Online - is it for me?
There's two main distinct routes you can take to a career selling online advertising.
Firstly, you can start out with a 'traditional' publishing house who will have both 'old' (print, live event) and 'new' (website, enewsletter) versions of their major brands. This gives you the potential to develop into a role selling cross-platform, gaining a very broad-based experience.
The opportunities will vary depending on the size of the brand but you will normally start out selling classifieds (often recruitment advertising) or directory-type listings or perhaps advertising in e-newsletters. In exactly the same way as you would progress your career in traditional media, you will move onto selling display advertising, sponsorships and other more complex advertising solutions.
"Online media is still new and incredibly dynamic and no-one really knows what's going to become of it. It pays very well because of this and is growing at a phenomenal rate."
online advertising sales manager
The other choice is to work for a sales network - selling advertising across a range of third party websites signed up to your service.
Most online sales networks are looking for salespeople with experience although as the industry grows, there are an increasing number of opportunities to come in at ground level as an account executive - supporting an account manager with more administrative and client maintenance activities - gradually moving onto handling tactical sales opportunities, then taking on clients in their own right as their sales skills develop.
Simple fact: due to the current shortage of sufficient high-calibre online salespeople, plus rapid growth, you'll earn more in this sector.
Don't let that influence your initial job search too heavily though - you should choose a first job that offers the best opportunity for good quality training so that you're in the best place to secure that high-paid online role when you've got a bit of experience under your belt.
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