ryan
How hard is it to get a marketing job straight out of college
I want to major in business and I want to know how tough it will be for me to enter the work force. #business
3 answers
Brian Downey
Brian’s Answer
Good morning Ryan:
Speaking from my experience in transitioning from college to the work force it was not as difficult as you will face in todays world. However, if you haven't done an internship while you are in college and still have some time before you graduate this would be my first suggestion to you. By doing a summer internship I was able to get experience on my resume and make some contacts. Networking is very beneficial in helping you to land a job. I would suggest joining any type of group you can get into that the college offers or a fraternity. As the more friends and contacts you can make the better chance you will have of meeting someone that either can help you land a job or knows someone to refer you to. Knowing people will help you to land entry level job better in this competitive market in economy we are now. Also, working an internship will give you some experience that you can put on your resume.
If you can do these two things it will at least give you a better chance at landing a job straight out of college. Good luck!
Brittany Clark
Brittany’s Answer
Marketing is a broad field with a lot of different career opportunities out there. Finding ways to narrow your focus in the field and build your experience around your passions can help make you more competitive in the specific field of marketing that you would like to pursue. Internships and/or part-time jobs while you are in school are great ways to gain experience. Networking with campus recruiting or even your local community (family friends, church, school clubs) can help you connect with people who can officially and/or unofficially mentor you and provide more perspective. The more engaged you are, the more opportunities you will have. Sometimes it is just as important to gain experience and rule out aspects you don't like as it is to determine what you do like. I was a Marketing major and found out through experience that my personal preference leaned more towards sales and supply chain aspect of marketing vs. digital marketing that many of my peers got involved in. Everyone is different, and happy people are productive people so it is good to find out what keeps you energized and motivated. It is also important to be flexible and willing to learn. Especially as you are starting out, that flexibility will help you gain experience and perspective so that you can move towards a phase of being more selective on the opportunities you pursue. But first step is to start building that breadth and depth of experience! Good luck!
