Working in the advertising industry has a reputation for glitz and glamour, but the reality is that it is usually a competitive environment, with long hours, tight deadlines and lots of multi-tasking required! That said, if you’re creative, energetic and driven and always up for a challenge, then you’ll probably thrive in the cut-throat – but hugely fun - world of advertising.

There are many different types of advertising jobs available, which require quite contrasting skill sets. These roles broadly fall into two categories: creative and account management.

Creative roles in Advertising

Illustrators, graphic designers and copywriters will be involved in every stage of producing an advertising campaign, from brainstorming the concept through to delivering the final materials.

There will also normally be a production manager, who will oversee the production process and ensure that all deadlines are met.

Advertising Account Management roles

Account Managers and Account Executives oversee the progress and completion of advertising campaigns, maintaining the relationship between an agency and its clients. They also liaise internally with production and artwork teams to ensure everything is running on time and on budget.

In larger organisations, there will often be an in-house role for a media buyer or advertising planner, who will be responsible for managing the company’s advertising budget and plan, deciding how and when advertising should be done.

Typical Advertising Jobs

Creative roles would typically include:

Account Management roles may include:
Key Advertising Job Responsibilities

Advertising covers a broad spectrum of media. You will be involved in creating or managing campaigns involving any number of the following: television, radio, newspapers/magazines, digital, posters and direct mail.

Benefits of Working in the Advertising Industry

Advertising is a fast-paced, dynamic industry to be a part of. If you choose to work on the agency side, then you will have the opportunity to be involved with a wide range of interesting clients and varied campaigns.

This is not an industry for those who like routine – you can never expect two days to be the same in advertising.

If you are naturally creative, then you will no doubt get a buzz from coming up with great ideas and turning them into a slick advertising campaign.

There is a clear career path which means you won’t be stuck in the same role for years on end, and there are many opportunities for promotion and pay increases, as your responsibilities grow.

Working Hours in the Advertising Sector

Advertising jobs are notorious for unpredictable hours, although your contract is likely to state Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.

Be prepared for plenty of (unpaid) overtime, the odd bout of weekend work and more than a few late finishes. If you’re working with a particularly demanding client who has a penchant for last-minute changes to their campaigns, then it’s best not to arrange any early dinner dates.

Roles are normally office-based, but there may be a fair amount of travel involved, as you pitch to prospective clients or visit current clients at their premises.

Advertising Jobs Salary

Starting salaries for entry-level roles in advertising are around £16,000 to £20,000.

However, this tends to rise fairly quickly, once you have proven yourself to be indispensable.

More senior roles in advertising can command exceptional salaries, particularly creative directors who are often on 6-figures – but this does take several years of experience and scores of cracking campaigns, to achieve.