What Does an Account Executive Do?

Important Facts About Account Executives

Duties and Responsibilities

In addition to working on existing accounts, account executives may also be responsible for finding and obtaining new customers and clients, typically within an assigned territory. Expanding business can involve cold-calling or prospecting, as well as attending seminars, conventions, and trade shows or making in-person presentations to potential customers.

Not only can these activities lead to signing up additional clients but they can result in learning new skills that may benefit the company as a whole. Account executives may also examine financial information and trends, study competitors' business strategies and practices, track sales, develop operating procedures, and train new team members.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

Many employers require applicants for account executive positions to have at least a bachelor's degree in business or marketing and some level of experience. Some employers also give preference to those with additional abilities, such as strong computer skills and experience with social networking. A number of companies look for candidates who:

• Work well under pressure
• Are well organized
• Are self-motivated
• Communicate skillfully
• Work adeptly with others

Salary Info and Job Outlook

According to PayScale.com, the majority of account executives earn between $40,000 and $98,000 per year as of 2023. Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide information specific to the field of account management, the BLS did project that the employment of sales representatives will likely grow by about 4% between 2021 and 2031, a rate as fast as the average predicted for all occupations.