In all agencies the jobs usually fall into five categories:

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

At an agency, the client and its business are usually referred to as the "account." The account management department is where the resources of the agency and the needs of the client connect.

Account Executive (AE)

The AE oversees the advertising business that has been assigned to the agency, and is ultimately responsible for the quality of the service the client receives. The responsibility of the AE is to be the client's representative at the agency, and the agencies representative at the client's organization. It is their job to get the client's market.

The effective AE develops a thorough knowledge of the client's business, the consumer, the marketplace, and all aspects of advertising, including creative, media, research, and commercial production. As a team leader and strategist, the account person must communicate the client's needs clearly to the agency team, and present the agency's recommendation candidly to the client. He must know all about the agency: who are the most qualified people in each department, and how to get their attention when it is needed.

Assistant Account Executive (AAE)

The AAE reports directly to the AE. Duties include reporting client billing and forecasting agency income, analyzing competitive activity and consumer trends, writing reports from meetings and coordinating creative, media, research, and production projects.

Skills required include: ability to write and speak effectively, demonstrated leadership experience, a capacity for statistical analysis, and well-developed organizational skills. Besides working well under pressure, the AAE must handle a variety of tasks simultaneously, coordinate the work of diverse types of people, have a creative sensibility and intense interest in advertising and marketing.

Account Group Assistant (Entry Level)

The account group assistant must be organized and able to coordinate various schedules and work loads. Responsibilities include: general administrative duties; typing and distributing correspondence, memos, and conference reports; and coordinating meetings and travel arrangements when necessary.

MEDIA

The media department is responsible for placing advertising where it will reach the right people at the right time in the right place to make the most impact. Today, more than ever, agencies are recognizing the importance of creative and innovative media planning and buying.

Media Planning Supervisor (MPS)

The MPS coordinates the work of planners and presents recommendations to the account group and client. The broadcast buying supervisor oversees buying operations. As they gain greater knowledge and experience, media people advance to any of several positions ñ associate media director, manager of media research, network supervisor, director of spot broadcast, group media director, director of programming and negotiations, or media director. Many agencies have top media people represented in senior management and on their boards of directors.

Media Planner

When working on a particular advertising campaign, the media planners discuss, with the client and with other agency people, the goals of the strategy as well as a description of the potential consumer. In discussions with the creative department and account team, planners suggest which media (e.g., magazines, newspapers, radio, television, billboards) can be used most effectively to reach the target audience. It is the responsibility of the media department to develop a plan that answers the questions: How can the greatest number of people in the target group be reached often enough to have the ad message seen and remembered, and at the lowest possible cost?

Once the media plan has been developed, presented to the client and approved, the department's media buyers start negotiating for space or air time. In print media - newspapers and magazines - buyers purchase space in which to display their messages. In the broadcast media - radio and television - they buy commercial time.

After the space or airtime has been purchased, the department must monitor the media to make sure the ad actually appeared, in the proper form, and at the proper time. If a discrepancy occurs, the department negotiates an adjustment to the billing or accepts credit for additional time and space.

Assistant Media Planner (AMP)

The AMP reports to a media planner and gathers and studies information about peopleís viewing and reading habits, evaluates editorial content and programming of various media vehicles, calculates reach and frequency for specific target groups and campaigns, learns all there is to know about the media in general and becomes thoroughly familiar with media data banks and information sources.

The AMP must possess the ability to find and analyze data, apply computer skills, ask innovative questions and interpret or explain findings with attention to quantitative and qualitative considerations. In short, a planner must gain knowledge of what information is important and where to find it. By assisting in gathering statistics to support a variety of plans, they will eventually become familiar with broader characteristics and trends in all media.

Assistant Media Negotiator (AMN)

The AMN reports directly to a media buyer, knows when and where space and time are available for purchase, reconciles agency media orders with what actually appears, and calculates rates, usage and budget. An AMN also learns buying terminology and operating procedures, develops skills in negotiation and communication with media sales representatives, and becomes familiar with the media market.

The ability to work with numbers and budgets, outstanding communications skills, and the ability to work under pressure are skills highly desirable in an AMN. Successful candidates have strong general business skills, the ability to write and speak effectively, well-developed organizational skills, an aptitude for working with numbers and stats, and a basic computer skill level (e.g., spreadsheet software).

CREATIVE

The creative department of an advertising agency is responsible for developing ideas, images and words that make up commercials and ads. When a copywriter and art director are assigned to an account, they must learn about the product or service to be advertised, the marketing strategy, the consumer or potential consumer, the media to be used, advertising by competitors, the production budget and the client personnel (such as brand managers) with whom the agency deals. The art director and copywriter work as a team, trying out ideas first on each other, then on the creative director, and then on other agency groups working on the account.

The executions are reviewed by senior members of the agency (including legal counsel), sometimes called the "creative review board." The reviewed creative executions are presented to the client for approval. Once the client approves, the art director and copywriter work with print and broadcast production people to produce the final version of the ad.

Magazines and newspapers require camera-ready artwork of the ad. To prepare such print advertisements, agencies rely upon outside services, from photographers to printers. Agency specialists in print production oversee this subcontracted work.

Broadcast commercials often involve a large cast of outside specialists. Agency producers oversee the completion of television and radio commercials. They hire directors and producers who administer the budget, work with composers and musicians, and participate in the review and editing of the rough film or videotape into the final version.

Junior Copywriter (entry level)

The junior copywriter assists one or more copywriters, writing body copy for established print campaigns and developing merchandising and sales promotion materials. Skills include: outstanding writing skills, and a 'love affair' with words and symbols and their use in communications. An interest in a wide range of subjects and an insatiable sense of curiosity are assets. Candidates should have some knowledge of marketing and how words and visuals have been used.

Junior Art Director (entry level)

The junior art director assists one or more art directors in preparing paste-ups, rough lettering and layouts for print ads and television storyboards, developing visual concepts and designs, and overseeing photo sessions and the filming of television commercials. Candidates should possess strong visual concept skills and good basic drawing and design ability. Although a junior art director must be capable of handling day-to-day lettering and matting tasks, agencies are also interested in identifying candidates with visual imagination and an interest in applying that ability to marketing and advertising problems.

Agencies expect junior art director and copywriter candidates to show a portfolio of work, i.e., seminal ideas, and "rough" design of potential campaigns, even if they were done in the classroom. Creative computer programs such as PageMaker, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Quark Xpress are now commonly used in agencies.

MARKET RESEARCH

Market research or account planning supports the creative process by focusing on understanding consumer trends in the changing market.

Researcher/ Account Planner (AP)

The basic role of a researcher/AP is to understand the wants, desires, thoughts, concerns, motivating forces, and ideals of the consumer. A researcher/AP becomes an expert on consumer behavior by researching secondary information, conducting focus groups or one-on-one interviews, testing people's reactions to news advertising copy, tracking sales volume or studying buying trends.

Most researchers/AP are assigned to specific accounts and work as advisors to the account, creative and media people. They help develop, refine, and evaluate potential strategies. They are called upon to react to possible creative approaches based upon their understanding of the consumer. Some agencies employ researchers/AP who specialize in specific areas of quantitative or qualitative research. Consumer trends and lifestyle research are two areas in which most large agencies maintain continuing studies. The research/account planning department also oversees projects that are subcontracted to "out-of-house" research firms.

Research/ Account Planning Assistant (entry level)

The research/account planning assistant reports directly to a researcher/account planner executive. Duties include compiling data from secondary resources, following the progress of research projects (internal and external), assisting in the development of primary research tools, and learning to analyze facts and numbers and interpreting and explaining what they really mean.

Candidates must have strong quantitative skills and the aptitude for analyzing and interpreting qualitative as well as quantitative data. Computer literacy is also advantageous. In addition, candidates should be able to write and speak effectively, work well under pressure, and organize work priorities. They should have an interest in forecasting trends and patterns and a fascination with human behavior and motivation.

A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement. Although a specific major is not a prerequisite, many employers are attracted to candidates whose course work is related to research. Some academic disciplines fitting this category are sociology, psychology, marketing, marketing research, economics, advertising, journalism, qualitative methods, anthropology, and mass communications.

SUPPORT SERVICES/ADMINISTRATION

Any well-run business will maintain a full complement of people who handle accounting, personnel, clerical and office services.

In addition, the agency traffic manager makes sure that, once started, an ad or commercial moves smoothly through the agency, that additions and corrections are handled promptly and correctly, approvals are obtained, and the whole job arrives at the publication or the broadcast station on time.

Cost controllers monitor agency costs, making sure that work stays within budget or that everyone is aware of, and approves of, any needed changes in the budget.

Other employees at an agency may include lawyers, librarians and certain specialists. For instance, agencies with big food or packaged goods accounts keep nutritionists and home economists on staff. Those with health products or medical accounts may employ physicians.

Diversity is one more aspect that makes agency work such a fascinating and rewarding career choice.

CAREERS IN BROADCASTING

Owner

A station may be owned by one person or a group of people in a corporation or partnership. Every owner ñ single or group ñ must hold a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). How involved an owner becomes in the operation of a station varies. An owner can sometimes be located in a corporate office headquartered in another town or even another state. Or the owner could be more hands-on and serve as a senior advisor or even as the general manager.

General Manager (GM)

The GM is the one person who is responsible for every aspect of a station's operation ñ from programming to sales, from production to promotions. The GM is usually the person who has learned the business from the ground up and has business knowledge, leadership ability, and technical understanding.

SALES

Advertising is the major source of revenue for commercial television stations. Persuading buyers to buy commercial time is the primary concern of every member of the sales department.

General Sales Manager (GSM)

The GSM is the one person who directs the station's sales force and sets the sales policy of the station. The GSM hires and supervises the sales staff, reviews programming for the best sales opportunities, develops sales plans and goals, oversees billings, studies and understands the station's market, and approves all sales and promotion campaigns. Traditionally, it is the general sales manager who most often advances to the general manager position.

National Sales Manager (NSM)

Primarily found at larger-market stations, the NSM works with national rep firms to sell commercial time to advertisers at the national level. This position services and identifies all accounts outside the local market area.

Local Sales Manager (LSM)

The LSM is responsible for sales within the local market area, supervising other local salespeople, assigning accounts to be serviced and identifying new prospects to be explored. The LSM works with the GSM in interviewing, hiring and training account executives.

Account Executive

The station's front line in sales, the AE is the person who goes out to the client to sell the station. Businesses buy advertising time when the AE can convince a client that the station's programming attracts an ideal audience for the client's product.

Sales Assistant/ Sales Secretary (entry level)

The sales assistant holds a secretarial position that supports the sales staff by writing up orders, maintaining a schedule of available 'spots' and occasionally typing sales presentations for the AE. Sales assistants may move into AE positions when they become open.

Research Director

The research director is responsible for collecting information about the effectiveness and popularity of a station's programming and commercials and the relative strength of the competition. Information is used by the sales department in persuading potential clients to advertise and by the programming department in refining the product.

PROGRAMMING

Programming Director (PD)/ Operations Manager (OM)

Responsible for the entire on-air product, the PD governs the sound of the station. With control over production, talent, work schedules, and programming schedules, the PD's programming objectives support the goals of the general manager and the general sales manager.

Announcers

Announcers are the radio station's voice and are often the people with whom the public identifies. This job category includes DJ and on-air personalities who introduce programming and music, read commercial copy and public service announcements, and give information.

Continuity Copywriter

This staff member writes commercial and promotional copy in support of the station's sales and advertising efforts. At smaller stations, a salesperson will sometimes expand this role by writing commercials for his or her clients.

News Director

The news director assigns stories to reporters on staff, monitors the wire service, network, police and fire department frequencies, takes telephone tips and sometimes covers stories personally. The news director often is required to report the news as well as find it.

News Reporter

A format-determined position, the news reporter assists the news director in covering the stories of the day, preparing reports for news broadcasters, and developing sources.

Promotions Director

Larger stations will hire a public relations/marketing professional to promote the station's image, programs, and activities. This includes working with the program director or operations manager in creative on-air promotions. The promotions director also works closely with the sales department in securing new clients and maintaining current advertisers. At some stations, this position falls under the direction of the sales department.

BOTTOM LINE

No book or college course can prepare you for the reality of working in an agency or broadcast company. Internships take you inside a company. You will experience what it's like - the elation when things go right, the frustration when things go wrong. You will feel the pressure of a deadline and observe how your colleagues respond to that pressure. You will be able, from your internship, to determine whether a career in advertising is for you.

An internship is also great for a resume. Nothing speaks louder than experience; the more experience you gain, the more marketable you are. Whether paid or unpaid, an internship is the entry-level position available to serious candidates.

Be aggressive and investigate the possibilities. Be persistent. Assertiveness is well respected in the advertising world.

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 Last revised: June 02, 2004