Media sales is still a great place to forge a career

by Steve Barrett Media Week 09-Jan-07

Media is one of the most exciting industries in which to work.

But given that it is such an attractive environment, it is incumbent on the sector to promote the opportunities for development available within it and promote commercial media as a great place to forge a career - not as the "last resort of scoundrels" who can't get a job elsewhere. (Actually, Dr Johnson was referring to politicians when he said that, but if you look at the Truth In Ad Sales video doing the rounds on YouTube, you'll see what I mean.)

By promoting media as a career choice, the sector will entice more and more of the most capable people to join the industry and, ultimately, raise the quality of the services and work offered to clients.

The buying and selling of media space has evolved significantly in line with the seismic changes that are taking place in media. But as this week's feature on careers shows (page 25), there are some immutable truths that remain constant.

Our industry experts are all quick to emphasise that the business of media sales is about much more than dialling hundreds of phone numbers and reciting a script down the phone. It's about understanding clients' businesses and building relationships based on respect and trust. Although, as ZenithOptimedia's Chris Hayward points out, a thick skin comes in useful as well - especially in TV trading.

It is also a fun industry in which to work, built on relationships often forged in some of the places profiled in Media Week's frighteningly useful FHM 100 Media Doors supplement that is enclosed with this week's issue.

A survey conducted by FHM to accompany the 2007 guide showed that the UK media industry consumes one million bottles of wine every week, with an average lunch lasting three hours and costing £117. Although more than one in four of you diehards still manage to make lunch stretch across half a normal working day. Good work - you know who you are ...

But if there is one serious objective that everyone in the sector should sign up to in 2007, it should be to shout from the rooftops about what a great industry this is to work in and to highlight the opportunities available for the brightest and best brains that our schools and universities produce.

- Steve Barrett is editor of Media Week, steve.barrett@haymarket.com.