Sales & marketing

You can get into this job through:

• a university course
• a college course
• an apprenticeship
• working towards this role
• specialist courses run by professional bodies

University

You can get into advertising with a degree in any subject.

Some employers may prefer it if you have a degree in a subject like:

• advertising and marketing
• statistics or operational research
• communication and media studies
• business or management
• psychology

With your degree you can apply for graduate training schemes in advertising companies.

Work experience during university

Employers value work experience so it's important to get as much as you can during your studies.

Your university careers service can help you find work experience, internship and placement opportunities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

For more information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
• university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

College

There is no set route to become an advertising account executive.

You might find it useful to do a Foundation Certificate in Professional Marketing.

Apprenticeship

You may be able to get into this job by doing an advertising and media executive advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

For more information

• equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
• guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Work

You might be able to start in a junior position at a small advertising agency in a position like admin assistant.

You can then work your way up as your experience in advertising grows.

Volunteering and work experience

Experience will help you understand advertising and allow you to meet new people who may help you find paid work.

You could try:

• work experience
• internships
• temporary jobs

You could contact agencies directly to ask about volunteering opportunities. You could also make contacts on social media channels like LinkedIn.

Other routes

You could take the advertising Foundation Certificate to get some of the skills you need to get a paid job in advertising.

The course is offered by by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and is open to anyone with less than one year of experience in an advertising, marketing or communications role.

More information

Career tips

It's a good idea to have a presence on social networking sites. You could also show your creative and communication skills to employers through your own blog or website.

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising to find training opportunities and make industry contacts.

Further information

You can find out more about a career in advertising from the [Institute of Practitioners in Advertising | https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/careers-in-advertising/ ].

View all vacancies in this region

With experience, you could:get a job as an advertising account manager; become an advertising director; set up your own advertising agency

You can find out more about a career in advertising from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising.