I was out with drinks with some Agency friends and we started discussing skills and marketability for the future employment. We all agreed that the days of the traditional advertising agency are numbered. Judging from our admittedly unscientific poll, there seem to be a significant amount of account managers who have spent 5-10 years perpetuating the status quo, some very successfully. They are effective account managers that understand how to move clients forward and get things done. They also have very little or no understanding of the real potential of interactive/new media or experiential/event marketing. Judging from the amount of ads I see for account managers and directors for these emerging technologies, is there value in hiring a seasoned account manager and teaching them the new landscape? Our group argued that client management is a skill that is tough to teach and they have spent their careers learning and adapting to new technology. So here is my question, if you are the hiring manager for one for one of these types of firms, do you consider these people or are you just looking for experience in your discipline. Also how does a seasoned manager acquire these skills to make him or herself more marketable?