When you start something new, especially something that’s important to you, you want to make sure you start in the best way possible. That means, you want to make sure your job history and education are a good fit for it. You may even wonder if you need a degree for copywriting.
When it comes to getting into copywriting, there are a few things you might have in your background to make for an especially auspicious entry into the industry.
Let’s talk about what those are, shall we?
Common Copywriter Backgrounds & Education
First, let’s go over the education/experience/backgrounds that are common in copywriters and copywriting. I want to stress common because while many copywriters may share some of these experiences, they are NOT mandatory. These include:
- Liberal arts degree, especially in English, journalism, or creative writing
- Communications degree, especially in advertising, marketing, or public relations
- Experience working with interactive or print media
- Experience in marketing or advertising departments or agencies
Let me repeat: Those are some common backgrounds for copywriters, but not necessary. If you see your degree or experience on that list, you’ll fit in just fine with many people pursuing a copywriting career.
Comprehensive Copywriting Academy Students Come From A Variety of Backgrounds
Now, if you don’t see your degree or experience on the list above? That’s fine, too!
Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students from all different backgrounds have found success as copywriters. Listen to some of their stories right here >>
The CCA includes many former teachers who transitioned out of the classroom due to burnout. Similarly, there are numerous nurses in the group.
But there are also CCA students that come from a variety of other fields, too: military, truck driving, food service, social work, law, web development—name a field and there’s likely someone in the CCA who has been a part of it! And there are plenty of students who are full-time parents, too.
While there are some students who do come from a marketing background (PR, content writing, social media marketing), it’s absolutely not a must to thrive as a copywriter. These students are starting from the same exact place as you: not knowing how to write copy.
No matter what your background—personal or professional—you’ll be able to harness your experiences into your own unique USP.
Do You Need a Degree for Copywriting?
There aren’t (as far as we know of!) any degrees in copywriting specifically. You may be able to take a copywriting class as part of a marketing program, but there’s far more to copywriting than what can fit into a few weeks (it’s why we created an entire program!).
But you also do not need a degree for copywriting. It makes copywriting a much easier career transition than say becoming a doctor or lawyer. You don’t even need a copywriting certificate. Copywriting certificates only prove you paid for a course. Your online portfolio is what proves you know how to write copy.
You do, however, need training to become a copywriter. Copywriting is very different from content writing (though many copywriters take content writing projects, too) and requires an understanding of key concepts like features versus benefits, calls to action, and more.
What About Portfolio Schools?
Portfolio schools have a lot of benefits … but they also cost tens of thousands of dollars (one year of tuition can cost around $40,000!).
You can get all the same perks of portfolio school without paying a cool $40k. Here are five things to look for in a copywriting course.
Traits Needed to Succeed in Copywriting
Okay, so now we’re clear that degree for copywriting doesn’t matter (or at least are warming up to the idea … we know it’s different than a lot of fields!). But there are other, more specific, elements of experience that will make you an even better student of copywriting, copywriting intern, and, then, copywriting job candidate. And these are completely necessary:
- A love of words and a passion for how to use them well
- A willingness to push yourself outside of your comfort zone
- A drive to learn as much as you can, so you can put it to use as best as you can
- A willingness to go beyond what others are willing to do to build portfolios and get work (no templated cover letter or resume for you!)
- An ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes and imagine what they need to hear (not just what a boss tells you they need to hear)
- A desire to build an eye for good design, so that you and graphic designers can work together even better—you don’t need to know how to fix a design problem, but you need to learn when something just doesn’t work
- A dedication to deadlines and to having a reason behind every single word in your copy
- A willingness to work harder than anyone else (or, at least, harder than most people)
- Persistence
- Flexibility
- Humility
- A sense of humor (<– Okay, not exactly a necessity but, boy, you’ll get a lot further with it than without it!)
If you have all of the above elements in your personality/background, you’ll stand a much better chance of succeeding as a copywriter, no matter what your college major or—I’m going to say it—your work experience.
Why Copywriting Training Is Crucial
That said, though, as you’ve heard me say before: You need to get training. Just because you know how to write an article doesn’t mean you know how to write an ad. As with any career, there are specific techniques you need to know, not to mention steps within the actual ad development (and career development!) process.
Taking time to read and analyze ads will help, but it won’t take the place of training. Visiting a cockpit doesn’t qualify someone to walk into a hangar and say, “I’m ready to fly an airplane!,” right? (And that’s exactly why we created a training of our own.)
Remember, too, that creative directors have amassed years of experience and training—so they’re never, exactly, receptive to people who apply for work and say, “How have I learned copywriting? I didn’t need training—I’m just really good with words.”
Please understand that I’m not saying that you would do this. But this is actually a really common attitude among would-be copywriters…which gives you another edge. When your competition is people who haven’t gotten training, don’t even understand that they need it and, therefore, don’t know how to write ads, work with designers, and build their portfolios, guess who’s going to get the job? That’s right: You.
Watch More
In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate dig deeper into how your unique background can actually help you as a copywriter and what skills you can acquire that will make you an even stronger copywriter.
Your Turn
What’s your background? What got you interested in getting into copywriting? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on December 1, 2023
This is a really helpful post! I went to a liberal arts college and studied English — and then got a master’s degree in Spanish. I always studied things I loved (reading, writing, language, and culture), without really knowing what career to go into after college — people always told me, “study what you love and a career will come.” HaHA! It’s been quite a lot of work to figure out the career thing after that (though not hopeless). It’s good to know that even without a degree in advertising, I’m still on track-ish for a career in copywriting.
Hi Christina!
I know—I believe in the idea of studying what you love and letting the money follow…sometimes it’s also a matter of finding the thing you can love that will also pay you! And you’re definitely on track. 🙂
– Nicki
Nicki & the Filthy Rich Writer team
I have a BA in creative writing and write comic books. What kind of training would you te omen for me?
Hi Matt,
Thanks for reaching out! You might be interested in our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy—here’s the link. And if you’re not on our email list yet, be sure to sign up through one of our forms. Only subscribers find out when Academy enrollment opens!
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi Nicki,
I’m a retired teacher, having taught Elementary English and History. I am applying for an Advertorial Writer Position at our local newspaper. Can you give me an idea of what I might expect?
Hi Beverly,
An advertorial writer is kind of an interesting blend of types of writing. Really, it’s a bit more in the realm of content writing than copywriting (if you’re not clear on the difference, we have an article about it right here). As an advertorial writer, you’d spend your days writing articles for the paper that were commissioned by a company to put their product or service in a good light. They’ll have the same style as a regular article in the paper and look very similar to them, but it’s obviously not an unbiased article since the client company is paying for it. And you’re essentially “selling” people on the company’s product or services, but doing it in a much more subtle way. So subtle, in fact, that they might not even realize it!
Generally, you’ll be given points that the client company wants you to highlight and asked to form your story around those. Once you’re done writing it, usually both your boss and the client will have to approve it. As you might guess, since it’s not a straight news story, the key to success is creating the most interesting/intriguing/engaging story you possibly can with the points they give you.
Did this help a bit?
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I jst loved the article. I am a graduate in applied arts and copywriting is my passion. Can you sssuggest me any course if required for further enrichment for my passion.
Hi there,
I’m glad you liked the article! In terms of resources, if you haven’t yet, I’d suggest you start exploring our site. We’ve got hundreds of articles, chock full of information. 🙂 If you think you’d like to learn more, I’d also encourage you to take a look at our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hello Mam,
What a great article. I am Varun from India. My I am 34 year old going through a career transition . I had discovered my true passion for Copywriting . I love copywriting because it helps in influencing the purchase decisions of the customers which is very challenging. I have query can I start a new Career at the age of 34? How can your course help me?
Hi Varun,
You can absolutely start a new career at 34. The key is that you have to get training and experience before you can transition to a new one. Just like any other career, copywriting has a whole host of principles and practices you need to learn, plus skills that you need to practice before you can become adept at them. Here’s an article that might help as you think about making a change: https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-the-three-steps-to-career-change/
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Very helpful article! I am a Graphic Designer and have a B.S. degree in Visual Communication Design. I’ve worked on projects ranging from signage and wayfinding design, branding, and user-experience.
Copywriting is such an important component in my design work. I’ve always said that no matter how beautiful the design is, it cannot cover up bad writing (or writing that just doesn’t fit with the particular audience).
In many projects I find myself writing, or editing copy, myself. It is because of this that I would like to add copywriting to my skill set. I would love to know the best way to build a copywriting portfolio, and how it can be intermixed with my design work.
I’m sure there is much I need to learn. Any advice would be appreciated!
Hi Emily,
Copywriting and design are definitely complementary skills. That said, though, people tend to be much better at one than the other; it’s very few people who are both verbal *and* visual. Does that make sense? You might want to start by building up your network so that you have a lot of copywriter contacts to work with when you need copywriting done.
If, however, you’re one of those unicorns who *is* good at both, I’d encourage you to sign up for our emails, especially for our waitlist. We send out a lot of great resources to help you get an understanding of what copywriting entails and how to learn it.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi
Sisanda here. I am a self taught Poet and I really love words and writing but I have not done any formal course so far. I came across your company because I want to explore Copywriting. Would you suggest I study further or think this would be enough to g my foot in the field. Please advise
Hi Sisanda,
Yep, you’ll definitely need training in how to write copy if you want to move into copywriting as a career. A great first step is to actually sign up for our emails—we send out a lot of free resources to help you decide if copywriting is a good path for you.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi,
A little about me: I have have a degree in film as well as several certificates in broadcast journalism and communications. I had a freelance business out in California and had to close up shop. If I learn through this academy, will it be enough to land me the interviews. Does your academy have an accreditation of some sort?
Thanks for your time.
Hi Nichole,
Thanks for reaching out. Yep, absolutely – I called it the “Comprehensive Copywriting Academy” for a reason. I’ve included everything you need to know to build your experience and portfolio and then parlay those into landing clients and landing work. As for a certificate or or certification, we very purposefully don’t offer one – and here’s why: https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-do-you-need-a-copywriting-certificate/
Let me know if you have any more questions. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi Nicki!
Loved the article, and have explored some of the site. Not sure if I really have the skillset to become a copywriter, but I love to learn new things, and if it works to help bring a little bread to the table even better. Copywriting sounds very interesting. At the very least, a course in it would help with my writing style.
Thank you for the information and resources.
Hi Kriss,
Remember that *no one* has the skillset to become a copywriter until they learn it! Every copywriter starts in the same place – not knowing a thing about copywriting. 🙂 But it’s definitely a skillset that can be learned, mastered, and turned into a very fulfilling career.
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi! I have a bachelors in social work and a bachelors in psychology and am struggling to find an area to look for potential clients. Mental health services seems to be the obvious, but in looking to build my portfolio and want to possibly expand outside of that realm a little. Any ideas? Love your work!
Hi Shandi,
Well, mental health services is definitely a place to start, but you don’t have to limit your potential client base to that industry at all. Your copywriting skills are transferable across pretty much any industry! In fact, you actually want to be careful about accidentally putting yourself in a niche when you’re first getting started. (Here’s an article about it: https://filthyrichwriter.com/copywriting-qa-the-niche-trap/) What kind of companies do you *want* to write for? And what kinds of writing that you’ve done for mental health services (I’m guessing maybe you’ve therapists websites for them?) could transfer to other similar types of businesses? Once you get brainstorming, I think you’ll find that the possibilities are practically endless. 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hello, Nikki!
Reading your words puts a definite voice to your articles. You write as I do; the way you speak. I’m a Marketing Specialist (as well as an on-air personality) for a local radio station and have been in the industry for over fifteen years for multiple companies. One of my job requirements is the ability to write copy. The copy I write is for local businesses and non-profits and is intended specifically for a listening audience. Is the transition to writing copy for a reading audience much different?
Hi Becka,
Well, some elements are different (like the way you organize information) but some element will be the same (like focusing on the benefits, using language the target audience will resonate with, making the calls to action clear, etc.). And, as you know, a bit part of that will be to identify and write in the unique brand voice of each business or non-profit. Does all of that make sense?
Thanks!
Nicki
I am a CPA/accounting director that has done a lot of technical writing and research In my professional life. I’m tired of the monthly grind and am looking to make a career change. Is this a realistic career transition?
Hi Brian,
Well, it depends on what you mean by “realistic career transition.” It’s certainly a real, valid, and possible career for you—especially if you have a natural aptitude for writing. But because it *is* a real career, it’ll require some learning, some practice, and some moving outside of your comfort zone. One of the great things about copywriting is that it’s an entirely merit-based career; if you write good copy, people will hire you. But you have to be willing to do the work to learn to write good copy and do the work to find and pitch clients. We give you all of the steps and all of the support in the training, but it’s definitely up to each student to take action in order to be successful. Which makes sense, right?
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
I have 2 years of Commercial Arts training through a JVS. I have been writing poetry since I was a child. I love to read and write. I have always had my dreams dashed by people being critical of them. When I was in high school my design for the Home and Flower show was picked from 40 students,my work was featured all over Medina County. It was an amazing accomplishment for me! I also created designs for products too. I feel like copywriting would be the next great thing for me to accomplish. I can’t wait to start your training class! Thank you for making this class!
Hi Mary,
Copywriting can definitely be a fun career for someone who loves to write! It’s wonderful combination of both creativity and strategy; I liken it to getting to solve puzzles with words every day. 🙂 And I look forward to seeing you in the course!
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Hi Nicki
Can a non-native English speaker realistically compete with native English speakers as a copywriter? English is my strongest language although I’m not a native English speaker. I find that native speakers inherently have a different way of expressing – which often sounds more interesting than how I would say it! So does that put me on the back foot straight away?
Hi Nomi,
That’s a great question, and one that we get a lot. We don’t generally recommend trying to write in languages other than your native language. There are so many nuances, idiosyncrasies, and constantly evolving slang terms in each language that even some native speakers have a hard time keeping up.
You’re in charge of your own career and if you feel that you utterly and completely mastered another language then we’ll leave it to you to decide, but just please note that you’ve been gently forewarned. ?
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Thank you for this helpful article! I have an Associates Degree with an emphasis on English and Creative Writing. I love writing, and I write short stories, scripts, and dabble in poetry once in a while. I’ve even worked for a season as a newspaper reporter. I stumbled across a sponsored page for Filthy Rich Writer on Instagram yesterday, and I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about it in these past 24 hours. I’m looking for an outlet for my creativity aside from short stories and scripts, and I would love to be able to support my family by doing what I love. Thank you for putting this bug into my mind, and giving me another option!
To us, being “filthy rich” means having a job you love, doing it well, and being paid well for what you do – just what you’re looking for! We’re really happy you enjoyed the Q & A!
Hi Nicki!
My background isn’t exactly on the list (psychology), but I think it is inherently when we talk about communicating with people.
I can’t recall how I stumbled upon your introduction video and website, but I think it is exactly what I need to start this career.
I’ve got a question though. How much of the coaching and training is from you and how much is from a member of your team?
Thanks!
Andrea
Hi Andrea! Great question! All of the training and bonus materials are via video from Nicki. Our special events and coaching calls are hosted by Nicki, Kate (you may recognize her from our podcast) and our other coaches. That is also the team that moderates our student only Facebook group.
I am interested in copy writing because I love telling stories, whether they are mine or about someone else. My career goal was journalism, but I changed to education. As a retired preschool teacher, I am looking for a second-act career. This time, I want to write stories to help influence advertising for clients, or stories to help businesses and show everyone that I have a creative way of seeing things. Tell me what needs to be said, or the issues that need to be addressed and I will research facts until the cause becomes my passion and the vision, I create with my story makes readers want to be part of the passion.
I have spent a lot of time in my many years of writing and editing, etc. I majored in journalism in college and then went to work for Time Inc. in NYC. As time went on, I moved around a lot and had jobs with local newspapers, doing publicity for a governor’s campaign, being on the editorial staff of some publications and was the editor of a newsletter for a hunting preserve association. I also have written articles in magazines of the dog world. So . . . . what do I do now as an old lady that wants a job. Can I get into becoming a copywriter?
Send me your thoughts. Thanks.
You can absolutely be a successful copywriter! Most of our students join without any prior experience and from a wide range of different professional backgrounds. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at contact@filthyrichwriter.com if you have any questions!