We may be biased at the School of Marketing, but we believe that choosing a marketing career is an excellent move and can offer so many opportunities for individuals to grow and learn new skills. But, like all careers, there are always considerations for entering a new industry, and marketing is the same.
So, to help, I asked marketers what they wished they knew about marketing or what advice they would give to aspiring marketers.
8 considerations for moving into the marketing industry
1. Are you a people person?
Marketing is a very collaborative career and requires working with multiple teams and individuals – it is ultimately a team role, so considering whether you thrive in that team environment should be considered.
2. Are you a good communicator?
Being a good communicator is essential for many different careers but understanding how to communicate is particularly important for marketing – especially when thinking about conveying a message to a customer or in the workplace when presenting and communicating with colleagues.
3. Are you analytical?
Although not every marketing role relies on individuals being good with numbers (for example, you could opt for a more creative role), it is a crucial skill that needs to be developed over a marketing career, whether that be managing budgets and finance to analysing data and looking at campaign results.
4. Are you a natural problem solver?
Marketing is a lot about problem-solving and being able to unpick situations and find solutions in an agile and timely manner. It’s also about thinking outside of the box when coming up with solutions for customers to deliver an exceptional product, service, or experience that differs from competitors.
5. Do you have a creative streak?
It is essential within marketing that we distinguish marketers from pure creatives. However, every role has an element of creativity, whether that be inputting into campaign creative, content creation or copywriting – these are all skills that are important for marketers to hold at least a high level.
6. Are you confident working with stakeholders?
Working with stakeholders will be a big part of the job, no matter what company an individual joins. Whether that is working with more senior internal stakeholders and feeling confident to bring your expertise to the conversation or working with external partners and agencies to develop great marketing – understanding the dynamics of stakeholder management is vital (but is also learned).
7. Are you a multi-tasker who can manage multiple projects?
A marketing career typically involves working on multiple projects, campaigns, and tasks simultaneously, so having the ability to switch between conversations and manage a busy workload easily is vital. In addition, managing your own time and, eventually, your team’s time is crucial.
8. Are you willing to continually learn?
Marketing is not a career where you can learn everything you need to know and then get on with the job. Yes, marketing basics remain the same; however, the industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and solutions available. Having a growth mindset and being willing to test new things is critical (and where the exciting stuff happens)!
Marketing is an exciting industry full of opportunities and requires many different skills – some generalist, some more specialist. Marketing spans everything from strategy to creative to analytical. So there is usually a role that can suit anyone – but hopefully, this guide has given some insight into what it takes to be a successful marketer! Let us know if you have any other questions or considerations to add.
