How To Write an Advertising Resume
Understanding how to market brands and align advertising campaigns with consumer demographics is essential for a career in advertising. If you can’t adapt your marketing strategy to new industry developments and trends, you won’t be able to maximize engagement with your audience. Approach your resume in the same way you would an advertising campaign, featuring the most marketable aspects of your experience. In this guide, we provide valuable tips and insights to help you build an accomplishment-driven resume.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your advertising qualifications
Lead your resume with a compelling snapshot of your career to draw the reader in and entice them to read further. Start with an opening sentence that includes your title, years of experience, and three to four key skills that match the job description, such as brand messaging or digital advertising.
In the subsequent sentences, emphasize the nuances of your professional experience. Demonstrate your proven track record of leading successful advertising campaigns, driving audience engagement, or increasing sales revenue. Convey your unique approach to marketing strategy and ability to adapt to constantly evolving market landscapes.
Profile Example #1
An Advertising Professional with five years of marketing experience specializing in brand development, paid advertising, and social media marketing. A proven track record of developing innovative marketing strategies to enhance brand messaging and grow awareness.
Profile Example #2
An Advertising Professional with eight years of marketing experience specializing in brand development, paid advertising, and social media marketing. A proven track record of developing innovative marketing strategies to enhance brand messaging and grow awareness.
2. Outline your advertising experience in a compelling list
Your professional experience section serves as the core foundation of your resume. To grab the attention of prospective employers, feature specific accomplishments and marketing initiatives that demonstrate your history of success in advertising. Incorporate key metrics, numbers, and monetary figures to quantify your achievements and enhance the impact of your bullet points.
For example, it’s more powerful to say, “Increased revenue by 20% year over year through targeted digital ad campaigns” than to simply say, “Managed digital ad campaigns.”
Professional Experience Example #1
Marketing & Advertising Specialist, Jensen Marketing Consultants, Philadelphia, PA
May 2019 – Present
- Deliver advertising and marketing solutions to support client businesses during new product introductions and launches, analyze industry trends and customer metrics, and grow product sales by 150%-300% for client accounts
- Lead the implementation of new advertising capabilities and develop brand marketing solutions in alignment with target audiences and market trends
- Execute a large advertising campaign for a $1M client account, including social media, television, print advertisements, and digital marketing efforts
Professional Experience Example #2
Marketing & Advertising Specialist, Campbell Marketing Firm, New York, NY
September 2017 – Present
- Serve as the advertising specialist for client accounts valued at $300K-$2.5M, coordinate with production studios to create engaging television commercials, and develop innovative brand messaging based on target audiences and demographics
- Create strategic partnerships with media outlets to secure ideal ad placement, including airing commercials on both digital platforms, streaming services, and live television
- Secure a paid advertisement placement for a client product launch on Hulu, resulting in a 200% increase in product sales within one month of airing
3. Add advertising education and certifications
Including your relevant educational credentials creates a more competitive resume. For example, if an employer is looking at two resumes, and both people have college degrees and five years of similar experience, certifications may be a deciding factor. If you have the American Marketing Association’s PCM Advanced Digital Marketing certification and the other candidate only has a couple of free Google certifications, you may stand apart.
Use a quick, templated process for including these items on your resume, and set them apart in their own labeled section. Avoid losing out on a job because someone didn’t see your relevant degrees buried somewhere in long paragraphs of text.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing
- Temple University, Philadelphia, PA – May 2017
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Completion Year]
Example
- Certified Strategic Business Developer, 2019
4. Make a list of your advertising-related skills and proficiencies
As an advertising professional, key phrases are critical to connecting with your audience. That’s as true with resume writing as it is with Proper Company Promotion (PCP) ad copy or email marketing. One way to ensure a keyword-rich resume is to include as many relevant skills as possible.
Don’t just create a generic laundry list of impressive-sounding skills. Start with those mentioned in the employer’s job posting. Then, include unique skills that might set you apart from other candidates. Finally, pepper must have common advertising skills, such as those below, throughout your accomplishments section. For example, you might write, “Increased ad performance by 25% with A/B testing and audience targeting.”
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| A/B testing | Audience targeting |
| Branding | Budget management |
| Campaign analytics | Content creation |
| Copywriting | Digital marketing |
| Email marketing | Market research |
| Media buying | Online advertising |
| Pay-per-click (PPC) | Presentation skills |
| Public relations | Search engine marketing (SEM) |
| Social media marketing | Target audience analysis |
| Video advertising | Web analytics |
How To Pick The Best Advertising Resume Template
Choose a template that puts your experience and skills in the limelight. Design elements such as simple section-break lines or light, watermark-like colored backgrounds can differentiate information and keep your resume scannable. Just ensure the visual elements of your template don’t overshadow what makes you a qualified advertising candidate.
Advertising Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Hideo Araki
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
123 Bedford Avenue, New York, NY 12345
Profile
An Advertising Professional with eight years of marketing experience specializing in brand development, paid advertising, and social media marketing. A proven track record of developing innovative marketing strategies to enhance brand messaging and grow awareness.
Professional Experience
Marketing & Advertising Specialist, Campbell Marketing Firm, New York, NY
September 2017 – Present
- Serve as the advertising specialist for client accounts valued at $300K-$2.5M, coordinate with production studios to create engaging television commercials, and develop innovative brand messaging based on target audiences and demographics
- Create strategic partnerships with media outlets to secure ideal ad placement, including airing commercials on both digital platforms, streaming services, and live television
- Secure a paid advertisement placement for a client product launch on Hulu, resulting in a 200% increase in product sales within one month of airing
Advertising Specialist, Enhanced Advertising Productions, New York, NY
May 2013 – September 2017
- Coordinated with dynamic marketing teams and client stakeholders to develop engaging brand messaging based on consumer demographics
- Identified and delivered ideal advertising solutions for new product launches, including television commercials, radio advertisements, and digital ads
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Marketing
Columbia University, New York, NY September 2009 – May 2013
Key Skills
- Advertising
- Marketing Strategy
- Strategic Partnerships
- Brand Marketing
- Trend Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions: Advertising Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for advertising resumes?-
Starting sentences and phrases with action verbs adds energy to your resume, positioning you as an enthusiastic candidate. It also helps employers see you as someone who takes initiative and acts to support overall business goals.
When possible, use verbs specific to the advertising industry to best highlight your skills and experience. You might note, for example, that you “Executed PCP campaigns to increase new customer revenue by 20% quarter over quarter.”
Including relevant verbs from the list below can help ensure hiring managers see you as a serious, qualified candidate.
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Achieved | Analyzed |
| Collaborated | Communicated |
| Conceptualized | Created |
| Developed | Drove |
| Enhanced | Executed |
| Generated | Identified |
| Increased | Launched |
| Led | Managed |
| Negotiated | Oversaw |
| Produced | Promoted |
| Strategized | Wrote |
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
Job opportunities in the advertising field are growing faster than average, and estimates published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that’s likely to remain the case through 2032. Aligning your resume with employer job descriptions makes you a more competitive candidate in this field.
For example, if an organization is seeking an advertising manager who excels in digital marketing, highlight accomplishments related to social media, Google Ads, and paid search campaigns. The key to generating traction during the job hunt is to evaluate the company’s needs and determine how your experience can benefit prospective employers. By customizing your resume for individual job applications, you’ll significantly increase your odds of securing your next interview and job opportunity.
What is the best advertising resume format?-
Reverse chronological is the ideal format for advertising resumes. This approach leads with your most recent and relevant experience while simultaneously displaying your career progression over time. It’s normally best to avoid functional resume formats in most instances, as simply listing skills won’t help you differentiate yourself from the competition. That being said, at the entry level, you could opt for a combination format that features your academic projects, certifications, and coursework above your professional experience.
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