Over the last few days, we have heard some great jobs news for our region.

1500 new jobs to be created at Toyota in Burnaston and another 300 jobs to be created at Nestle, Tutbury!

Click on the links above for the full story.

Looking for media jobs in sales can be a tricky proposition in itself, but attempting to do so during a financial downturn is another story. Newspapers in particular have struggled during the recent recession, with slashed profits and industry-wide cutbacks the by-products of a sluggish economy. Some may be forgiven for thinking the media sales world is, like Springsteen’s lyric, ‘jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive’. Surely then, there are few jobs now worth finding now in this market, right?

Wrong. Traditional and especially digital sales now encompass multiple platforms, while the growth of social media has made advertising space - well-located, prime, coveted ad space - more in-demand than ever before. Social media, in simple terms, has knocked down barriers between companies and consumers. But how do you get those open-eyed consumers to dispense with their hard-earned money? Media sales is an important go-between when it comes to finalising the transaction.

So the jobs are there, in some form or another, but what sort of person do you need to be to obtain one? Like most sales jobs, media sales requires its proponents to be proactive, confident, outgoing and to possess the sort of firebrand charisma that’ll render hard-shelled clients as putty in your hands. Selling advertising space is, after all, the goal; you will be judged on the amount of revenue you generate.

Sales candidates for media careers may also be expected to cold-call potential customers, cutting through the bureaucratic and labyrinthine processes of organisations to source the decision-makers and money-men capable of buying up prime advertising real estate. As well as sweet-talking such figures, you’ll be expected to pander to customers - ensuring their needs are met and their queries addressed.

Typical sales acumen is also required, such as negotiating prices, and describing the benefits of your commodity (in this case, advertising space) using stats and usage data. Interpersonal and communicative skills, meanwhile, are intrinsic to the field.

For graduate there are many different media sales programmes available. Those who invest their efforts into finding a media sales job can be rewarded handsomely. While the typical salary for such roles is between £15k and £18k, you can ascend quickly, depending on the size of the company. Generous commission packages also tend to push your salary up, incentivising staff to go the extra mile.

Whether or not your media careers are going to be lucrative is really up to you. Media sales isn’t for everyone, but if it’s for you, the chances are you’ll already know it.

The truth about working in marketing

When people imagine a career in marketing, they imagine the glamorous parties, working lunches with clients and mingling with celebrities endorsing the product. Shows like Mad Men and The Hour show a career in marketing to be exciting and dramatic – but is that really what marketing jobs in 2011 are like? Find out the truth below!

1. A job in marketing is all about client lunches – FALSE
Working in marketing does mean some meetings with clients – especially at the beginning of a client relationship, when it’s a great opportunity to get to know one another in a neutral setting. However, the important part of a client relationship comes once you already know each other, and the best relationships come through hard work and working behind the scenes to make sure that each client’s goes away happy! Account managers are the people most likely to be taking clients out for a working lunch, so if you are looking for a job where you can flatter your clients, this may be the position for you.

2. If you work in marketing, you should be prepared to work long hours – TRUE
Whilst this isn’t always the case, you should expect to work some overtime in a marketing position – when a campaign is close to launch, everyone in the team will be working round the clock to ensure that everything is perfect. However, think less about men in snappy suits and stressed secretaries, and more like frayed tempers and frequent trips to the coffee machine...

3. Everyone dresses in smart suits and sexy dresses – FALSE
A job in marketing does not mean getting dressed up in 1950’s style dresses and snappy suits – in fact, quite often the opposite! Marketing creative’s are notoriously casual, and unless a client meeting is on the cards, account managers aren’t likely to be dressed up to the nines either... So if you’re looking for a job filled with high fashion, marketing may not be for you.

4. Winning an account means a massive celebration – FALSE
One of the most satisfying parts of a job in advertising is the pride you feel when you win a new account – as well as having new clients to work with; it also shows that other people believe in you and your agency! However, the huge celebrations seen on shows like Mad Men aren’t common – most people are far too aware that they have to be in work the next morning!

5. A job in marketing is perfect for those who are both creative and communicators – TRUE
If you’re the type of person who can think outside of the box and explain your ideas, if you can come up with bespoke solutions and make other people believe in them, if you can talk to one person and still make sure the message gets out to many – then you’ll flourish in a marketing position! Working in marketing can be difficult – but it’s also so rewarding!