How Can I Become an Advertising Account Manager?

<p>As an advertising account manager, you would be responsible for overseeing the advertising and marketing accounts of a company. This involves working with departments to set up budgets, coming up with pricing strategies and negotiating contracts. As a key member of an advertising team you will also take part in conducting marketing research, developing promotional strategies, implementing those strategies and in some cases working with customers. Take a look at the following chart for an overview of how to enter this field. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Degree Required</b> </td><td> Bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Education Field of Study</b> </td><td> Advertising or journalism</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Key Responsibilities</b> </td><td> Manage advertising accounts, help set advertising budgets, develop advertising strategies and work with other advertising professionals</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b> </td><td> 10% (<i>for all advertising and promotions managers</i>)*</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Median Salary (2020)</b> </td><td> $133,460 (<i>for all advertising and promotions managers</i>)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---WhatEducationWillINeedToBecomeAnAdvertisingAccountManager">What Education Will I Need to Become an Advertising Account Manager?</h3> <p>For a career as an advertising account manager, you'll need a minimum of a bachelor's degree in either advertising or journalism. A typical bachelor's-level advertising curriculum includes courses like art history, marketing and photography. You'll also explore topics like media planning, copywriting, advertising campaigns and advertising strategies. </p> <p>In a journalism bachelor's program, you'll study photojournalism, magazine writing, editing, media theory, electronic publishing, research methods and public speaking. Most bachelor's programs require completion of general education courses like history and communications; you can usually earn a bachelor's degree in four years. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatWillMyJobDutiesBe">What Will My Job Duties Be?</h3> <p>Advertising account managers need to possess strong communication skills, creativity and flexibility. The job responsibilities of an advertising account manager might include developing campaign ideas, reviewing or editing promotional materials and creating estimates to ensure that advertising projects remain within budget. You could also be responsible for supervising a creative team or facilitating collaboration between your company and your clients. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatIsTheJobOutlook">What is the Job Outlook?</h3> <p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a 10% growth in the number of employed advertising and promotions managers was expected between 2020-2030 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). College graduates with an understanding of Internet-based advertising campaigns had the best chance of securing an <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Bachelors_Degree_in_Advertising_Management_Your_Questions_Answered.html">advertising management</a> position during this time. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatSalaryCouldIExpectToEarn">What Salary Could I Expect to Earn?</h3> <p>The median annual salary for advertising and promotions managers was $133,460 in 2020, as reported by the BLS. Advertising and promotions managers who worked in advertising and public relations services earned a mean annual salary of $164,880 during the same year; managers in the newspaper and periodical publishing industries earned a mean annual salary of $127,650. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h3> <p>Related to this career, advertising sales agents sell advertising space and must manage clients' accounts. These professionals however can get by with only a high school diploma in some instances. Market research analysts conduct much of the research advertising teams used when coming up with promotional strategies. They study markets to help companies know what their customers want and what prices they are willing to pay. These professionals need a bachelor's degree in market research or a related major.</p>