How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising: 21st Century Edition [Paperback]

Maxine Paetro (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Copy Workshop; 21st Century Edition edition (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887229132
• ISBN-13: 978-1887229135
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sound Advice and Highly Recommended by the Pros, January 9, 2004

By 

James Sadler (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising: 21st Century Edition (Paperback)

This is an update of an earlier edition. I've never read the previous edition, but having seen its cover, I wish they had kept the same cover. But I guess that's a fairly minor complaint in the grand scheme of things.

To its credit, the "Book" goes beyond just advising on how to put a book (a.k.a. a portfolio to people outside advertising) together. It also offers advice on the job search and interviewing, among other things. A little over a third of the Book is Ms. Paetro's advice. The remaining two thirds consists of advice from numerous advertising veterans, some of them very recognizable names in the industry.

The Book itself is kind of an oddity in design. It's somewhat oversized, roughly 8" by 11 ½," and is designed to look like a portfolio. Clever, but I prefer the earlier edition's cover. Most of the type inside is oversized also (14 point?), making it a relatively fast, easy read. The advice appears sound and useful, although the advertising industry is notoriously tough to break into even under the best of circumstances. But my guess is anyone using the advice in this book will have a leg up on others.

Whether you are a college student soon to be pounding the street in search of work, or a pro seeking to make a lateral or upward move, there is good advice in here for you. And given some of the names recommending it, it may actually prove to be great advice.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want a good job? You need a good book. This one!, February 25, 2006

By 

Bruce H. Bendinger (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising: 21st Century Edition (Paperback)

There are now a number of good books on getting a job in the advertising business.
This is the classic - it contains the core good advice you need to get started on your portfolio (aka you "book," sample book, mini-book, etc.) for a job in the "creative" department of an advertising agency - or some other type of marketing communications firm (i.e. web site, in-house department, sales promo, event marketing, branding company, etc.).
In addition to the you-absolutely-have-to-know-this-period-no-further-discussion information inside this book, there are "good advice" essays from some of the absolute top people in the ad profession.
These days, you probably need more than one good book to help you get your book together - and maybe some time at a portfolio or design school (we talk about them, too), but this is the one to get you started.

Your friends at The Copy Workshop

PS. Even though it's listed, you probably won't find this book at your library - people tend to steal it. Bad!!
(But you know better than that, don't you?) Better buy your own copy.

PPS. This book was the first. There are now a number of other books on getting a job in advertising, and most of them are pretty good, too. But a lot of them assume you've read this one.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An invaluable guide for would-be creatives, March 11, 2006

By 

T. Perrotti "Ted" (Norwich, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Put Your Book Together and Get a Job in Advertising: 21st Century Edition (Paperback)

I am a fiction writer who also wants to write ad copy. I got this book on the recommendation of a professional copywriter and have been glad I did ever since. The book offers sage advice, a comforting hand, and many amusing anecdotes from both Ms. Paetro (herself an advertising professional) and several of the industry's stars.

It has informed and inspired me. It has answered questions that troubled me and others I didn't even know I had. It even includes an address to contact Ms. Paetro at for advice-something I've done a couple times.

If you want to get into advertising, I highly recommend this book.