The Little Careers Book

XX You must be an artistically creative person to succeed in marketing. XX One good thing about working in marketing is that you don’t need to know much about the financial side of a business. XX Marketing is all about getting people to buy things they don’t need. ࢚࢚ Marketers come from an extremely wide range of educational backgrounds; there are many different routes in. ࢚࢚ If you do a university degree, you don’t have to choose a marketing, management or business-related course to get a job as a graduate. ࢚࢚ A two-year HND (Higher National Diploma) can be an excellent alternative to a university degree, which you can later use as credit towards a degree. ࢚࢚ An Advanced or Higher Level Apprenticeship is a great way to start a career in marketing. ࢚࢚ Large companies offer school leaver and graduate training schemes tailored to aspiring marketing professionals. ࢚࢚ Many employers value relevant sales experience above an actual qualification, so you can get into marketing via sales. ࢚࢚ Moving up in marketing is more a function of success on the job versus qualifications, so having limited formal qualifications should not be a barrier. ࢚࢚ A CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) qualification is looked for by some employers, but you can do it part-time while working in a junior role. ࢚࢚ There are some middle and senior management roles in marketing for which you will need a good degree to be a competitive applicant. ࢚࢚ A MBA (Master in Business Administration) is something you might consider after you have begun your career; it can be an advantage when competing for top-level posts later in your career. ࢚࢚ Some technical, industry-specific marketing roles require qualifications in those industries, such as pharmaceuticals or engineering. MYTHS MYTHS TRUTHS ࢚࢚ The strategic nature and breadth of the marketing profession requires a wide range of knowledge and skills. ࢚࢚ Marketing is ultimately about selling, so selling has to be a strong motivator. ࢚࢚ A good instinct for commercial opportunities, i.e. being able to recognise and pursue market opportunities to sell a product or service. ࢚࢚ Marketing requires an analytical (and numerate) mind, capable of understanding and evaluating data on consumer attitudes and behaviours. ࢚࢚ If you work for a company, you need to understand your company and the position of its products or services within the market; if you work for an agency, you need to understand the full competitive marketplace. ࢚࢚ Good IT skills are a must, as are digital media skills. ࢚࢚ No surprise, excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are essential. ࢚࢚ Marketing is a deadline-driven occupation, so you have to be good at organising yourself and managing your time. ࢚࢚ Being positive, enthusiastic and energetic will serve you well in most roles. ࢚࢚ Negotiation and persuasion skills are essential, as marketing is very subjective. ࢚࢚ It’s really important to stay in touch with the latest industry developments. ࢚࢚ If you work internationally, having foreign language skills can be an advantage. TRUTHS PATHWAYS TO ENTRY KEY SKILLS