Keeping it Real; One-Third of Entry-Level Job Applicants Have Unrealistic Career Expectations, The Creative Group Survey Shows

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Apr 26, 2011, 08:00 ET

MENLO PARK, Calif., April 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- All professionals aspire to land their dream jobs, but some new grads may be too starry-eyed when seeking their first post-college gig. Thirty-six percent of advertising and marketing executives interviewed by The Creative Group said entry-level candidates have unrealistic career expectations. The survey results also suggest those who want to land a job should be prepared to ace the interview: 35 percent of executives said this meeting carries the most weight when evaluating applicants for entry-level advertising or marketing roles.

The national survey was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "In your opinion, how realistic or unrealistic are entry-level candidates' overall career expectations in terms of salary, job responsibilities, etc.?" Their responses:


Very realistic	10%
Somewhat realistic	46%
Somewhat unrealistic	30%
Very unrealistic	6%
Don't know/no answer	9%
	101%*

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

Advertising and marketing executives also were asked, "Which of the following do you consider most important when hiring an entry-level advertising or marketing professional?" Their responses:


Interview performance	35%
Resume	27%
Portfolio	15%
References	11%
Social media presence (e.g., LinkedIn profile, Facebook or Twitter page)	3%
Experience	1%
Other	1%
Don't know/no answer	8%
	101%*

*Responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding.

"Researching average salaries and skills in demand can help new grads avoid over- or underselling themselves during the application process," said Donna Farrugia, executive director of The Creative Group. "Job candidates also should learn as much as possible about the companies they are interviewing with so they can ask informed questions when meeting with hiring managers and get a realistic sense of what the position entails."

About the Survey

The national study was developed by The Creative Group and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 500 telephone interviews -- approximately 375 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 125 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

About The Creative Group

The Creative Group specializes in placing a range of highly skilled interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals with a variety of firms on a project and full-time basis. More information, including online job-hunting services, candidate portfolios and The Creative Group's award-winning career magazine, can be found at www.creativegroup.com.

SOURCE The Creative Group