Getting a Job in Marketing

A marketing professional standing in front of a whiteboard presenting a project to a group seated at a table.
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When considering jobs and employment opportunities, marketing may often come to mind. If you find yourself wondering about a career in marketing, you should learn about the day-to-day duties of someone working in this field.

A career in marketing is enjoyable and fun. Most people who work in marketing will tell you it provides them with a great deal of challenge, which is what most marketers have always wanted. The reason is that marketing is always changing; there are always techniques to learn, cases to study, and strategies to research. Do you have what it takes to be successful in a marketing career?

When a person tells you that they work in marketing, there could be hundreds of different types of jobs they may be talking about. Marketing jobs are numerous and vary based on the company, structure, and type of position that you are seeking.

Types of Marketing Jobs

Marketing account managers and marketing account executives are just two types of marketing jobs. In these types of positions, a person would normally be the one that has the day to day contact with a specific customer or client and is their point of contact for any and all issues. Another job responsibility of one of these positions would be to define the marketing strategies for their company to help expand the business. They look to you as if you are their consultant, feeling confident that you know how to best market their business. When the customer needs you for something, they expect you to be there. You must be a good communicator and be ready to serve as the liaison between your team and the customer at all times. Having advanced people skills is critical to these types of positions because you are face to face with clients and customers constantly.

Behind the Scenes

There are also marketing jobs that don’t consist of you working with customers all the time. Careers or positions that would be less people-oriented could be ones such as a product marketing manager or a brand marketing manager. You might report to an account manager that would serve as the go-to person with customers and work without communicating directly with the client. These positions would have a person who is responsible for understanding a specific brand or product. You might help to define specific strategies based on the product or brand and have a solid understanding of how you could promote and market their products. Someone in such a role would look at the market and gain information on who wants to buy the product and what drives the product to sell. Imagine yourself creating presentations to validate this research that your manager could present to the client. You may also be responsible for scheduling a complete marketing plan from start to finish—including the budget, communication, and organizing materials. These types of jobs provide employees with all-around experience in the marketing arena.

Careers as a marketing manager are those that are the decision-makers. They manage an entire marketing organization and have people under them who they are responsible for as well. Normally, a marketing manager will have prior experience in other marketing positions and one can be promoted to a marketing manager job after proving themselves.

Choice and Variety

A career in marketing can take you in several different directions and the field is comprised of many facets and activities. You will find that there are many opportunities in marketing—is there a career path that is right for you? Explore the different career opportunities and decide which one interests you and fits you best. Marketing jobs are out there, but the job market is tight. Do the proper research and find the one that works best for you. Once you find it, you will need to market yourself to stand out from the crowd to secure the first interview.  Just remember, if you can’t market yourself, you will have a tough time convincing a hiring manager that you are right for a marketing position, so be creative.​​​