This Is Ogilvy

Frequently Asked Questions

October 3, 2011

At Ogilvy, we offer new college graduates two innovative and specialized employee development programs to accelerate your career:

• Summer Internship Program
• Associates Program

Associates Program

The Ogilvy Associates Program gives you the opportunity to join the world’s leading advertising company and jumpstart your career in advertising. The goal of this program is to recruit and develop highly skilled leadership candidates. This 12-month rotational program takes you through a range of assignments that provide the opportunities, challenges and experiences to help kick off your career in marketing / advertising.

Rotations. Through this rotational program, participants are exposed to a variety of tactical and strategic positions within Ogilvy. During a one-year period, participants work in four core areas of advertising; Account Management, Consulting (Analytics, Marketing Strategy or CRM), Planning (Digital Strategy or Strategic Planning) with one elective rotation.  Electives are based on your career interests and the availability of assignments in areas such as OgilvyAction, OgilvyEarth, OgilvyEntertainment, New Business, Content Strategy, Project Management and RedWorks. There is not currently an opportunity to rotate through Creative areas.

Mentors. Each Associate Program participant will be paired with mentors and have access to training programs that will widen exposure to peers and experts. Individuals participating in the program will have exposure to senior Ogilvy executives, including the chief executive officers for the company’s main business units.

 

Training. Each Associate Program participant will participate in a training program called RedRopes, which introduces each participant to a variety of business areas within Ogilvy.  Throughout this six month program, Associates will be paired with other entry-level employees to prepare a client presentation.  They will be assigned a team project coach and will receive feedback at the end of the program.

Qualifications. Desired qualifications include a bachelor’s degree and demonstrated experience and passion for Marketing, Advertising through coursework, internships and extra-curricular activities. Candidates are required to demonstrate a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. In addition, candidates must exhibit strong leadership, analytical and communication skills.

This program is limited to new college graduates. Interested candidates must apply during the fall semester of their senior year. If you are interested, apply online at careers.ogilvy.com.  The application will be available in late November. Interviews will start in January and the final round of interviews commence on Saturday, 3/24/12 – SuperSaturday.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Associates Program recruiting process?

Associates Program recruiting is a three-step process. First, applicants must apply online through the Ogilvy career site to the appropriate job posting. From this resume pool, candidates are selected and invited to participate in a first-round interview on campus, over the phone or at an Ogilvy facility. Finally, candidates are selected or invited for a final interview in an Assessment Center called SuperSaturday.

What are the Associates Program regions?

The Associates Program is located in the following regions:

• New York City, NY
• Atlanta, GA
• Chicago, IL
• Los Angeles, CA

Which Ogilvy business units will I be exposed to?

The Associates Program strives to expose participants to many functions within Ogilvy.  Depending on the region, you may have the opportunity to work in multiple business units such as Account Management, Planning, Consulting, OgilvyEarth, OgilvyAction, OgilvyEntertainment, RedWorks and New Business.

Do I choose where I work?

Upon entering the program, your first rotation assignment is predetermined by the program manager and Executive Sponsor of the program. All subsequent rotations are coordinated with the program manager based on program requirements, business needs, your preferences and rotation availability.

What kind of work will I do as an Associate Program participant?

The specific work assignment varies from rotation to rotation. During the one-year development program, you will be exposed to four assignments of three months each. These may include many of the following core skill areas:

• Account Management
• Consulting – Marketing Strategy
• Consulting – Analytics
• Planning –Digital Strategy
• Strategic Planning

An elective may also be chosen in another business area based on career interest and availability.

Will I relocate during the program?

No; however, your daily commute may vary depending on the location of each rotation.

Are there opportunities for assignments in other regions?

This opportunity is coordinated through program management. Eligibility is based on performance, career goals and offsite availability. The current business environment will influence this opportunity, and availability of offsite locations may vary during each rotation cycle. Compensation for such assignments is provided based on Ogilvy policy.

Do I receive the same benefits as other Ogilvy employees?

Yes. As a participant in the Associates Program you are considered a full-time, salaried employee of Ogilvy. Thus, you are eligible to receive the benefits offered by Ogilvy.

How is performance in the program evaluated?

Performance in the program is evaluated at two levels. The first is the rotation level. Each hosting manager assesses various aspects of the participant’s performance in that rotation. The second is the program level, where the Associates Program manager reviews your performance in the four rotations over the year, as well as your development and progress within the program on an annual basis.

Will I have any interaction with senior management?

Within the Associates Program, participants are paired with a mentor at the senior manager or executive level. The purpose of this mentorship is to build a strong relationship between program participants and an Ogilvy leader to help establish short- and long-range career goals. In addition, roundtable discussions with Functional Sponsors are scheduled on a regular basis.

What happens when I complete the program?

Upon completion of the program, you will coordinate with program management to transition to a permanent position consistent with both your career interests and the needs of Ogilvy.

Will I be working with other Associates Program participants?

Yes.  The program consists of rotating assignments, and while only one participant will be assigned to a particular client in each rotation at a time there will be Associates in the same functional area as you. Although you likely will not work side by side with other Associates, the group convenes for RedRopes meetings. In addition, various social activities throughout the year will give you an opportunity to meet others in the program.

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