Media Planner Career Guide and Counseling

Question: media planner? What is the best Graduate Program for a Media Planner

Answer: MBA - Media Planning and advertising.-

Question: What other types of jobs would a media planner be qualified for? I have been working in the advertising industry in media planning for 5 years now and it's getting old. I am just not challenged. I am looking to get out of the industy and into a job that hopefully pays more.

Answer: Personal assistance!

Question: is it possible to move from advertising media planner/buyer to creative (copywriter or art director)? I would ideally like to become a creative but I'm problems getting a job in that area. I have been offered a position as an assistant media planner/buyer but I was wondering if (in time) I could transfer to creative advertising? And if so what would I need to do in the meantime to increase my chances to progress into that sector?

Answer: It is possible ! Being "in the industry", you will have seen good (and extremely bad) creative. Work on your portfolio. Doesn't need to be real production work (this is where you might even be doing your best work at first). As for moving to being a AD or CW, you figure this out ASAP. These two positions aren't the same at all and try to get an quick idea of what each does. Being creative is one thing, being able to work in a AD/CW is something else. I recommend this book : "Advertising: How to get the job you want and succeed in it" http://daveholloway.net/

Question: What are the key skills required for an advertising planner or media planner? Also, any ideas on what to wear to an advertising agency Planner job interview? Smart (suit), smart casual (suit with no tie), etc...

Answer: The basic skills... To take a client's brief and translate it into the purchase and siting of advertising... Dependent on what type of agency a planners role can vary significantly. The ones I work with - a planner is more of a market researcher... Understanding the clients needs, combined with an understanding of the consumer means they can turn the brief into a decent creative brief... and in turn that drives decent marketing activity. In other agencies you may just have to find then buy the media and the exposure required to hit a certain audience. Which ever way you look at it, the key skills will be - analytical thinking, strong communication skills, team work and commercial accumen. On the hard skills side you will need to be able to use Excel, ppt etc... As well as being good with software (many agencies have their own media targetting tools)... Oh and lastly any negotiation skills + client facing skills would be a real bonus. Given that the agency is an advertising agency (assuming that it's full service creative type) you will need to come across as approachable and fun but professional at the same time. As with all interviews - turn up in a smart suit and tie... unless they tell you differently... Even the most down to earth agencies would still expect you to turn up in "Business attire" GOOD LUCK!!!

Question: What degee will be good for both Public Relations and Media Planner? I'm not sure of which career I want to persue. I was thinking of a Communications degree w/ concentrations on Public Relations and a minor in Advertisng.

Answer: those sound good to me. but what do i know?

Question: What is the difference between a Media Buyer and a Media Planner?

Answer: A Media Buyer's sole responsibility and/or function is to buy media space, negotiate for the same and make payments for the same. However, a Media Planner has a range of duties like selecting the media , choosing the media option or media vehicle , deciding on the channel , publication , location , timing and even scheduling of the communication. Lastly, he also deals with media buying once the plan is freezed.

Question: What are some basic interview questions for an assistant media planner position?

Answer: WHAT TYPE OF JOB ARE YOU SEEKING? Response- Give information related to the industry, company, or type of job to show that you have definite immediate objectives and well-thought-out, long-range plans. NEVER say you “just need a job,� or that you “will do anything.� WHY DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT LIKE TO WORK FOR ME? Response- Indicate that you know the organization and its reputation, that you have long-range goals, and that there is a match between you and the organization. Show that you make logical decisions and plan your future carefully. DO NOT use simple generalizations (good company, treat employees well, valuable experience, etc.). NEVER say that their organization has the highest salaries in the area. WHY DO YOU PLAN TO LEAVE YOUR PRESENT JOB? Response- You want an opportunity to perform, learn, and develop. You desire more responsibility and high salary potential. NEVER tell personal or emotional problems to answer this question. TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF. Response- Indicate only your experience, accomplishments, and skills relevant to the job you are seeking. DO NOT make the mistake of giving your entire life history. WHAT KIND OF SALARY DO YOU EXPECT TO RECEIVE? Response- Until you have a clear understanding of the job, do not offer a figure. Ask for time to mutually explore the position and your qualifications. Quoting a low figure can mean many years of work to reach the proper salary level or having the organization say it wants a person with a little more experience. Try to determine salary ranges for the position you want BEFORE the interview. Career Development staff, individuals working in the field, or library resources can help you in this determination. Indicate that you would consider a reasonable offer consistent with the area's cost of living and your responsibility and authority. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF YOUR PRESENT BOSS OR CO-WORKERS? Response- Indicate the nature and responsibility of your work. Answer objectively and avoid personal opinions-be positive. Do not knock others. WHAT ARE YOUR GREATEST STRENGTHS? Response- Provide work-related strengths and give examples of your success in previous work, school, or community activities. Broad, general statements (hard worker, good education, willingness to learn, good rapport with people, etc.) are not as helpful as specific examples. WHAT ARE YOUR CHIEF LIABILITIES? Response- Everyone has at least one liability; you may have several. Be aware of your weaknesses, mention a few, but definitely follow each weakness with a positive statement about what you have done or plan to do to overcome the liability. You may want to mention a liability you had several years ago but have successfully corrected. AVOID unsolved weaknesses. WITH WHICH OTHER COMPANIES DO YOU PLAN TO INTERVIEW? Response- This appears to be an innocent question but it is really a probing and loaded question. If you have definite job objectives and future plans this is an easy question to answer. Related organizations have similar products or services and similar interests. Thus they need people of similar skills. Avoid mentioning organizations in unrelated fields unless the positions you are investigating are closely related. WHAT IS THE TOUGHEST SITUATION YOU HAVE FACED? Response- Think ahead of time about your biggest challenges and how you rose to meet them. Perhaps it was financing 100% of your education. Maybe it was maintaining a 3.0 GPA while working 20 hours a week and being an officer of a campus organization. Another example is a door-to-door sales job you had one summer. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS? Response- Try to show logically that the job you are seeking is related to your future objectives. Organizations try to hire employees who will stay with them in order to reduce turnover and hiring/training costs. NEVER give the idea that this job is a short-term commitment.

Question: What exactly does a "media planner" do? What are the qualifications?

Answer: He plans the media compaign for the organizations and how the organization will allocate resources to deal and use the media to promote their product and service.

Question: what is a good slogan for media planner student council? ok im running for student council and i need a slogan. my names shelby or sweeney whatever and im running for media so if anyone could help that would be great

Answer: Hi! We just had our election on Friday. One of the Canidate's poster had a black and white picture of her, and a milk mustache edited on (you can do this with paint on your computer) and Got {her name}?. it was really funny. (I didn't vote for her though, she's mean)

Question: Can someone tell me what media planners do? Can someone tell me about the job career of a media planner? What exactly do they do? Do they get paid much? Do you need a specific degree to land a job in this career? Is this a good job to get into?

Answer: I'm a media buyer, yet I know what a media planner is. I would be directed by a planner. The media planner determines where an advertiser should spend their advertising budget, whether that be TV, Radio, Print, etc. It's not as simple as just deciding which medium, but a statistical job. It's the planners position to determine how much of the budget should be placed within each medium based on numbers and facts. I had a degree in marketing management, which I feel is very applicable to my position. A lot of universities offer advertising degrees where as some only offer marketing degrees. Both are sufficient. You can anticipate a salary between $50k-$90k. I personally think media buyer is more fun. I get to talk to people all over the country negotiate a price and strategically place their advertisements in programs that are where our target audience are watching.