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I am beginning to explore different career paths for the future, and I am interested in learning more about marketing. What should I know?
I am great with communication and enjoy working with others! Marketing sounds interesting and I would love to learn more about it. #marketing #career-path #communication #social-work
12 answers
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Depending on the role Isolena, marketing careers can require specific industry knowledge such as consumer behavior, sales, market research, competitor analysis, and creative among others.
SAY GOODBYE TO REGULAR 9 TO 5 HOURS
All too often, inspired marketing is not produced in a traditional working week. Be prepared for long nights, weekends and a whole lot of rejection. The creative work is the heart and soul of any ad agency. It's the product. Which means it has to be great work. It's also subjective, so a great idea to one person is a complete head-scratcher to another. That means that, unlike an accountant, there are no right or wrong answers. You are at the whim of the creative director, who is at the whim of the client.
A career in marketing can take you in several different directions. In a typical marketing job, you will be given a “generic” product and/or service and instructed to associate that product or service with a brand name. The marketing professional’s job is to create, manage, and enhance brands. By performing these tasks fully and properly, you will ensure that consumers look beyond the price and function of a product or service when determining whether or not to buy it.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A SUCCESSFUL MARKETING PROFESSIONAL
CREATIVITY – When it comes to marketing strategies, there are often no right or wrong answers. The best marketers are those who think outside the box and do things as they were not done before. Great marketers are individuals who are not afraid to go out on a limb and experiment with what might even appear to be “crazy” ideas. They are not afraid to fail because when those ideas connect, they know it could be a winning strategy.
ENGERY – The best marketing professionals are also those who light up a room with their ideas, creativity, and pure energy. These are people who are passionate about what they do and aren’t afraid to show it. They come to work bursting with enthusiasm. If you don’t love what you do and can’t wait to go to work every day, then it probably isn’t your thing. This is especially true for marketing.
LISTENING – Good marketing professionals may be enthusiastic and energetic, but they don’t talk all the time. While they are good at expressing themselves, they are even better as listening and observing. They watch people to learn what their habits and expectations are. They know to ask the questions to help draw people out and get to know them.
TEAMWORK – In the end, marketing is not an individual game. It takes teamwork to succeed in your marketing campaign. You will be working with several teams including creative, sales, finance and logistics to successfully sell your product or service. You should be able to work on your own and most importantly, as part of a team in order to succeed as a marketing professional.
Because marketing can be accomplished in several ways, a career in marketing opens many different doors to you as a profession. You might be looking at types of jobs in sports marketing, law firms, luxury brands, clothing, music, or just about any other industry. No matter what type you are interested in pursuing, marketing is a function that is needed in every company in every industry.
Hope this was helpful Isolena
Your career potential is unlimited Isolena, below are some types of marketing jobs to help you prepare for your Marketing Career.
Market Research – In order for a company to capture a market, it must first be able to understand that market.
Brand Management – Brand's essence, mapping out your competitors brand and identify marketing opportunities.
Advertising – Advertisers work with all aspects of marketing from strategy to concept to the execution of the strategy.
Promotions – Creating programs that unite advertising to purchase incentives like: special discounts and rebates.
Public Relations –You must be able to learn quickly what your clients do to communicate their messages effectively.
SAY GOODBYE TO REGULAR 9 TO 5 HOURS
All too often, inspired marketing is not produced in a traditional working week. Be prepared for long nights, weekends and a whole lot of rejection. The creative work is the heart and soul of any ad agency. It's the product. Which means it has to be great work. It's also subjective, so a great idea to one person is a complete head-scratcher to another. That means that, unlike an accountant, there are no right or wrong answers. You are at the whim of the creative director, who is at the whim of the client.
A career in marketing can take you in several different directions. In a typical marketing job, you will be given a “generic” product and/or service and instructed to associate that product or service with a brand name. The marketing professional’s job is to create, manage, and enhance brands. By performing these tasks fully and properly, you will ensure that consumers look beyond the price and function of a product or service when determining whether or not to buy it.
QUALITIES THAT MAKE A SUCCESSFUL MARKETING PROFESSIONAL
CREATIVITY – When it comes to marketing strategies, there are often no right or wrong answers. The best marketers are those who think outside the box and do things as they were not done before. Great marketers are individuals who are not afraid to go out on a limb and experiment with what might even appear to be “crazy” ideas. They are not afraid to fail because when those ideas connect, they know it could be a winning strategy.
ENGERY – The best marketing professionals are also those who light up a room with their ideas, creativity, and pure energy. These are people who are passionate about what they do and aren’t afraid to show it. They come to work bursting with enthusiasm. If you don’t love what you do and can’t wait to go to work every day, then it probably isn’t your thing. This is especially true for marketing.
LISTENING – Good marketing professionals may be enthusiastic and energetic, but they don’t talk all the time. While they are good at expressing themselves, they are even better as listening and observing. They watch people to learn what their habits and expectations are. They know to ask the questions to help draw people out and get to know them.
TEAMWORK – In the end, marketing is not an individual game. It takes teamwork to succeed in your marketing campaign. You will be working with several teams including creative, sales, finance and logistics to successfully sell your product or service. You should be able to work on your own and most importantly, as part of a team in order to succeed as a marketing professional.
Because marketing can be accomplished in several ways, a career in marketing opens many different doors to you as a profession. You might be looking at types of jobs in sports marketing, law firms, luxury brands, clothing, music, or just about any other industry. No matter what type you are interested in pursuing, marketing is a function that is needed in every company in every industry.
Hope this was helpful Isolena
Your career potential is unlimited Isolena, below are some types of marketing jobs to help you prepare for your Marketing Career.
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Thank You Lauren. “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — William Shakespeare
Doc Frick
Your the Best Dexter. If you want to touch the past, touch a rock. If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life.
Doc Frick
Thank you so much, Mr. Frick! This definitely helped me expand my interest in this career, and I appreciate the job recommendations as well.
Isolena
My Pleasure Isolena. If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today.
Doc Frick
Updated
Ereka’s Answer
Quick 1,2,3:
Once you decide what field of marketing (Healthcare, Sports & Entertainment, Agency, Hospitality and Tourism, etc.)
You can determine what sounds like a good fit for your personality (see list below).
Use your resources for training and research; Youtube, Masterclass, Google for certification training.
Good Luck!
Public Relations
Advertising/Media Buyer
Social Media/Digital
Promotions
Branding
Media/Content Planner
Research
Once you decide what field of marketing (Healthcare, Sports & Entertainment, Agency, Hospitality and Tourism, etc.)
You can determine what sounds like a good fit for your personality (see list below).
Use your resources for training and research; Youtube, Masterclass, Google for certification training.
Good Luck!
Public Relations
Advertising/Media Buyer
Social Media/Digital
Promotions
Branding
Media/Content Planner
Research
Thank you, Ereka!
Isolena
Updated
John’s Answer
Hello Isolena:
Marketing can be a great career that involves an understanding of the business and marketing. The 4 p's of marketing include: Price (pricing product), Product (what you are selling), Promotion (how you promote it in terms of demand generation), and Place (how you sell it, which channels and selling routes you take).
Most marketing involves Demand Generation/Promotion and some is more product specific (product marketing roles to position the product).
Digital marketing (on line marketing) is hot right now and will be for years to come and could be worth exploring on your part.
I have run marketing teams in the past and they can involve well rounded people who are business and promotion savvy and are often fun to work with in a corporate or small firm environment. Enjoy....
John
Read some Peter Drucker (author). It is dated but still relevant if you catch the highlights.
Marketing can be a great career that involves an understanding of the business and marketing. The 4 p's of marketing include: Price (pricing product), Product (what you are selling), Promotion (how you promote it in terms of demand generation), and Place (how you sell it, which channels and selling routes you take).
Most marketing involves Demand Generation/Promotion and some is more product specific (product marketing roles to position the product).
Digital marketing (on line marketing) is hot right now and will be for years to come and could be worth exploring on your part.
I have run marketing teams in the past and they can involve well rounded people who are business and promotion savvy and are often fun to work with in a corporate or small firm environment. Enjoy....
John
John recommends the following next steps:
Thank you for the response, Mr. Thompson! I am interested in learning more about this topic!
Isolena
Updated
Jacob’s Answer
Hello Isolena,
Marketing is a phenomenal field however with that said it is very vast. You have a variety of marketing roles ranging from product marketing, brand management, marketing analytics, social media, performance, it could then be argued that depending on what your organization is like customer/consumer insights and research might fall under marketing. The list can go on forever and to be honest, it can be intimidating. But remember just because you start in one field does not mean you can't transition. I have worked in digital marketing, brand, and product. I personally feel that starting in product marketing, performance marketing, or brand gives you a strong foundation and exposes you to a lot. From there, you can decide on different paths. I noticed someone mentioned books from Drucker those are great I also recommend Blue Ocean Strategy and Crossing the Chasm.
Hope this helps,
Jacob
Marketing is a phenomenal field however with that said it is very vast. You have a variety of marketing roles ranging from product marketing, brand management, marketing analytics, social media, performance, it could then be argued that depending on what your organization is like customer/consumer insights and research might fall under marketing. The list can go on forever and to be honest, it can be intimidating. But remember just because you start in one field does not mean you can't transition. I have worked in digital marketing, brand, and product. I personally feel that starting in product marketing, performance marketing, or brand gives you a strong foundation and exposes you to a lot. From there, you can decide on different paths. I noticed someone mentioned books from Drucker those are great I also recommend Blue Ocean Strategy and Crossing the Chasm.
Hope this helps,
Jacob
Thank you Jacob! I appreciate the advice!
Isolena
Updated
crest’s Answer
Hi Isolena,
Others have provided really comprehensive advice here already but I thought maybe jumping in and sharing entry-level marketing roles with you could be helpful. You can research these and try to apply for the ones that best match your strengths. Also, many people in marketing pivot directions at least once if not a few times in their career. So, don't worry about where you start, just get started!
Marketing Communications Associate (since you mentioned you were good at communications)
Content Marketing Associate/Specialist (this is for a person who LOVES to write)
Product Marketing Associate (this is a person with strong business acumen who understands both the product and the marketing)
Marketing Operations Associate (this is for someone that is better with math, tools, systems, and maybe even some coding)
Social Media Specialist (in this role, it's great to be a strong writer and a visual story teller with some ability to edit and design images)
Digital Marketing Associate (this is a catch-all role where you'll learn about email marketing, web marketing, SEO, paid marketing, etc)
Brand Marketing Associate (this is also a catch-all role but different where you'll learn about design, message positioning, developing voice, etc.)
Event Marketing Associate (this is as it sounds, you'll be helping with planning events, trade shows, conferences, etc.)
Others have provided really comprehensive advice here already but I thought maybe jumping in and sharing entry-level marketing roles with you could be helpful. You can research these and try to apply for the ones that best match your strengths. Also, many people in marketing pivot directions at least once if not a few times in their career. So, don't worry about where you start, just get started!
Marketing Communications Associate (since you mentioned you were good at communications)
Content Marketing Associate/Specialist (this is for a person who LOVES to write)
Product Marketing Associate (this is a person with strong business acumen who understands both the product and the marketing)
Marketing Operations Associate (this is for someone that is better with math, tools, systems, and maybe even some coding)
Social Media Specialist (in this role, it's great to be a strong writer and a visual story teller with some ability to edit and design images)
Digital Marketing Associate (this is a catch-all role where you'll learn about email marketing, web marketing, SEO, paid marketing, etc)
Brand Marketing Associate (this is also a catch-all role but different where you'll learn about design, message positioning, developing voice, etc.)
Event Marketing Associate (this is as it sounds, you'll be helping with planning events, trade shows, conferences, etc.)
Updated
Gloria’s Answer
Hi Isolena,
I am not a Marketing person, however, I do have a good friend who got her Master's Degree in International Marketing two years ago. She has not been able to get a marketing job that she feels matches her educational effort. She graduated from an Ivy League school. The challenge here is knowing what you want to do within the realm of marketing. My friend would like to be involved in large company marketing campaigns, the people who create the ads on various media platforms for global companies. That is a competitive niche within the umbrella of Marketing. You should really consider what you want to do with marketing. I have seen marketing majors become sales people, some have done work via social media, and some help to create products and services for business.
Good luck with your further research on Marketing jobs.
I am not a Marketing person, however, I do have a good friend who got her Master's Degree in International Marketing two years ago. She has not been able to get a marketing job that she feels matches her educational effort. She graduated from an Ivy League school. The challenge here is knowing what you want to do within the realm of marketing. My friend would like to be involved in large company marketing campaigns, the people who create the ads on various media platforms for global companies. That is a competitive niche within the umbrella of Marketing. You should really consider what you want to do with marketing. I have seen marketing majors become sales people, some have done work via social media, and some help to create products and services for business.
Good luck with your further research on Marketing jobs.
Updated
Anne’s Answer
Hi Isolena,
I was a Marketing Major in college, and became a Marketing coordinator right after graduating. It was definitely a lot of work: 70+ hours per week, hosting events on weekends, etc. After being in this role for a few years, I decided it wasn't right for me.
I moved into a completely separate profession (in banking/finance), and I learned that Marketing is adaptable to many different careers. What you're learning now will help you understand many different careers and professions, so my advice would be to keep your mind open to different opportunities, because Marketing can be leveraged in many of them.
I was a Marketing Major in college, and became a Marketing coordinator right after graduating. It was definitely a lot of work: 70+ hours per week, hosting events on weekends, etc. After being in this role for a few years, I decided it wasn't right for me.
I moved into a completely separate profession (in banking/finance), and I learned that Marketing is adaptable to many different careers. What you're learning now will help you understand many different careers and professions, so my advice would be to keep your mind open to different opportunities, because Marketing can be leveraged in many of them.
Updated
Henry’s Answer
Marketing is all about differentiation—setting your business or product apart from the crowd. With that in mind, find a way to differentiate yourself and your skills, because (as Crest's list of roles confirms) marketing isn't just one thing. There are strategists, designers, writers, developers, technologists, and so on. It's important to learn marketing basics (and Hubspot has some good resources that can help you understand the big picture stuff and how to get results), but a lot of marketing roles aren't for generalists, they're for specialists. If you're a good writer, hone that skill. If you have a gift for technology or crunching data, level up those abilities. In short, marketing departments need expertise, not just managers or coordinators with fluffy ideas. Make yourself valuable. The best part is that most of these skills, if not all, will translate to other fields if it turns out marketing isn't for you. Hope this is helpful.
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6183
Answers
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Isolena,
Exploring the Realm of Marketing
Marketing is a dynamic and expansive field that revolves around recognizing and fulfilling customer demands by developing, promoting, and delivering products or services. It's a multifaceted discipline that includes activities like market research, product innovation, advertising, sales, and public relations. A marketing career can be both gratifying and demanding, presenting a plethora of opportunities across diverse industries and roles.
Essential Skills for a Successful Marketing Career
Effective Communication
As you've pointed out, Isolena, proficient communication skills are vital in marketing. This means being able to articulate ideas and messages to varied audiences via different mediums, including written, verbal, and visual communication. Equally important is the ability to listen attentively to understand customer needs and feedback.
Inventiveness
Marketing often demands thinking creatively to generate unique ideas for product innovation, branding, and advertising initiatives. Creativity is key to distinguishing yourself from competitors and grabbing potential customers' attention.
Analytical Prowess
Marketing also necessitates analyzing data and trends to make educated decisions about marketing strategies and tactics. Strong analytical skills are needed to decipher data, spot patterns, and formulate conclusions.
Teamwork
Marketing frequently involves collaborating with diverse teams such as product development, sales, and finance. Teamwork skills are crucial to work efficiently with others and accomplish shared objectives.
Diverse Roles within the Marketing Sphere
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers take charge of formulating and implementing marketing strategies to promote products or services. They typically supervise market research, product innovation, advertising, and sales initiatives. They may also lead a team of marketing professionals.
Advertising Manager
Advertising managers are tasked with devising and executing advertising campaigns to promote products or services. They might collaborate with external agencies or internal teams to create ad ideas, design ads, and secure media placements.
Public Relations Specialist
Public relations specialists manage a company or brand's reputation via various communication channels, including media relations, social media, and events. They might also oversee crisis communications and maintain relationships with key stakeholders like customers, investors, and regulators.
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts conduct research to understand customer needs, preferences, and behaviors. They might gather data through surveys, focus groups, or other methods, and analyze the data to identify trends and insights. They might also suggest marketing strategies based on their findings.
Digital Marketing Specialist
Digital marketing specialists promote products or services through digital channels such as social media, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. They might also manage website content and analytics to enhance user experience and conversion rates.
Academic and Professional Development for a Marketing Career
While a bachelor's degree in marketing or a related field is often a prerequisite for entry-level marketing positions, further education and training can propel your career. This could include:
A master's degree in marketing or business administration (MBA)
Certification programs like the Certified Marketing Professional (CMP) or Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) offered by the American Marketing Association (AMA) or Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) respectively.
Continuing education courses in fields like data analytics, social media marketing, or SEO/SEM.
Stay blessed!
James Constantine Frangos.
Exploring the Realm of Marketing
Marketing is a dynamic and expansive field that revolves around recognizing and fulfilling customer demands by developing, promoting, and delivering products or services. It's a multifaceted discipline that includes activities like market research, product innovation, advertising, sales, and public relations. A marketing career can be both gratifying and demanding, presenting a plethora of opportunities across diverse industries and roles.
Essential Skills for a Successful Marketing Career
Effective Communication
As you've pointed out, Isolena, proficient communication skills are vital in marketing. This means being able to articulate ideas and messages to varied audiences via different mediums, including written, verbal, and visual communication. Equally important is the ability to listen attentively to understand customer needs and feedback.
Inventiveness
Marketing often demands thinking creatively to generate unique ideas for product innovation, branding, and advertising initiatives. Creativity is key to distinguishing yourself from competitors and grabbing potential customers' attention.
Analytical Prowess
Marketing also necessitates analyzing data and trends to make educated decisions about marketing strategies and tactics. Strong analytical skills are needed to decipher data, spot patterns, and formulate conclusions.
Teamwork
Marketing frequently involves collaborating with diverse teams such as product development, sales, and finance. Teamwork skills are crucial to work efficiently with others and accomplish shared objectives.
Diverse Roles within the Marketing Sphere
Marketing Manager
Marketing managers take charge of formulating and implementing marketing strategies to promote products or services. They typically supervise market research, product innovation, advertising, and sales initiatives. They may also lead a team of marketing professionals.
Advertising Manager
Advertising managers are tasked with devising and executing advertising campaigns to promote products or services. They might collaborate with external agencies or internal teams to create ad ideas, design ads, and secure media placements.
Public Relations Specialist
Public relations specialists manage a company or brand's reputation via various communication channels, including media relations, social media, and events. They might also oversee crisis communications and maintain relationships with key stakeholders like customers, investors, and regulators.
Market Research Analyst
Market research analysts conduct research to understand customer needs, preferences, and behaviors. They might gather data through surveys, focus groups, or other methods, and analyze the data to identify trends and insights. They might also suggest marketing strategies based on their findings.
Digital Marketing Specialist
Digital marketing specialists promote products or services through digital channels such as social media, email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. They might also manage website content and analytics to enhance user experience and conversion rates.
Academic and Professional Development for a Marketing Career
While a bachelor's degree in marketing or a related field is often a prerequisite for entry-level marketing positions, further education and training can propel your career. This could include:
A master's degree in marketing or business administration (MBA)
Certification programs like the Certified Marketing Professional (CMP) or Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP) offered by the American Marketing Association (AMA) or Digital Marketing Institute (DMI) respectively.
Continuing education courses in fields like data analytics, social media marketing, or SEO/SEM.
Stay blessed!
James Constantine Frangos.
Updated
Darrin’s Answer
Isolena,
People who have answered your questions gave very good advice. The world of marketing is vast and is moving very quickly. I won't recite them but I think of marketing in 2 inter-connected parts: 1) Functional or roles and 2) Speciality. Jacob, John and Erika eluded to the functional areas this where there are different areas of marketing you can venture (ie. market research, brand management, advertising, etc.). Then there's the specialty areas of marketing such as marketing analytics, marketing automation, martech (marketing technology), marketing campaign management, event management, and database management to name a few.
My suggestion to you, is start with you. What do YOU like to do and what are your strengths? Also just as important, what don't you like to do ? My experience is most people say they like to be 'creative' as a reason why they want to venture into marketing. Creativity can be found in just about everything mentioned so dig deeper. You have very creative people in marketing automation for example - my point is creativity just doesn't exist in design. But assess yourself honestly (nobody will see it anyway) and go out and talk to professionals. Most professionals will gladly share their experiences with you willingly. Tell them what your strengths and weaknesses are - don't be afraid we all have them. Professionals will give you pointers on how to improve on your weaknesses and more importantly, what the most important skills are to get where you want to be.
Good luck - you're on the right path.
People who have answered your questions gave very good advice. The world of marketing is vast and is moving very quickly. I won't recite them but I think of marketing in 2 inter-connected parts: 1) Functional or roles and 2) Speciality. Jacob, John and Erika eluded to the functional areas this where there are different areas of marketing you can venture (ie. market research, brand management, advertising, etc.). Then there's the specialty areas of marketing such as marketing analytics, marketing automation, martech (marketing technology), marketing campaign management, event management, and database management to name a few.
My suggestion to you, is start with you. What do YOU like to do and what are your strengths? Also just as important, what don't you like to do ? My experience is most people say they like to be 'creative' as a reason why they want to venture into marketing. Creativity can be found in just about everything mentioned so dig deeper. You have very creative people in marketing automation for example - my point is creativity just doesn't exist in design. But assess yourself honestly (nobody will see it anyway) and go out and talk to professionals. Most professionals will gladly share their experiences with you willingly. Tell them what your strengths and weaknesses are - don't be afraid we all have them. Professionals will give you pointers on how to improve on your weaknesses and more importantly, what the most important skills are to get where you want to be.
Good luck - you're on the right path.
Thank you, Darrin!
Isolena
Updated
Linda’s Answer
Isolena - one of the best areas for marketing right now is of course social media - those who know how to create and interpret trends in a real way. Social media is not just about following the herd or comparing what you to have to the pictures everyone else posts - it is about knowing what people need or want and providing a solution for then that includes what your customer is selling. - I hope this helps a little :)
Thank you for your feedback, Linda! This sounds very interesting!
Isolena
Updated
Jeremy’s Answer
Two recommendations for you, Isolena.
1) Intern at a tech company
2) Reach out to marketing professionals on LinkedIn
Let me expand on these a little further.
While you can intern at a company in any industry, I highly recommend tech. The reason is that many marketing teams at tech companies tend to have specialist roles instead of generalists (e.g. a social media marketing manager or a demand generation manager). If you're interested in learning about the various areas in marketing, this is what you want to look for so you can be exposed to all facets of marketing.
If you don't have a LinkedIn profile, I highly recommend making one. Once you do, search for marketing professionals in your local area and then message them asking if you can schedule a call to learn more about what they do.
Based on my own experience, people are incredibly generous about sharing their experience in marketing.
From my experience,
1) Intern at a tech company
2) Reach out to marketing professionals on LinkedIn
Let me expand on these a little further.
While you can intern at a company in any industry, I highly recommend tech. The reason is that many marketing teams at tech companies tend to have specialist roles instead of generalists (e.g. a social media marketing manager or a demand generation manager). If you're interested in learning about the various areas in marketing, this is what you want to look for so you can be exposed to all facets of marketing.
If you don't have a LinkedIn profile, I highly recommend making one. Once you do, search for marketing professionals in your local area and then message them asking if you can schedule a call to learn more about what they do.
Based on my own experience, people are incredibly generous about sharing their experience in marketing.
From my experience,
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