I'm back! Also, Jobs in Ad Tech

It has been awhile since I last posted (2010!) and now it's closing in on 2012. 3 jobs later, my focus for this blog will be mainly in start-ups and technology, of course, in addition to all the other topics that I wrote about before.

What does it mean to find a job in ad tech? Well first, we must answer what is ad tech. The #1 thing to know is that it's booming. Traditional media (print, OOH, even television) is dying. So what does that leave? The limitless world of the web.

Year after year, article after article comes out touting that digital advertising is vastly outgrowing traditional. In fact, eMarketer predicts that digital ad spending will hit about $40 billion this year.

Fast growth has put online ahead of some traditional media, especially print newspapers and magazines. This year, US online ad spending will exceed the total spent on print magazines and newspapers for the first time, at $39.5 billion vs. $33.8 billion. And as online shoots up, the print total will continue to inch downward. -eMarketer, January 19, 2012

This insane growth in digital advertising is big opportunity, particularly with the massive research initiatives around proving its effectiveness, understanding Big Data, and seeking new insights into how to best reach consumers.

So what positions are in demand for ad tech? The #1 field of expertise needed is in BIG DATA. Back in 2011 (last year), we kept saying "2011 is the year of Big Data," but 2012 has seen an explosion of the Big Data trend including a multitude of research, news articles, and editorial pieces.

So where do you go to find hot jobs in ad tech?  Good question. Look for companies in the display, rich media, video, interactive spaces. But in addition, third-party data providers/platforms, ad networks, analytics providers, etc.

Resources to learn more about ad tech:

• AdExchanger Resources A great list of must-read articles for anyone in ad tech or interested in ad tech. 
• ClickZ Marketing News and Expert Advice 
• Digiday 
• Adweek 
• Ad Age 
• All Things Digital The best gossip rag for digital media 
• Lies, Damned Lies Dated, but still useful 101's on Ad Tech

Related articles:

• Landing a Job at an Ad Tech Start-Up (via)
• The 100 Question Test You Have to Pass to Work in Sales at One Ad Tech Company (via)