Dear Jancy: I'm working as a a senior copywriter in Asia. I've been with my company for 3 years and things are going fairly well. There is still growth. However... Recently, I am feeling restless. I am having thoughts of trying to experience advertising in a foreign country. Maybe I can learn and grow more to fast track my experience. But on another standpoint, things are not that bad where I am now. I may regret leaving.. but I may regret not leaving. I am confused! In your opinion, should I acknowledge my feelings of stepping into the unknown and leaving my comfort zone? Or maybe I just need a vacation?

  

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Dear Jancy: I've recently moved back home to Calgary after graduating with a marketing diploma in Ontario. While in school, I got internships writing press releases for an auto maker and did some event-marketing gigs around Toronto. As a people person, I really loved how creating communication was different in each environment.

Although I majored in marketing, I have always had a love for advertising. I know the 'suits' get some flak in this business, but given my foundation on the client side of the fence and my appreciation for good creative, I think I'd make a wonderful accounts person at an agency. I've also got a strong spine and a handsome face to boot!

Now that I'm home, what places should I shoot for? Do shops even recruit Jr. accounts services guys these days? Will my past PR experiences help me here? This is a side of the industry that doesn't get a lot of attention, so I'd appreciate your perspective.
  

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Dear Jancy: Hi from Australia. Firstly, I love your book, Pick Me. It made me enthused and creatively petrified at the same time.

I recently finished an undergrad degree in Advertising. And yes, after reading your book, I still want to be a copywriter. However, I'm in my early 30s. "Egad!", I hear you gasp (dont worry I've already picked out my zimmerframe).

Despite my age I still believe there's a place for me, my quirks, and my zimmerframe.

So my question is, if most people leave the Ad Industry by 40, and it's left to the Y-Gen's to solve the world's advertising problems, isn't there going to be a massive lack of insight and connection to the baby boomers and even us X-gens consumers? I mean collectively us semi-old farts have massive spending power. Shouldn't agencies be worried losing the kind of quirky insights that only decades of living life's up and downs (not to mention surviving the Madonna "I've got to wear my bra on the outside" years) can bring?

Secondly, if it takes a 20-something til her 40's to get burned out, wouldn't that mean that a semi-fresh faced 30-something still has til her 50s to build her advertising career?
  

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Dear Jancy: I've been a copywriter at a good agency in Cape Town for a year. Is there any chance for me to work in at an ad agency in Canada (i.e. Ogilvy)? What are the requirements that an agency needs from an applicant from South Africa?

  

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Dear Jancy: I've been working for 2 years as a copywriter, and I'm getting my book together to hunt for a new job for the first time. For the past 14 months, I spent most of my workdays executing a large global campaign for a high-profile client. Unfortunately, thanks to all the global client red tape, the campaign turned out to be something I'm not particularly proud of. It's better than what they've done in the past, but not something I feel represents what I can do creatively.
My question is: should I put this campaign in my book? On the one hand I'm proud of the fact that I handled a huge global campaign (with TV) as a rookie-- but I know it's not my best work.   

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