• Contact Us
  • Sign In
  • Register

Mediabistro

Creative Jobs - Careers for Graphic Designers, Copywriters, Social Media Managers, Proof Readers and More.
A Recruiter.com Career Community
Post Jobs
  • Find a Creative Job
    • View All Creative Jobs
    • Hot Jobs
    • Featured Companies
    • Create Job Alerts
  • Membership
    • Overview
    • Browse Courses
    • How to Pitch
    • Mastheads & Editorial Calendars
    • FAQ
  • Resources
    • Resume Writing Services
    • Articles
    • Freelance Services
  • For Employers
    • Hire Top Creative Talent
    • Build Your Employer Brand
    • Browse Freelance Profiles
Share

What Does an Account Manager Do?

Find a Job

  • View All Creative Jobs
  • Featured Companies
  • Create Job Alerts
  • Resume Writing Services

Membership

  • Overview
  • Browse Courses
  • FAQ

Content

  • How to Pitch
  • Mastheads & Editorial Calendars
  • Articles

Freelancers

  • Freelance Services
  • Browse Freelance Profiles

Account Info

  • Sign In/Register
  • FAQ & Support

Sign Up for Email Alerts

Stay ahead of the competition with daily career tips, hot jobs, & exclusive discounts
Thank you for signing up

Your Browser Is Out of Date :(

Some sections of this website won’t display properly in your browser.
For the best experience, please update to one of the newer options below.

Chrome

Firefox

Skills & Expertise

What Does an Account Manager Do?

In this sales role, you're the liaison between an agency and its clients

By Jenell Talley
Jenell Talley is a freelance writer living in the Washington D.C. area.
By Jenell Talley
Jenell Talley is a freelance writer living in the Washington D.C. area.
Share
account manager job description

Part salesperson, part customer-service rep, an account manager is all about doing whatever it takes to get the job done. If putting a smile on someone else’s face tickles your fancy, this may be the job for you. Read on to be sure.

What exactly does an account manager do?

An account manager is the liaison between an agency and its clients. She oversees the agency-client relationship, determining clients’ needs—what they’re looking to achieve short-term and long-term—and ensuring the agency delivers.

Also on Mediabistro

Avoid job ad scams
How to Know If That Job Posting Is a Scam
Franny Goldberg
How I Kicked Off My Career as a Social Media Manager

The primary responsibilities of account managers are to foster client relationships; work with sales and marketing teams to prepare presentations and sales pitches; design marketing strategies and media proposals; handle client communications and write client reports; and communicate client agendas to other staff members.

Monitoring budgets, spending and revenue, and explaining cost factors to clients are also part of the gig.

Some account managers are responsible for identifying new clients and potential business opportunities as well as upselling products and services.  

As senior publicist at Three Girls Media, a public relations and social media management agency in Yelm, Washington, Beth Adan’s day consists of making sure the firm’s clients are happy campers.

Check out open account manager positions and other marketing jobs on Mediabistro’s job board.

“I am responsible for making sure clients’ needs are met and their voices are heard while coordinating with others and fulfilling the contractual day-to-day duties we’ve been hired to perform,” says Adan, whose position includes account manager duties.

What skills are required?

An account manager should be a proactive self-starter who understands business in general, says Dave Di Maggio, president of Aqua Marketing & Communications, based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

He should also be a keen observer of society and trends, specifically among clients’ target audience, and possess financial management skills, adds Dave, who heads up several of the company’s accounts.  

Availability is crucial, says Adan. That includes evenings and weekends. “While your work-life balance is important, being available and timely with your communication is essential for building trust and keeping [a client’s] account up to date,” she says.

Attention to detail is also important. Being meticulous can help you avoid missing pieces of information vital to telling a client’s story or misinterpreting what a client wants.

“The simple mistake of incorrectly translating Eastern Time to Pacific can make or break a deal for your client,” says Adan.

Who is an account manager’s boss?

In larger firms, an account manager typically reports to an account supervisor or vp of client services and supervises the account executives assisting her.

Are there other titles with similar responsibilities?

Depending on the company you work for, a publicist is a similar role, though the jobs aren’t interchangeable.

“As a publicist, I am an account manager, but not all account managers are publicists,” says Adan.

What do I need to get ahead in this position?

“Those with strong interpersonal skills—empathy, emotional intelligence, verbal skills, flexibility—tend to go far, even making up for having less strength in other skills,” says Di Maggio. People want to do business with people they like, he adds.

How can I get my foot in the door?

Adan recommends having a strong personal brand. Strengthen your social media presence, personal website and professional profiles to show potential employers how well you can manage the public view of yourself in order to successfully represent a client.

“A college degree is a must,” says Di Maggio. One in public relations, advertising, marketing or communications could give your career the jump-start it needs.

And don’t thumb your nose at working for pennies—or free. Internships can turn into full-time jobs.

Like what you’re reading? Sign up to get our best career advice and job search tips.

Thank you for signing up

Share link:

Topics:

Climb the Ladder, Skills & Expertise

Featured Jobs

SEO Commerce Writer/Editor
E! News/NBCUniversal
Los Angeles, CA USA

Food and Grocery News Writer - Mashed.com
Static Media
Remote

Subject Commissioning Editor
IOP Publishing Inc
Remote, Work from USA

Home Design and Lifestyle News Writer - HouseDigest.com
Static Media
Remote

Editor Engagement Manager
IOP Publishing Inc
Remote, Work from USA

All Jobs »

More from Mediabistro

Skills & Expertise
young employee meeting with his mentor in office

Why You Need a Mentor, and How to Land One

Skills & Expertise
community manager and team sitting around a table

What Does a Community Manager Do?

Skills & Expertise
content strategist working with content team

How to Break Into Content Strategy

Skills & Expertise
seo written on paper

What Every Media Professional Needs to Know About SEO

EMPLOYERS

  • Post your Jobs
  • Hire Top Creative Talent
  • Employer Branding Services

JOB SEEKERS

  • Find a Creative Job
  • MB Unlimited
  • Resume Writing Services
  • Freelancer Resources

TRENDING MEDIA JOBS

  • Graphic Design Jobs
  • Copywriter Jobs
  • Editorial Jobs
  • Proofreader Jobs
  • Account Manager Jobs
  • Brand Manager Jobs
  • Community Manager Jobs
  • Producer Jobs
  • Advertising Jobs
  • Public Relations Jobs
  • Creative Director Jobs

POPULAR CREATIVE JOBS

  • Communications Manager Jobs
  • Content Strategist Jobs
  • Events Coordinator Jobs
  • Technical Writer Jobs
  • Publicist Jobs
  • SEO Specialist Jobs
  • Marketing Jobs
  • Social Media Jobs
  • Publishing Jobs
  • Photographer Jobs
  • Writer Jobs

COMPANY

  • About
  • Contact

FOLLOW US

RECRUITER.COM CAREER COMMUNITIES

Recruiter Jobs
Need professional help hiring top media and creative talent? Get matched with our expert On-Demand recruiters at Recruiter.com, or subscribe to our recruiting software to get a steady stream of candidates. Speak to one of our recruiting experts today.
    Copyright © 2023 Mediabistro, a Recruiter.com Career Community made-in-ny
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy