Getting a college degree and becoming a copywriter can lead to many different opportunities. You may end up working for a large corporation in one of their many departments, or become an independent contractor for a small business. Regardless of where you end up, one thing is for sure – your pay will depend on how many hours you work and how many projects you complete.
Below we’ll reveal the average pay range for a Disney copywriting intern and how much those hours typically lead to in the grand scheme of things.
The Average Disney Copywriting Internship
Nowadays, most large corporations have a department dedicated to marketing and communications. This may include content creation for websites and social media, graphic design, email marketing, and more. If you choose to pursue a career in this field, you can expect to start off at a large corporation but eventually move over to a small business or solo practitioner.
If you’re looking to land a job in this field, you’re going to need to prove to employers that you have the skills they’re looking for. To do this, you may need to consider applying for internships with some of the larger firms in your area. Once you’re accepted, you’ll have the opportunity to dive into your studies and get a taste of the industry.
While most journalism and creative writing students find themselves working for publications or advertising agencies after graduation, those in marketing often find themselves coming back to the same firm or agency for a second or third stint. Building your career in marketing can be a path to many different opportunities including public relations, social media, content creation, and more. Ultimately, your choice of college major will heavily influence your career prospects.
Hourly Rates
Once you’ve landed that internship, you’ll be able to start gauging how much you should be earning based on the number of hours you’re working. Most market research and content creation interns report that they work between 20 and 40 hours per week, averaging about 30. On an average school week, that will amount to roughly 780 to 1,320 hours of work. To put that into perspective, the average industrial wage is $25.15 per hour, or $51,300 per month.
If you do some simple division, you can easily work out how much money you’ll need to make per month to replace what you spent on your college education. For example, if you made $25,000 per year while in school and you worked 30 hours per week, you’d need to earn roughly $1,000 per hour to make up for your investment plus a little extra for spending money.
Odds Of Getting A Job
As we mentioned above, landing that first internship can be a major step forward in your career. After you’ve been accepted into an agency or a company, you’ll have to begin pitching potential employers on your value to the organization. The best way to prove your worth is by sending over your resume and some samples of your work. Be sure to follow any instructions the agency or company may have for you to get the best possible result from your job search.
The next step is for you to begin applying for marketing gigs. Once you’ve got your foot in the door, you can begin to ask for more responsibility and hopefully move up the company’s chain of command to eventually become a commissioned copywriter.
As a starting copywriter, you may be earning significantly less than what you’d earn as a journalist. While some agencies or companies may offer higher starting salaries, remember that you’re not competing for just any job. Instead, you’re looking to prove your worth to an organization that may see you as an investment of their time and money. When negotiating your salary, be sure to factor in what you need to maintain a healthy standard of living as well as what you’re willing to accept.
To make sure you’re earning your salary at least at the level you’ve been promised, be sure to review your contract closely and ask questions about any ambiguities or discrepancies you may find. For example, sometimes employers don’t make it clear whether you’re an employee or an independent contractor. With that in mind, make sure you’re protected legally and financially in case you do end up experiencing a problem. Most importantly, be sure to enjoy your job! If you don’t, you may end up putting in a lot more work for little to no pay growth. On the other hand, if you’re enjoying your work and believe you’re compensated fairly, you may be in for a significant pay bump once you’ve proved yourself.