Make television commercials, radio commercials, print ads, and outdoor boards. Create advertising in any media you like. Just make sure it's the best advertising you feel you're capable of creating. Then, take all of your "good" ads, line them up next to all of their "bad" namesakes, and bingo! You have a portfolio. You're all set to go looking for a job.
There's another big advantage in comparing your "good" ads to someone else's "bad" ads. You'll show your interviewer exactly what your taste in advertising is; just what you think is good, what you think is bad, and why. Your interviewer will get a reasonably clear picture of how you think, which he must have if he's going to make an intelligent appraisal of your talents. He'll be able to comment intelligently on your opinions. He won't have to guess what you think about the way advertising should be done.
You'll learn more from him, too. You'll get to see how close your opinions are to a pro's, and that'll be interesting even if you don't agree with him. Which, by the way, isn't against the law, either.
If you honestly believe that something you did is right even though someone else told you it's wrong, then get another opinion or two before you make up your mind whether or not to change your thinking.
Just remember, no matter which way you decide to put your portfolio together, do lots and lots of ads. The more ads you do, the more practice you'll get. And the better you get, the greater your chances will be of getting a job.
Nobody's holding a gun to your head to put your portfolio together fast. You have no deadline to meet, so work at your own pace. Put only as much pressure on yourself as you feel comfortable handling. Don't be concerned with how fast you put a book together. Instead, pay attention to the quality of the portfolio.
When you go on interviews, get as many comments as you can pry out of the people you talk to. Then try to apply those comments toward improving your book. The people who interview you are probably the only professional advertising people you'll be exposed to, and this makes their opinions very valuable. So, take advantage of any advice they might offer. If they don't offer any, ask for some. You might not agree with everything they have to say, but at least you'll be getting a professional opinion. And maybe that professional will realize he's seeing someone who really wants to get better. Maybe your interviewer will realize that you're willing to do as much work as it takes to become good enough to get a job. If he does, he'll respect you.
And don't stop asking questions when you've seen someone one time. Go back and see him again. (If he doesn't invite you back, ask if you can come back.) Then go see him again. And again. The more you talk to him, the more you'll learn from him, and the more likely he is to remember you should he hear of a job opening up somewhere.
Often, companies will ask you to drop your portfolio off with them and pick it up a few days later, because they're too busy to see everyone. It's not an unusual request, and it's no reason to fear for the well-being of your book. Just be sure your portfolio has a name on it and to tell the secretary you leave it with when you have to pick it up. That way, you won't be without your book very long. And they'll know your book is being looked at by other people. So, they might be more anxious to get a look at it themselves.
If they think they might be interested in hiring you, they'll ask to talk to you. Even if they don't feel that you'd be right for them, you still might be able to get their comments on your book. Just call them on the phone and ask. They might think you're a pain at first, but after they hang up they'll respect you for your interest. They'll probably remember your name, too.
After you've done all of your concepts, thumbnail layouts, and headlines; after you've studied all of the sales benefits for all of the products and services you want to advertise; after you've put them all together in all of your ads and commercials; and after you've picked the best advertising you've created for the advertising in your portfolio, you're ready to prepare them for presentation.
