The traits for Marketing Consultants/Sales Account Executives are individuals who are highly motivated,
have a curiosity about them, are empathetic, can relate well to people and pick up on
social cues, such as when a prospective client just wants them out of their office, or when
it’s time to stop talking and just listen.

Real go-getters who conduct business with high degrees of integrity are also sought
after, and more and more companies are using psychological personality tests to
separate the winners from the losers.

Is a college degree a deal-breaker here? Not necessarily. Some AE jobs just require a
high school diploma or the equivalent, but a college degree does indicate a certain
amount of determination, ambition and goal-setting abilities. There are companies today
who are looking much more closely at college SAT scores as a means of sifting through
the competition.

AEs sell the station’s available commercial time. They are expected to keep current
clients happy and generate new business leads that are quickly converted into sales.
Many write commercial copy for clients without ad agencies. They are responsible for
preparing and submitting proposals, broadcast orders, remote orders and other
paperwork essential to the effective operation of this department and must be adept at
basic mathematical calculations for rate-setting and be skilled in such computer programs
as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Interaction with other departments is essential, especially to ensure the accurate
placement of advertising. The ability to get a client to pay up – on time? Priceless.