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Advertising Sales Agents

Sell or solicit advertising space, time, or media in publications, signage, TV, radio, or Internet establishments or public spaces.

Watch this work See majors and colleges
Other titles employers use

Advertising Account Representative · Advertising Consultant · Advertising Representative · Advertising Sales Representative (Ad Sales Representative) · Sales Representative · Advertising Account Executive · Advertising Agent · Advertising Solicitor

Inside the work

What you would actually do.

6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.

  • Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.
  • Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.
  • Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.
  • Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services.
  • Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible.
  • Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance.

Who it suits

Would this work hold your attention?

This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and creative work.

Persuading
Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Organizing
Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Creative
Making, designing, writing, or performing without one set answer

Skills and strengths

What you would get good at.

Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.

Core skills

  • Speaking
  • Persuasion
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation
  • Active Listening
  • Negotiation

Subjects to know

  • Sales and Marketing
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • English Language
  • Communications and Media
  • Mathematics

Useful strengths

  • Oral Expression
  • Speech Clarity
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Recognition
  • Written Comprehension

Working day

Picture yourself doing it.

These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.

How this job scores on four measures of working conditions, out of five
MeasureOut of 5What that means here
Close to other people3.2 Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder
On your feet2.4 Mostly seated
Talking face to face4.7 Continuous — the job is conversations
Working with your hands2.0 Little of the day

Preparation

How people prepare for this work.

Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.

  • A four-year degree 52%
  • High school or less 30%
  • A certificate or some college 15%
  • A two-year degree 3%

Tools of the work

Technology you may use.

  • Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Web page creation and editing software
  • Desktop publishing software
  • Electronic mail software
  • Data base user interface and query software
  • Analytical or scientific software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Office suite software

Opportunity near you

See where this work is growing.

Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.

Selected stateNew York
People doing this work
18,450
Job openings each year
40
Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
2.4%
Compare every available state
State People doing it Job openings each year Expected change
New York 18,450 40 2.4%
California 8,100 810 −9.0%
Florida 7,520 770 −4.6%
Illinois 6,340 630 −10.8%
Texas 5,020 500 −9.1%
Pennsylvania 4,490 460 −6.3%
Washington 3,940 500 19.4%
North Carolina 2,970 310 1.7%
Michigan 2,420 240 −10.7%
Ohio 2,390 230 −17.6%
Georgia 2,340 230 −12.0%
New Jersey 2,190 220 −9.1%
Virginia 1,930 190 −8.5%
Minnesota 1,780 180 −7.8%
Tennessee 1,770 190 2.3%
South Carolina 1,730 190 4.2%
Missouri 1,680 170 −5.1%
Colorado 1,660 170 −4.6%
Arizona 1,610 170 −1.2%
Alabama 1,390 140 −7.3%
Indiana 1,360 140 −4.2%
Iowa 1,310 130 −7.1%
Wisconsin 1,240 130 −8.1%
Maryland 1,160 120 −8.7%
Louisiana 1,020 100 −7.3%
Idaho 990 100 —
Arkansas 980 100 −5.8%
Oregon 980 100 −8.4%
Connecticut 890 90 −15.2%
Kentucky 830 80 −12.6%
Oklahoma 830 80 −7.8%
Kansas 800 80 −15.8%
West Virginia 790 80 5.3%
Nebraska 740 80 −3.9%
Puerto Rico 620 60 −1.6%
Utah 620 60 3.3%
Mississippi 570 60 5.6%
Rhode Island 460 50 −6.1%
South Dakota 450 50 −6.3%
Massachusetts 420 40 −8.7%
New Hampshire 390 40 −4.9%
North Dakota 390 40 −9.3%
Montana 360 40 −7.7%
District of Columbia 310 30 −6.1%
Maine 310 30 −11.4%
Nevada 300 30 7.1%
New Mexico 270 30 −3.6%
Delaware 170 20 −26.1%
Wyoming 160 20 −5.9%
Vermont 140 20 —
Alaska 100 10 −16.7%

Career to college

Build a path toward this work.

Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.

CareerAdvertising Sales Agents
Most direct field General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations

Where to study

Colleges with strong activity in these fields.

Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.

NY

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Degrees each year
580
Admit rate
50%
Annual cost after aid
$6,000

Program entryApply after enrollment

Open college TX

Texas A & M University-College Station

Degrees each year
311
Admit rate
63%
Annual cost after aid
$17,000

Program entryDirect to major

Open college WI

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Degrees each year
232
Admit rate
43%
Annual cost after aid
$8,000

Program entryFirst-year program admission

Open college PA

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Degrees each year
229
Admit rate
79%
Annual cost after aid
$20,000

Program entryApply after enrollment

Open college SC

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Degrees each year
147
Admit rate
61%
Annual cost after aid
$20,000

Program entryOpen major

Open college MN

University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degrees each year
105
Admit rate
77%
Annual cost after aid
$10,000

Program entryFirst-year program admission

Open college IN

Purdue University-Main Campus

Degrees each year
94
Admit rate
50%
Annual cost after aid
$9,000

Program entryFirst-year program admission

Open college MN

University of Minnesota-Duluth

Degrees each year
50
Admit rate
82%
Annual cost after aid
$12,000

Program entryApply after enrollment

Open college

Compare every college offering general sales, merchandising and related marketing operations

Keep exploring

Careers with something in common.

Compare paths that use similar training and strengths.

Advertising and Promotions ManagersMarketing ManagersMarket Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsPublic Relations SpecialistsSales ManagersSales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products