Starting out in Account Management

New to the team, Richard, tells us what it's like starting out as an Account Management intern and gives some helpful tips for anyone starting out in the industry.

Jumping straight into Account Management could have been quite daunting, however with an experienced and relaxed team around me it has been a great learning experience. At University I studied English Literature and Journalism so ruled out any job in the realms of advertising, however, Account Management lets you dive into the creative sector as well as managing clients and pitching ideas.

Although I am still fairly new in this fast moving job, I have put together 10 things that an Account Executive intern should do:

1. Be pro-active – Take the plunge and jump into tasks that you may think you can’t do. As long as you listen, take notes and communicate, the task is always doable.
2. Be organised – With the Account Managers looking after so many clients, there are little (but important) jobs that need to be done. It helps to be organised and work out which jobs are more urgent.
3. Communicate - It helps to communicate any worries or questions about a job before guessing. If the work you’re doing is wrong it not only slows you down, but the team around you.
4. Listen – When the Digital Director asks you for no sugar in his ‘Lady Grey’ (Don’t ask), don’t upset him by putting a spot of sugar in. Listening also applies to more important jobs, clients want detail, and details come from listening.
5. Presentation – I was lucky enough to go to a client meeting in the first few weeks of starting, and it really helped to be presentable and smart as you’re representing not only yourself but also the company. I just hope I didn’t outshine my colleague too much.
6. Say yes – Don’t turn down any opportunities to get involved, even if it’s just a small five minute phone call to a client, it’s all good practice. This may result in fetching a lot of cappuccinos, but just enjoy the fresh air.
7. Be thorough – You’re not at University now, you can’t rush jobs and head to the pub, not even on a Friday. Research and proof reading are very important to the company and the outcome of certain jobs, so it pays to make sure you’re covering every point.
8. Work as a team – Being an intern and watching my colleagues, it’s very clear that this isn’t an individual job. Advice is always on hand if you need it and you’re not getting in anybody’s way if you need a helping hand on a job. Unless you’ve just beaten the Account Manager at golf, then you should probably take a back seat for a while.
9. Timing – You can easily spend too long on a task therefore you need to make sure you set yourself targets.
10. Naming – Make sure you express early what you want to be called otherwise you’ll end up being 6’2 and being known as ‘Little Richard’.

Overall, as an account service intern you need to get stuck in and be ready to take a lot on board. I’ve enjoyed every bit of work I’ve been given, and I look forward to the upcoming responsibilities.