Advertising account planner : Training

Training varies from agency to agency, but graduate recruits are most often taken into the account management department for their initial training period, which will provide the broadest view of the different functions of the various departments involved in the advertising cycle. Training will be mainly on the job and time may be spent gaining experience and insight into agency work before you take on a client portfolio. Some agencies provide mentoring support through a more experienced colleague during the training period.

After this initial training period, you will move into account planning and receive further training in areas such as:

• managing information sources and data (quantitative and qualitative research);
• core research methodologies to follow a brand's performance and relationship with external factors, and using these to identify new strategies;
• creative empathy in order to be able to translate analytical data into a basis for creatives to develop advertising;
• communication and presentation skills, for use with colleagues, clients and research groups.

The Account Planning Group  runs a programme of courses, appropriate to your level of experience, on a range of subjects such as:

• inspirational brainstorming; 
• planning for integration and behaviour change; 
• strategy;
• media evaluation;
• qualitative and quantitative research; 
• writing and creative briefing.

Because of the fast-moving nature of the industry, training continues with career development. The Continuous Professional Development Accreditation Standard (CPD in Advertising) run by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA)  provides for ongoing training and the IPA runs a seven-stage training programme to meet the needs of key stages during an advertising career. Courses are also offered on advertising issues in addition to seminars on areas such as emerging technologies.