• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 10, 2009

The Interactive Advertising Bureau has begun a certificate program in interactive advertising that awards an education credential after 40 hours of training by the IAB or one of its approved partners.

The program geared to industry professional starts this month with classes covering marketing via social media and networks and operations for account execs. The other four of the six spring classes beginning in April will focus on managing multiple sales channels. video game advertising, understanding and using online metrics, and yield management best practices.

"This program is part of our overarching strategy to educate the entire ecosystem on the latest tools and techniques in online advertising, and if you don't know these basic skills, you'll be left out," said Michael Theodore, vice president for member services of the IAB, in a statement Tuesday announcing the certificate program.

Teaching the social media marketing class will be Peter Spande, vice president of sales at Federated Media. The ad ops class will be led by experts from AOL and the Web sites of The New York Times and Univision.

Each class, which meets at the IAB headquarters in New York, count toward earning a certificate. Two-hour classes cost $200 (or $125 for IAB members); four-hour classes are $350 (or $150 for IAB members). For more information visit http://www.iab.net/professional_development.

Meanwhile, executive search firm Stephen-Bradford Search is accepting applications for "Spring Training," a three-day job-hunting school designed for senior-level executives. The sessions provide tools to interview with C-level executives to land the job, as well as teach social network and marketing skills.

Regardless of the skyrocketing layoff statistics, experts suggest opportunities exist for candidates who possess the tools to make their skills known.

Stephen-Bradford Search's classes provide tips on hiring, honing strategic interviewing techniques and optimizing resumes to secure the job. Erika Weinstein, president and cofounder of Stephen-Bradford Search, will hold a session to help attendees bolster self-confidence.

Attendees also will learn interviewing skills with C-level executives, correct questions to ask, answers to provide and ways to follow up after the interview. A four-hour session on the second day will take attendees through steps to tap into technology and social network sites. Led by social media expert and ClickZ columnist Dave Evans, the hands-on workshop will give participants the social media skills to get noticed.