
It’s not closing the deal. That’s sales. It’s not taping a commercial. That’s acting. It’s not client satisfaction. That’s customer service. These professionals are the ones who created the literature that sold the deal. They are the ones who wrote the commercial and came up with the idea for the ad campaign. They are the ones who got the customer’s attention in the first place.
The marketing professional’s goal is to promote products and services to increase sales and profits. Sounds simple enough. As you can tell from the previous examples, it can require a lot of creativity, research, design, and strategizing to implement. So who can do it, how, and why? Read on.
Why not? You get to apply that creative brain of yours to the world of business. You can be the one to monitor trends and help set them. It’s a chance to develop strategies, identify potential markets, estimate demands, create demand. If these tasks make your mouth water or brain buzz, you’ve found your field.
The average payback for these efforts is $63,000 per year. Not too shabby. For additional pay info, see the Salary Forecast section.
This field is growing. Businesses continue to want to attract more business. Go figure. What this means is more marketing. In fact, a 12% increase in jobs is expected from 2008-2018.
Convinced this is the field for you? Consider first: Are you creative? Are you a good communicator? Do you enjoy research? Are you decisive? Can you play well with others? These are a few of the tops skills needed for a successful career in marketing.
Beyond the basic skill set, you will also need a degree. Most employers will want to see a bachelor’s degree on the resume. A master’s will be required for some opportunities. Visit the Educational Requirements section for some specifics on what you’ll need.
Degree in hand and talents in mind, check out the Career Outlook to see what a future in marketing may hold for you.
Not sure which school to choose?
We can help.