What made you want to work in marketing for a computer software company?

i love working in product marketing for a security software company. First of all the industry is very dynamic and always changing and evolving. That gives an opportunity to learn and grow throughout your career. I actually came into the industry in a very serendipitous way. My background is actually language, with a BA in Spanish. I started in a software company in a temp job, in fact, in marketing and that grew into a long career in the software industry supporting Latin America. It was the perfect fit for me and completely satisfying. With my passion for the region and languages, I've been able to make unique contributions to the success of the different companies I've been with. The software industry offers a broad set of opportunities that can leverage many strengths. I highly recommend it.

technology is changing the world and computers is playing the most important role in this. Marketing means to make people trust and believe tech in this ever changing world. And this helps one to think - can u change the world ?

Strangely ... I didn't plan to work for a computer or software company, but I did enjoy the process of engaging customers through relevant and interesting ways. My background was more rooted in "process" vs. technology and it just so happened that there was a nice intersection between process, marketing and "demand generation."

I eventually became very passionate about the pursuit of "demand/revenue outcomes" - more simply - making certain that marketing investments contributed to company revenue outcomes and/or growth (in measurable ways).

That interest opened up many possibilities in the areas of marketing automation, marketing operations, data and analytics...all of which can be fascinating areas of business which ties directly to the success of a marketing organization or company.

It's important to believe in the company mission or at least the value proposition of the product. But more than that, I think you need to enjoy the work, even if you don't respect the company.

A friend is very concerned about her company leadership's lack of vision but she loves what she does. I recommended that she look for ways to add capabilities to her skill set that she could leverage in her next job.

"Marketing" is a tricky word in my business. For some, marketing is the definition and delivery of new products; for others, marketing is merely keyword advertising and sales support. So it's important to understand the role marketing plays in companies you're interested in pursuing. I majored in marketing in university but my first job was a computer programmer. I didn't land a true marketing job for 8 years after graduation. And I think that worked out fine for me, as I learned a great deal about how companies work in my other roles that made me a better marketer.

In the ideal world, you want to have a mission of your own and find a company that supports it. For many, this doesn't occur in the first or second jobs--you generally have to work a while before you're even sure what you're seeking.

In my career, I've been a programmer, a sales rep, and a product manager. I then moved up the ranks to VP of Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer. Nowadays I have channeled my experience into consulting, working with technology teams to deliver better products to market: this role allows me to use all my life experiences.

Hi Anne, key thing for having the right role is an industry where you can grow. In IT it is today Cloud, Security or IOT.
If I would start a career also the brand of the company is key to get a great reference.
What ever you decide, yes your passion, willingness to learn and change is key.

Good luck !

Anne,
marketing is a very important field in technology companies. The technology is evolving very fast and good marketers are needed to communicate the value of the technology to the end users. Being passionate about what the company mission would be key to be a successful marketer. Believing in the mission and vision of the company will enable you to create better marketing programs and to be successful in your career. At Symantec, we work to make online interactions secure. With all the cyber attacks out there I tend to see what we do as protecting the good people from the bad guys. That gives me a strong sense of purpose and I believe this gets me excited about the products and services we bring to the market. I hope you find an industry you feel passionate about and can develop your career as as a marketer.

If you have a passion to share what you believe something that will do the good things with others, you will enjoy in the marketing field. Marketing is a function that helps people to learn and understand how a product or service work. Think of you as a "teacher" and letting people know what you believe in something that will really work and help make the world better. In the computer software industry, products and services are constantly coming up with new ideas and new features. Marketing plays an important role in helping a company to not only "spread the words" of the new product or features, but also to show why our products are better than the others. Marketers are good story tellers, and I enjoyed seeing the results from all the work and efforts we put in from all the different channels that touched the consumers. It is a field that you have to keep up with innovations and keep learning new things. I enjoyed it because I love sharing good with things with others, and that is my passion!

Coming out of college (91) I wasn't sure what i wanted to do with my degree. I searched for a while, interviewed a number of times, and ended up talking to a small company in the IT software space. i have never doubted the decision, but couldn't have identified exactly what it was that drew me to the company. it was more about the people, the energy, and the opportunity to be in a diverse field with alot of growth.

Software can truly change peoples lives, the way we interact with each other and get things done. I have now had the fortune to work for both Microsoft and Symantec - 2 very dynamic companies that have a high pace. I love working in an international environment, getting to meet and connect to others around the globe. I think the company mission matters and for me it also means a lot when the company engages in corporate social responsibilities and gives back to the community and country they operate in.

I chose the tech industry because I feel good about the products and services at my company. I didn't want to market products that I didn't believe in or see a need for - or that didn't help people. The industry is constantly changing and growing and that keeps things interesting. There are constant developments in our products which keeps things exciting!

Regardless of whether hardware or software company, you need to believe in the company mission (why they exist). For me, I chose consumer software marketing because it is really how people use the hardware to help improve their everyday lives. Software is what can create the experience - and people remember experiences.

I chose marketing at a software company since I have a software technical background. I agree that it certainly helps to feel passionate about what you're marketing since you'll want to create that same passion in your customers. Also much of what I do in my job is technical or quantitative so it helps to have some technical background if you choose to go into this field.

Hi Anne,

Finding your passion in marketing can be exciting, especially in high tech, you have the opportunity to share the companies story as well as the customers who purchase your products. Living in Silicon Valley there are so many opportunities in high tech it just depends what type of industry or products you think are interesting. My specific role is Customer Reference, this is a very specific focus in marketing where I tell our customer's story about why our products are important to them and how it helps their company. Every day is a different day for me. I work closely with sales, product marketing, executives, other marketing colleagues and of course our customers. I encourage you to intern if at all possible, this should help give you a better idea if you would like marketing in high tech. I would also suggest becoming a marketing generalist unless you have a specific passion for an area in marketing already.

Good luck!