length. For more info on portfolio schools review our Portfolio School FAQ Page.

Can I get a job without going to a portfolio school? 

Yes, many people enter the industry without going to a portfolio school. However, entry-level jobs are extremely competitive and most portfolio schools boast placement rates of better than 90% and that's a hard number to argue with.  Some job postings even explicitly state the agency is looking for portfolio school graduates. Unfortunately, many people are never able to get a quality portfolio together on their own or through a typical university. Especially one that will land them a top-level job. There is no denying that the most creative agencies heavily recruit from portfolio schools. Not only do portfolio schools have high placement rates but their student are consistently placed at top creative agencies. For more info on portfolio schools review our Portfolio School FAQ Page.

What is a typical career path for a copywriter?

Junior Copywriter- Junior copywriters at ad agencies or corporations are usually fresh out of school or have recently entered the business. They may not always get the best assignments, however that isn’t always the case. It really depends on the company you work for and the person who is handing out the projects. Some places do not have the junior title and the entry-level title is actually "copywriter".

Copywriter- After a year or so the "Junior" part fades from their title as the writer is promoted to "copywriter".

Senior Copywriter- A few more years pass and the writer is looked at as having more credibility. They have experience with a variety of clients and the ability to work quickly and efficiently. A person may remain a senior copywriter their entire career if they do no wish to manage people and move into a creative director role.

Associate Creative Director-When a copywriter wants to move into more of a leadership role, this may the first promotion they receive.  As an associate creative director they will be expected to be a team leader, to guide the creative results and to have more interaction directly with clients.

Creative Director- A creative director leads creative teams and provides feedback on their work. They are considered senior managers and at this point in their career they may be more involved with clients and meetings than with creating the actual work. Creative directors may still work on projects but it usually depends on the size of their team and the needs of the agency.

Group Creative Director- Usually found in larger agencies, the group creative director (as the name implies) manages a group. They may oversee one or two large accounts or multiple small accounts. GCD's, as they are called, begin to spend more time working with the accounts teams and interfacing with the client.

Executive Creative Director-In a small agency this may be the most senior title and there would be only person in this role. In larger agencies there may be several Executive Creative Directors.  ECDs often oversee several GCD's and may even be part of the agency executive leadership team. They are typically further removed from that actually work and focus on provide direction and feedback. They  are also asked to set the creative tone and standards for the agency. In doing so, they may require all  work under their supervision receive their approval before being presented to a client.

Chief Creative Officer- This is the highest level a creative can reach within the Creative Department. The role is similar to an ECD's - only one step up. At larger agencies you may find multiple Chief Creative Officers or even Global Chief Creative Officers at firms with a large international footprint. 

And Beyond- A copywriter's accession is not limited to just the creative department. They can also move up into the executive ranks as an agency President or CEO. At any stage in their career, they may also decide to freelance or open their own agency. 

How much do copywriters earn?

According to Glassdoor.com the following are rough estimates of national average of salaries for each position. Use discretion when reviewing these numbers because salaries vary on many factors, including size of the agency and cost of living. A senior copywriter in New York is probably making a whole lot more than one in Idaho, simply because of the cost of living. 

Junior Copywriter- $30,000-$50,000

Copywriter-$45,000-$75,000+

Senior Copywriter- $50,000-$90,000+

Associate Creative Director- $60,000-$120,000+

Creative Director- $50,000-$160,000+

Group Creative Director- $80,000-$250,000+

Executive Creative Director- $100,000-$250,000+

Chief Creative Officer- $150,000- $400,000+

What does a Creative Director do and how do I become one?

There are many levels of Creative Director as noted above. There are also many opinions on what a Creative Director's role should be and may vary form company to company. However, for the most part, a Creative Director is responsible for making sure the work that is coming form his/her teams is on strategy, engaging, effective and obviously creative. A Creative Director may have to "kill" certain ideas and help a team push other ideas along. Creative Directors may be involved with hiring new team members or firing team members as well. In some cases a Creative Director needs to referee differences of opinions between Art Directors and Copywriters. The Creative Director must be able to nurture creatives but also make tough decisions. As to how you become one, usually a person is promoted to the role for one of two reasons. First they might have demonstrated excellent leadership and management skills. People in the department look up to them and respect their opinions. They may also display a knack for working with clients. Another way to become a CD is to produce amazing, creative work. If you are a Copywriter that creates a campaign that gets a lot of recognition be prepared to be promoted sometime soon-whether you're ready for it or not. The final thing to remember Creative Director can come from either the Copywriter or Art Direction disciplines. Regardless of their expertise they will be expected to make decisions in all areas of the creative process.

What software programs should a copywriter know?

A copywriter should be proficient in Microsoft Word. They typically do not need to know the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop Illustrator, InDesign). However it's recommended they learn enough of those programs to mock up any project they may not have an art director or designer for, of for any freelance work. In the end it's better to err on the side of knowing more.

Am I too old to become a copywriter?

There is no doubt that ageism is prevalent in the advertising industry especially at ad agencies. That however doesn't mean there still aren't opportunities for Writers in a variety of opportunities.

If I start at an agency in a different role will they let me switch to become a copywriter later?

This is a tricky question. On occasion you can pull this off but many young account executives and media folks have wasted years working at an agency hoping to make the jump to the creative department. It's like joining the circus as a juggler and hoping they give you a chance to be a knife thrower. They are really different jobs and although there is some merit to learning the agency business, you're not really going to be learning the skill of copywriting. You might be able to work on your portfolio on the side and have a friend at work look at your book. However, even if you go this route you can easily find that several years have passed you by. In that time your portfolio probably hasn't improved that much and neither has your chances of becoming a copywriter. Portfolio schools are filled with former account executives and other agency personnel who finally realized it's all about the portfolio. 

How Important are internships?

Another tricky question. There are many agencies out there offering internships. Some of those programs are really awesome experiences. Others, not so much. If you are taking an internship for college credit or just to learn more about the business, they can be great. If you are specifically looking for a job, it can be a crapshoot. The reality is, most interns don't get hired when the internship ends. One top agency recruiter even confessed she only brings on college juniors because they have no expectations of being hired upon completion of the internship. Be sure to ask what the likely hood is that they will be hiring any of their interns. Most agencies will be honest with you. Remember, not all agencies internships give you an opportunity to create portfolio worthy work, so be prepared to keep working on your book. Quite frankly, sometimes it would have been better to spend three months dedicated to working on your portfolio than a dead end internship. Another thing to realize is when competing for a top internship you are also competing against portfolio school grads that could have a big jump on you. Don't be discouraged; it's competitive out there. The bottom line is research your internship opportunities and know what you're getting into. For more information become a Portfolio Nation Citizen and get The Complete Guide to Creative Internships. What to look for and what to watch out for.  

How do I know if copywriting is for me?

If you've already done some copywriting projects at school you probably have a good idea already that this is the career for you. If you enjoy writing and coming up with creative ideas and working with creative people to solve problems then copywriting could be your thing. If you're not sure check out an internship to see ho wit works. If you already know you want to be a copywriter but aren't sure you have what it takes. you might want to try a short online course where you can get a project or two and the feedback to see if it's what you really want to pursue before you spend a great deal of time, money and energy. If you love it go for it.

Anything we missed?

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