6 scintillating qualities successful account managers possess

Passionate, hardworking account managers are the heart and soul of any high-performing public relations agency.

Traditionally, public relations agency account managers were held in these support roles for up to a year before transitioning into a predominantly client-facing capacity. Those support functions, however, are largely being replaced or streamlined with technology and outsourcing, and this shift is changing the roles and responsibilities of account managers at all levels, particularly entry-level, in that they are now expected to be client and media-facing right out of the gate.

Additionally, during this period of high unemployment, these career opportunities are as competitive as they’ve been since the Great Recession. With heightened expectations and competition, today’s account managers need to step up their game in a big way. The best account managers will have to develop and display these six crucial qualities:

In this business, the best account managers are those who would rather ask for forgiveness than ask for permission. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re the type to deliberately break rules or undermine direct orders. It means they have the confidence and judgement to make autonomous decisions rather than slowing things down by trying to delegate accountability.