To get into Media Planning, an MBA with specialization in Marketing is the best option. There are a few people in the profession with background in Statistics, Mathematics and Quantitative Economics, but an MBA gives an overall edge. A post graduation in Communication or Advertising also helps.

You may get a job in:

*Advertising agencies

*Creative Consultants

*Companies specializing in media planning, buying and selling.

*Advertisement department of media companies

*Advertising and media departments of large corporate organisations

In one of these companies, you can get an entry-level job as a Management Trainee/ Executive Trainee.

If you are an MBA/ Post graduate in Communication/ Advertising from a reputed institute, as a management/executive trainee you will get about Rs 15,000 30,000 or more per month in the beginning. If you are not from a premier institute, you may get anything between Rs 8,000 12,000 a month in the beginning.

After 3-5 years of experience, depending on your performance, you may become a senior media executive. You will have opportunities to move into account planning in an advertising agency. If you perform well, it wont take long to head the media planning functions in a company. In 8-10 years time, you can become a Media Director/Vice President.