Starting your career in marketing
Knowledge of the marketing industry and practical experience improves marketers appeal to an employer.
Graduates
Graduates should aim for junior positions (assistants) and build on this foundation to progress in their career. These entry-level positions are a good way to gain a broad experience of the industry. However, the nature of marketing means there is an expectation for employee participation immediately.
Having a degree in marketing is beneficial but not essential, in fact many marketers come from a diverse range of academic backgrounds such as English, Maths or even Science. It's common for marketers to complete professional qualifications once they have started their career. This gives them the benefit of specialist marketing knowledge which may have been absent in their degree. Even those with marketing degrees frequently choose to study CIM at Diploma level or above after graduation.
Recent graduates and those still at university should visit our dedicated student website www.getin2marketing.com to access information about marketing careers, job roles and view our list of graduate marketing schemes.
Career changers
If you have ever negotiated prices, written copy or managed projects you already have transferable skills that could be applied to a marketing role. Take a look at typical marketing job descriptions and try to work out where your strengths and weaknesses lie. The next step is to make sure employers know about your strengths when you put together your CV and then see if you can address any weaknesses. A CIM or CAM qualification could be a way to prove your marketing knowledge and demonstrate commitment to a new career.