Careers in Marketing

Now that you have completed this course in marketing, you have a good idea of what the field entails. You may have decided you want to pursue a marketing career because it offers constant challenge, stimulating problems, the opportunity to work with people, and excellent advancement opportunities. But you still may not know which part of marketing best suits you. Marketing is a very broad field offering a wide variety of career options.

This guide helps you discover what types of marketing jobs best match your special skills and interests, shows you how to conduct the kind of job search that will get you the position you want in the company of your choice, describes marketing career paths open to you, and suggests other information resources.

Marketing Careers Today

The marketing field is booming with nearly a third of all Americans now employed in marketing-related positions. Marketing salaries may vary from company, position, and region, and salary figures change constantly. In general, entry-level marketing salaries usually are only slightly below those for engineering and chemistry but equal or exceed starting salaries in economics, finance, accounting, general business, and the liberal arts. Moreover, if you succeed in an entry-level marketing position, it is likely that you will be promoted quickly to higher levels of responsibility and salary. In addition, because of the consumer and product knowledge you will gain in these jobs, marketing positions provide excellent training for highest levels in an organization.

Overall Marketing Facts and Trends

In conducting your job search, consider the following facts and trends that are changing the world of marketing.

Focus on customers: more and more, companies are realizing that they win in the marketplace only by creating superior value for customers. To capture value from customers, they must first find new and better ways to solve customer problems and improve customer brand experiences. This increasing focus on the customer puts marketers at the forefront in many of today’s companies. As the primary customer-facing function, marketing’s’ mission is to get all company departments to “think customer,”

Technology: is changing the way marketers work. For example, price coding allows instantaneous retail inventorying. Software for marketing training, forecasting, and other functions is changing the way we market. And the internet is creating new jobs and new recruiting rules. Consider the explosive growth in new media marketing. Whereas advertising firms have traditionally recruited “generalists” in account management, “generalist” has now taken on a whole new meaning – advertising account executives must now have both broad and specialized knowledge.

Diversity: The number of women and minorities in marketing continues to rise. They also are rising rapidly into marketing management. For example, women now out number men by nearly two to one as advertising account executives. As marketing becomes more global, the need for diversity in marketing positions will continue to increase, opening new opportunities.

Global: Companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, IBM, Wal-Mart, and Procter and Gamble have become multinational, with manufacturing and marketing operations in hundreds of counties. Indeed, such companies often make more profit from sales out side the United States than from within. And it’s not just the big companies that are involved in international marketing. Organizations of all sizes have moved into the global arena. Many new marketing opportunities and careers will be directly linked to the expanding global marketplace. The globalization of business also means that you will need more cultural, language, and people skills in the marketing world of the 21^st century.

Not-for-profit organizations: Increasingly, colleges, arts organizations, libraries, hospitals, and other not-for-profit organizations are recognizing the need for effectively marketing their products and services to various publics. This awareness has led to new marketing positions, with these organizations hiring their own marketing directors and marketing vice presidents or using outside marketing specialists.

Looking for a Job in Today’s Marketing World.

To choose and find the right job, you will need to apply the marketing skills you’ve learned in this course, especially marketing analysis and planning. Follow these eight steps for marketing yourself:

1) Conduct a self assessment and seek career counselling.

2) Examine job descriptions.

3) Explore the job market and assess opportunities.

4) Develop search strategies.

5) Prepare a resume.

6) Write a cover letter and assemble supporting documents.

7) Interview for jobs.

8) Follow-up interview.

Conduct a Self-Assessment and Seek career Counselling

If you’re having difficulty deciding what kind of marketing position is the best fit for you, start out by doing some self-testing or get some career counselling. Self-assessments require that you honestly and thoroughly evaluate your interests, strengths, and weaknesses. What do you do well 9your best and favourite skill) and not so well? What are your favourite interests? What are your career goals? What makes you stand out from other job seekers?

Examine Job Descriptions

After you have identified your skills, interests, and desires, you need to see which marketing positions are the best match for them. Your initial career shopping list should be broad and flexible. Look for different ways to achieve your objectives. For example, if you want a career in marketing management, consider the public sector, and local and regional as well as national and international firms. Be open initially to exploring many options, then focus on specific industries, “a job in a start-up company, near a big city on the west coast, doing new-product planning with a computer software firm.”

Explore Job Markets and Assess Opportunities

At this stage, you need to look at the market and see what positions are actually available. You do not have to do this alone. Any of the following may assist you.

Career Development Centers
Job Fairs
Networking and the Yellow pages
Cooperative Education and Internships
The Internet
Professional Networking Sites

Develop Search Strategies

Once you’ve decided which companies you are interested in, you need to contact them. One of the best ways is through on-campus interviews. But not every company you are interested in will visit your school. In such instances, you can write, e-mail, or phone the company directly or ask marketing professors or school alumni for contacts.

Prepare Résumé

A resume is a concise yet comprehensive written summary of your qualifications, including your academic, personal, and professional achievements, that showcases why you are the best candidate for the job.

Résumé Tips

Communicate your worth to potential employers in a concrete manner, citing examples wherever possible.
Be concise and direct.
Use active verbs to show you are a doer.
Do not skimp on quality or use gimmicks. Spare no expense in presenting a professional resume.
Have someone critique your work. A single typo can eliminate you from being considered.
Customize your resume for specific employers. Emphasize your strengths as they pertain to your targeted job.
Keep your resume compact, usually one page.
Format the text to be attractive, professional, and readable. Times Roman is often the font of choice. Avoid too much design or gimmicky flourishes.

Write Covering Letter, Follow-Up, and Assemble Supporting Documents

Cover Letter

You should include a cover letter informing the employer that a resume is enclosed. I should also summarize in one or two paragraphs the contents of the resume and explain why you think you are the right person for the position. The goal is tom persuade the employer to look at the more detailed resume. A typical cover letter is organized as follows;

1) The name and position of the person you are contacting;

2) A statement identifying the position you are applying for, how you heard of the vacancy, and the reasons for your interest;

3) A summary of your qualifications for the job;

4) A description of the follow-up you intend to make, such as phoning in two weeks time to make sure the resume has been received;

5) An expression of gratitude for the opportunity of being a candidate for the job.

Follow-Up

Once you send your cover letter and resume to the perspective employers via the method they prefer – e-mail, their website, fax, or regular mail – it’s often a good idea to follow up. In today’s market job seekers can’t afford to wait for interviews to find them. A quality resume and attractive cover letter are crucial, but a proper follow up may be the key to landing an interview. However, before you engage your potential employer, be sure to research the company. Knowing about the company and understanding its place in the industry will help you shine. When you place a call, send an e-mail, or mail a letter to a company contact, be sure to restate your interest in the position, check on the status of your resume, and ask the employer about any questions they may have.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are written references by professors, former and current employers, and others that testify to your character, skills, and abilities. A good reference letter tells why you would be an excellent candidate for the position. In the packet containing your résumé, cover letter, and letters of recommendation, you may also want to attach other relevant documents that support your candidacy, such as academic transcripts, graphics, portfolios, and samples of writing.

Interview for Jobs

As the old saying goes, 2The résumé gets you the interview; the interview gets you the job.” The job interview offers you an opportunity to gather more information about the organization, while at the same time allowing the organization to gather more information about you. You’ll want to present your best self. The interview process consists of three parts; before, during, and after the interview.

Before the Interview

In preparing for your interview, do the following:

1) Understand that interviewers have diverse styles, including the “chitchat,” let’s-get-to-know-each-other style; the interrogation style of question after question; and the tough-probing “why, why, why” style, among others. So be ready for anything.

2) With a friend, practice being interviewed and ask them for a critique. Or video tape yourself in a practice interview so that you can critique your own performance.

3) Prepare at least five good questions whose answers are not easily found in the company literature, such as “what is the future direction of the firm?” “How does the firm differentiate its self from competitors?” “Do you have a new-media department?”

4) Anticipate possible interview questions, such as “Why do you want to work for this company?” or “Why should we hire you?” Prepare solid answers before the interview. Have a clear idea of why you are interested in joining the company and the industry to which it belongs.

5) Avoid back-to-back interviews. They can be exhausting and it’s unpredictable how long they will last.

6) Prepare relevant documents that support your candidacy.

7) Dress conservatively and professionally. Be neat and clean.

8) Arrive 10 minutes early.

9) Approach the interview enthusiastically. Let your personality shine through.

During the Interview

During the interview, do the following:

Shake hands firmly in greeting the interviewer. Introduce yourself, using the same form of address that the interviewer uses. Focus on making a good first impression.
Keep your poise. Relax, smile when appropriate and be upbeat throughout.
Maintain eye contact, good posture, and speak distinctly. Don’t clasp your hands or fiddle with jewelry, hair, or clothing. Sit comfortably in your chair. Don’t smoke, even if permitted.
Carry extra copies of your resume and supporting documents.
Have your story down pat. Present your selling points. Answer questions directly. Avoid either one word or too wordy answers.
let the interviewer take the initiative but don’t be passive. Find an opportunity to direct the conversation to things about yourself that you want the interviewer to hear.
To end on a high note, make your most important point or ask your most pertinent question during the last part of the interview.
Don’t hesitate to close. You might say, “ I’m very interested in the position, and I have enjoyed this interview.
Obtain the interviewers business card or address and phone number so that you can follow up later.

A tip for acing the interview: Before you open your mouth, find out what it is like to be a brand manager, sales rep, market researcher, advertising account executive, or other position for which you are interviewing. Find a mentor, someone who holds a similar position to the one you are seeking, perhaps with another company. Talk with this mentor about the ins and outs of the job and industry.

After the Interview

After the interview, do the following:

After leaving the interview, record the key points that arose. Be sure to note who is to follow up and when a decision can be expected.
Analyze the interview objectively, including the questions asked, the answers to them, your overall interview presentation, and the interviewers response to specific points.
Immediately send a thank you letter or e-mail, mentioning any additional items and your willingness to provide more information.
If you do not hear within the specified time, write, e-mail, or call the interviewer to determine your satus.

Follow-Up Interview

If your first interview takes place off-site, such as at your college or a job fair, and if you are successful with the initial interview, you will be invited to visit the organization. The in-company interview will probably run from several hours to an entire day. The organization will examine your interest, maturity, enthusiasm, assertiveness, logic, and company and functional knowledge. You should ask questions about issues of importance to you. Find out about the working environment, job role, responsibilities, and opportunities for advancement, current industrial issues, and the company’s personality. The company wants to discover if you are the right person for the job, whereas you want to find out if it is the right job for you. The key is to determine if the fit is right between you and the company.

Marketing Jobs

This section describes some of the key marketing positions.

Advertising

Advertising is one of today’s hottest fields in marketing. In fact Money magazine lists positions in advertising as among the 50 best jobs in America.

Job Descriptions

Key advertising positions include copywriter, art director, production manager, account executive, and media planner / buyer.

Copywriters write advertisement copy and help find the concepts behind the written words and visual images of advertisements.
Art directors, the other part of the creative team, help translate the copywriters’ ideas into dramatic visuals called “layouts.” Agency artists develop print layouts, package designs, television layouts (called “storyboards”), corporate logotypes, trademarks, and symbols.
Production managers are responsible for physically creating ads, in-house or by contracting through outside production houses.
Account development executives research and understand clients’ markets and customers and help develop marketing and advertising strategies to impact them.
Account executives serve as liaisons between clients and agencies. They coordinate the planning, creation, production, and implementation of an advertising campaign for the account.
Account planners serve as the voice of the consumer in the agency. They research consumers to understand their needs and motivations as a basis for developing effective ad campaigns.
Media planners (or buyers) determine the best mix of television, radio, newspaper, magazine, digital, and other media for the advertising campaign.

Skills Needed, Career Paths, and Typical Salaries

Work in advertising requires strong people skills in order to interact closely with an often difficult and demanding client base. In addition, advertising attracts people with strong skills in planning, problem solving, creativity, communications, initiative, leadership, and presentation. Advertising involves working under high levels of stress and pressure created by unrelenting deadlines. Advertisers frequently have to work long hours to meet deadlines for a presentation. But work achievements are very apparent, with the results of creative strategies observed by thousands or even millions of people.

Because they are so sought after, positions in advertising sometimes require an MBA. But there are many jobs open for business, graphics arts, and liberal arts undergraduates. Advertising positions often serve as gateways to higher-level management. Moreover, with large advertising agencies opening offices all over the world, there is the possibility of eventually working on global campaigns.

Starting advertising salaries are relatively low compared to some other marketing jobs because of strong competition for entry-level advertising jobs. You may even want to consider working for free to break in. Compensation will increase quickly as you move into account executive or other management positions. For more facts and figures see the web pages of Advertising Age; http://www.adage.com and click on the job bank link, also visit; the American Association of Advertising Agencies at http://www.aaaa.org

Brand and Product Management

Brand and product managers plan, direct, and control business and marketing efforts for their products. They are involved with research and development, packaging, manufacturing, sales and distribution, advertising, promotion, market research, and business analysis and forecasting.

Job Descriptions

A company’s brand management team consists of people in several positions.

Brand managers guide the development of marketing strategies for a specific brand.
Assistant brand managers are responsible for certain strategic components of the brand.
Product managers oversee several brands within a product line or group.
Product category managers direct multiple product lines in the product category.
Project directors are responsible for collecting market information on a marketing or product project.
Research directors oversee the planning, gathering, and analyzing of all organizational research.

Skills Needed, Career Paths, and Typical Salaries

Brand and product management requires high problem solving, analytical, presentation, communication, and leadership skills, as well as the ability to work well in a team. Product management requires long hours and involves the high pressure of running large projects. In consumer goods companies, the newcomer, who usually needs an MBA, joins a brand team as an assistant and learns the ropes by doing numerical analyses and watching senior brand people. This person eventually heads the team and later moves on to manage a larger brand, then several brands.

Many industrial goods companies also have product managers. Product management is one of the best training grounds for future corporate officers. Product management also offers good opportunities to move into international marketing. Product managers command relatively high salaries. Because this job category encourages or requires a masters degree, starting pay tends to be higher than in other marketing categories such as advertising or retailing.

Sales and Sales Management

Sales and sales management opportunities exist in a wide range of profit and non profit organizations and in product and service organizations, including financial, insurance, consulting, and government organizations.

Job Description

Key jobs include consumer sales, industrial sales, national account manager, service support, sales trainer, sales management, and teleseller.

Consumer sales involve selling consumer products and services through retailers.
Industrial sales involve selling products and services to other businesses.
National account managers (NAM) oversee a few very large accounts.
Service support personnel support salespeople during and after the sale of a product.
Sales management includes a sequence of positions ranging from district manager to vice president of sales.
Teleseller (not to be confused with home consumer telemarketer) offers service and support to field salespeople.

Skills Needed, Career Paths, and Typical Salaries

Selling is a people profession in which you will work with people every day, all day long. In addition to people skills, sales professionals need sales and communications skills. Most sales positions also require strong problem solving, analytical, presentation, and leadership abilities as well as creativity and initiative. Teamwork skills are increasingly important.

Career paths lead from salesperson to district, regional, and higher levels of sales management, and in many cases, to top management of a firm. Today, most entry-level sales management positions require a college degree. Increasingly, people seeking selling jobs are acquiring sales experience in an internship capacity or from a part-time job before graduating. Sales positions are great springboards to leadership positions, with more CEO’s starting in sales than in any other entry-level positions. This possibly explains why competition for top sales jobs is intense.

Starting base salaries in sales may be moderate, but compensation is often supplemented by significant commission, bonus, or other incentive plans. In addition, many sales jobs include a company car or car allowance. Successful salespeople are amongst most companies’ highest paid employees.

Other Marketing Jobs

Other marketing jobs include; retailing, market research, new-product planning, marketing logistics (physical distribution), public relations, and non-for-profit services.