By Dan Goubert
Being on GVSU Advertising Club’s executive board gets you a job.
Okay, now that I got that clickbait first line out of the way, I can tell you the truth: being on GVSU Advertising Club’s executive board gets you a career.
Yes, not only will any role on the club board afford you the necessary connections and stand-out excellence to land a promising internship or post-grad position, but the mark of tenacity a board title leaves on your resume will open doors, connections, and channels to a career’s worth of ladder climbing and opportunity seizing.
But let me explain in-depth: when I presented at 2018’s first Advertising Club meeting earlier this month, I shared the below slide to hype up members to apply for the executive board:
And while I may have glossed over the finer points of this slide in the consideration of time, the boundless real estate of this blog allows me to give these points the attention they (and your future career in advertising) deserve.
Resume Building
This is the obvious one. One thing freshman and senior Advertising students alike probably already know is that the field is competitive. That means a degree alone isn’t going to cut it—anyone can sit in a classroom, and since local agencies can afford to be picky (or rather, can’t afford not to be!), they’re going to look for those who give extra: those students who are motivated by a love for the advertising craft, not a grade.
So whether this is year 1 or 5+ of school for you, in this field, things get real, real fast. Padding your resume’s skills section is one thing, but why not prove your chops with a position you can put numbers too? Grew membership by 40%. Grew Facebook following by 25%. Ran an event that drew a dozen professionals and three dozen students.
These are the actionable metrics that rise above something as vague as “strong leadership skills.”
A Head Start on Teamwork
This one is less likely to outwardly motivate a student still neck deep in textbooks, but as a working board, the Advertising Club executive board is a much more realistic practice simulation of a real-world advertising team than just about anything you’re apt to find in a class group project—and there’s no rubric, either.
Just as a real agency project rarely starts with a lecture, Ad Club projects require collaborative thinking—an idea can come from anyone or anywhere—listening, constructive criticism, pooling of personal resources (connections, pizza gift cards, or otherwise), and real-time adaptation you just won’t find on a Scantron.
If you want a taste of the real working world, but with far lower stakes, an e-board position is a perfect midpoint between the blackboard and the billboard.
Adaptation to Your Specialty
Because the advertising industry is so competitive, it pays to be specialized in your career pursuits. While you may not know just yet where in this expansive industry your niche will be—whether it’s copywriting, account planning, project management, media buying or beyond—there’s an Ad Club board position out there that can help guide your exploration and development.
From the Event Director’s need to ideate strategy and the President’s need to write inviting copy to the Communication Director’s social media savvy, the Membership Director’s management of members as “accounts,” and the Graphics Chair’s creative art direction, you can easily find a board position that tailors to your skills and interests, all while honing your craft towards a fitting career goal.
Learn More and Apply
Have you been convinced? I know I have, and I’m already on the board!
If you’re interested in learning more about the e-board positions you can apply for, or if you’re ready to apply, visit OrgSync. If you’re still on the fence and want to learn more, feel free to contact us at adclubgvsu@gmail.com with any questions or hesitations.
Applications close March 16th, so you have plenty of time to ask yourself: when it comes time to apply for a job, will you be in the boardroom, or still in the classroom?
Because things get real, real fast 
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