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The Pillars of an Award-Winning Program
Ogilvy was selected as a 2023 Campus Forward Award Winner for their unwavering commitment to seeking out and hiring early career talent, their emphasis on diversity & inclusion, and investments in nurturing and retaining the next generation of talent. Please see below for the highlights of their approach to early career recruitment.
Demonstrated Investment in Early Career Hiring
Ogilvy’s greatest asset is ideas — they’re the product Ogilvy brings to clients and the larger industry. These ideas stem from people: their perspectives, lived experiences, and curiosity. Ogilvy’s passion for investing in early talent stems from the reality that the next generation of talent represents the future of these ideas, and the future consumer of the very products Ogilvy works to sell. There’s no better talent pool to invest in. Ogilvy also believes in practicing candor with kindness. As early career talent brings an entirely new perspective to the table, Ogilvy has an opportunity to honor that candor with their real-time feedback and push back. Ogilvy doesn’t take that lightly, and investing in early career will always be a priority of the organization.
Innovative and Multi-Faceted Approach to University Recruitment
Ogilvy’s Early Talent Development team restructured its recruitment strategy to include both school-specific and school-agnostic engagements. Shifting to a hybrid model has allowed the team to broaden its reach and engage students in a more organic manner. The team hosts a diverse set of events, ranging from targeted information sessions, portfolio reviews, and on-campus touchpoints, to the refreshment of the Early Careers website and developing a content calendar of social media engagements. The team taps into Ogilvy Community groups to spread the word about opportunities, and utilizes “School Teams” made of Ogilvy business leaders across the U.S. dedicated to running recruitment touchpoints at target schools and identifying high-potential candidates. School Teams interact with students in more than just the traditional recruiting sense. They act as brand ambassadors, provide overviews of Ogilvy’s offerings, and ensure students interested in the industry are supported and best prepared to navigate application processes.
Overarching Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion
The Early Talent Development team acts as an extension of the larger organization in its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment to prioritize D&I through recruitment processes and the broader employee experience. The team works to recruit from HBCUs, MSIs, and a representative slate of public and private institutions to reach a broad group of underrepresented students. Additionally, the team partners with programs such as the 4As MAIP Program, The One Club’s ‘Where Are All the Black People’, and other diverse talent organizations. For the last 15+ years, Ogilvy has prioritized D&I through Super Saturday, the bespoke strategy for Ogilvy’s Associates Program. The Early Talent team invites 50+ students to an in-person interview experience with strict processes to eliminate bias and spotlight D&I. This includes withholding identifying information for students and assessors, developing assessment center activities inclusive of skills beyond the advertising industry, and fostering D&I-focused conversations.
Impactful Internship Program
Ogilvy’s internship program prides itself on being an immersive and hands-on experience. Interns work on real client work where they’re briefed on new and existing projects, tasked with pitching ideas, and offered a true seat at the table in the creative process. They are assigned mentors to help guide their experience and foster an inclusive environment. Outside of the day-to-day, Ogilvy interns participate in a biweekly learning series designed to offer exposure across the agency and industry, and strengthen their professional skillsets. The interns partner closely with the Early Talent Development Team for goal setting, coaching opportunities, and regular check-ins. At the end of the 10-week program, Ogilvy interns leave with a true understanding of the agency landscape and tangible work under their belt. The Early Talent Development team makes a deliberate decision to convert as much intern talent as possible given the resourcing and business needs of the organization.
Growth and Development of the Next Generation of Talent
The investment in success and retention of entry-level hires begins with onboarding, and filters through each experience at Ogilvy. Ogilvy associates and summer interns receive in-depth onboarding, complete with introductions across departments, immediate exposure to senior leadership, and dedicated networking opportunities designed to help identify future roles and pathways at Ogilvy. Ogilvy’s Early Talent Development team works to define retention strategies before the hires arrive, including the constant sourcing of open roles and comprehensive intake processes designed to determine the interests and best fit of everyone. Once the talent arrives, the team facilitates a regular cadence of check-ins and career conversations, and partners closely with the broader Talent Acquisition team to host resume building workshops and maintain a running list of eligible candidates to share broadly within the organization and outside through Ogilvy’s parent company, WPP. The goal is to retain entry-level talent while creating opportunities for growth and mobility.