Marketing is an ideal career choice for millions of individuals around the world. It’s an industry that is seldom affected by economic issues. After all; businesses and other organizations always need help to promote their brands!
If you want to start a rewarding career in marketing, you might have read a few web pages on the topic by now. But, I am willing to bet that most of them haven’t helped you learn what you need to do to get into the industry.
Today I have taken the liberty of writing a guide for “the rest of us.” People that have a genuine interest in the industry but don’t want to read sales pitches about jobs they can do. What you are about to read is a frank and straightforward guide to launching a marketing career. Here is what you need to know:
Are you a Natural Born Seller?
Marketing and sales go hand in hand. The concept of marketing is about promoting or “selling” something to other people. There is a difference between marketing and sales, in case you wondered. Marketing folks work behind the scenes, while on the contrary salespeople are on the front line, as it were.
To get a job in either industry, you have to be good at selling. If you can sell anything, you will do well in the marketing industry. But if your sales skills leave a lot to be desired, marketing isn’t for you, I’m afraid to say.
Consider an Internship
The only way you’ll know for sure that marketing is for you is to get a real-life insight into the industry. One way of doing that is to apply for an internship at a marketing agency. It’s also worth talking to people you know that are in the industry.
Some folks might even read online reviews of top marketing agencies. For example, check out Glassdoor.com’s review of Today’s Growth Consultant. It will give you an insight into what it’s like to work for a busy agency.
Get a Good Education
These days employers have the pick of any candidate thanks to our turbulent economy. One of the things they will judge you on is your level of education. At the very least, you will need to be literate and numerate and have the high school certificates to prove that.
A degree in marketing or similar is an advantage but not a deal breaker. Employers want to know that you can conduct yourself in a professional manner, regardless of who you talk to.
Don’t Send Prospective Employers a “cookie cutter” Resume
People in 2015 are still making the mistake of using a “one size fits all” resume when applying for jobs! I can’t stress enough how important it is to tailor your resume to the job you are interested in.
Employers can spot cookie cutter resumes a mile off. Your application form and resume will just get filed under “T” for “trash.”
One more tip before you go: make sure your resume stands out! You only have a few seconds to capture a person’s attention. Make sure you don’t fail at that task!
