Although the rise of the Internet initially caused many advertising departments to shrink as that outlet allows for advertising careers via media that don't require the selling of ads by agents or their creation by agencies, due to its rapid expansion as well as the fact that creative advertising is a need that never goes away and only increases as the economy expands (which even in so-called troubled times the American economy is still doing robustly), the need for advertising jobs is expected to rise by 20% through 2016, a percentage that is well ahead of the growth rates for just about every other industry.
In fact, the Internet is now being seen as something that has helped to consolidate marketing and advertising departments and make them more efficient due to more outreach and far more rapid (and less expensive) communications. Email and instant messaging services have greatly increased the speed with which advertising deals can be opened and closed, and they have made multitasking much easier than it was in the past. Advertising agents, in fact, are now working longer hours on average, as they now have more time available to find and follow up on prospects than they previously did.
U.S. advertising professionals are averaging from $28,840 to $61,920 per year depending on certain variables such as experience (which may mean a higher base salary, more residuals, or having a larger book of business built), commission structure, the size of the firm they work for, and the nature of the advertising they primarily sell. The median yearly income for an advertising professional is $50,400; however, it's not so easy to determine how much money a very good, ambitious advertising agent can really make because advertising compensation is largely based on commissions. There are definitely advertising sales agents who are earning six figures.
People who may want to consider becoming advertising professionals are those who have creative flair and strong communication skills combined with a good business sense (they enjoy selling, cutting deals, etc.) and tremendous drive. The physical labor involved in advertising sales is usually very minimal, but there may be a lot of travel, a lot of time spent on the phone or sending and answering emails, and often long, late hours. In general, advertising professionals work in a nice office setting when they aren't on the road. People who are considering advertising careers should also like money and be motivated to make as much money as possible while not compromising their health or their ethical standards, as advertising salaries can be highly substantial.
Advertising professionals generally learn their skills on the job. Therefore, those with more experience can expect to have superior job security and be given better compensation by the agencies they work for as they will be considered less costly and less risky to hire. Advertising professionals with a proven track record of highly successful advertising or marketing experience can expect to find jobs easily in this industry, and they should always keep one eye open to greater possibilities for themselves as their skills are in great demand. As mentioned previously, the job opportunities in this industry are plentiful and are only expected to grow more so.
In conclusion, then, we should say that advertising sales professionals can earn very good to excellent money while enjoying careers that involve them in fast-paced, creative settings. These jobs are ideal for creative, high-energy people who thrive under pressure and want to control their own destinies.
