Rarely a week goes by at SVC that we don’t interview someone who’d like to break into advertising copywriting or art direction. We’re delighted to meet them, of course, as our ad classes have been one of the mainstays of our portfolio training for umpteen years.

However, we’ve noticed lately that aspiring ad creatives seem less prepared than ever to break into the field. Why? Because advertising has changed so drastically in just the past couple of years. The old style portfolio with a dozen funny or provocative print ad concepts just doesn’t cut it any more.

So what would we do if we were in your shoes?  These three things:

1. Make sure your craft and concepts are unassailable.
If you don’t have very nailed-down design and typographic skills, you’re not ready to go after an art direction job. And, if your concepts are weak, expected, or sophomoric, then you have no business job hunting whether you’re an aspiring art director or copywriter. This is nothing new. Ad portfolios have always needed a balance of strong craft and concept. If you don’t have it, be prepared to lock yourself in a room with a stack of One Show books for a few months or consider taking some classes.

2. Your portfolio must contain complete campaigns — ones using web, mobile, and social media.
There’s a misconception floating around that portfolios for the second decade of the 21st century need the usual smattering of print ads plus some non-traditional or “guerilla” concepts. Yes. True. But keep going. While creative directors are interested in seeing your wild postings, shopping mall installations, and sidewalk art, they also urgently want to see how you would bring an iPhone app, a smart way to use Facebook, or a novel web application into finding and winning over your target audience.

3. Know the digital world as a member of the clan, not as an anthropologist.
If you have a Twitter account and use it, post to a blog regularly, and download apps to your cell phone, then that’s great. You’re going to be in much better shape to think of marketing executions that use those channels than someone who’s merely read a bunch of articles. If you haven’t jumped on board to at least some of these digital services, then start today. Subscribe to a feed using RSS (and if you don’t know what that is, then find out), start a blog and become an expert on something a prospective employer would value, and get your LinkedIn profile totally buffed out.

Getting a job in advertising has never been easy, but the good news is now it’s easier than ever to compete with those who have years and years of experience. Why’s that? Because with all that’s new in advertising, everyone’s a rookie. The playing field is now officially level and you’re invited to run down it.