How do,
I got my first job in the industry (in Manchester) in 2008. For me, it was a good few years after graduating and I thought I may have left it too late. The good news is, it's never too late as long as you've got the ambition and determination. The bad news is 2009 could be a bad year to try and get that job!
However, my advice would be this (and you probably already know it): Start working on your portfolio. This is your major asset. If you want to be in a creative team, then you could try to find a partner too, though it's not 100% essential. Contact agencies, ask for briefs, go to see them for crits when you have some work to show. Keep repeating! There's no secret, that's it.
Most agencies will want to see clarity of thought in the sense that you can really pin down a great idea. And also depth of thinking - how you then take a great idea and work it across different media. Basically though you want to get a portfolio of stuff that will scream 'big idea' to the creative directors. You want to show them thigs they haven't seen.
Don't worry about being too traditional. You can have an online portfolio. Put it on a CD. Blog it. Whatever. And your 'ads' don't have to be 'ads'. You could have 2 portfolios if you wanted: one purely with ads and one with other stuff. The 'other' stuff could be art, photography, design stuff, stories...anything that shows you think about things and use creative means to execute it.
Check out some of the advertising blogs. Inspiration to be had. And advice to be sought from some top top people. If you don't know them already, type into google: scamps blog.
He's a CD in London. Loads of links on there to other blogs. From people like you documenting their efforts to get a job, to people like Dave Trott (check his blog for sure!) who gives some great advice to youngsters.
In the end there's one person that will get you the job, and that's you. It's down to how much you want it. I got my job 'cos I showed I was willing to do anything and would work my nuts off. I had a decent portfolio, but I'm sure my CDs would have seen better.
Yes stunts and gimmicks can help, but you should have the work and drive to back it up. It's more important to show you can learn, you can listen, you can form your own opinions and that you can produce the work at the end of the day.
