Undergraduate Students

Exploring Careers

Career Paths for Marketing Majors

Career Description

Marketing is about developing opportunities to get products and services from producers to consumers. Marketing majors learn to make decisions about products design and quality, pricing, advertising, selling, and distribution. Marketing involves analyzing consumer opinions, attitudes, and tastes, both in the US and abroad. The principles of marketing help organizations determine what products and services consumers want, forecast the demand for them, and stimulate consumer interest in them.

Employers of marketing majors include large business and industrial firms, but also smaller companies, private research organizations, and advertising agencies. Retail and wholesale trade, insurance, travel, and real estate are other potential employers. According to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 50% of the marketing industry is employed by a firm/establishment of less than 50 employees. (www.stats.bls.gov)

Sample Career Opportunities

Marketing/Sales Representative- Marketing or Sales Representatives become an expert on a specific region or focus group and serve as the primary interface between the customer and their company.

Market Research Analyst- Market Research Analysts combine analysis of many resources from customer behavior focus groups, to sales statistics, to industry responses, to economic trends. Market Research Analysts can work within a company, as part of a marketing/ad agency, or even be independent.

Media Planner/Representative- Very competitive due to the ‘glamorous’ perception of the job, Media Planners and Representatives are responsible for selling and/or designing advertising space for such media as television, radio, internet, magazines, billboards, etc.

Retail Store Manager- A Retail Store Manager is responsible for store-wide marketing strategy, its implementation, and day-to-day operations. A broad range of technical and interpersonal skills are essential. Most Store Managers are first hired for a full-time, rotational management training program.

Product Manager- With expertise centered on a specific product or group of products, a Product Manager often serves as the main interface between production and the sales and marketing teams within a company. The ability to communicate, educate and motivate are essential. Non-profit and service-based companies also have great need for product or services managers.

Customer Service Manager- Customer Service Managers will often supervise a team of customer service representatives. This role requires the ability to think strategically, notice customer trends and develop and implement process changes to manage them effectively.

Skills Needed

Following are some skill sets that Marketing employers will commonly look for during interviews:

• Critical Thinking - creative problem solving and data analysis

• Communication - technical writing ability, public speaking and presentation skills, ease at building a rapport with many types of audiences, general clear and effective speaking and listening skills

• Technical Skills- statistical analysis, spreadsheet interpretation and manipulation, Internet research

Resources for Further Research

Online Resources:

• Careers in Marketing http://www.careers-in-marketing.com/: This is a good introduction to Marketing as a career; includes information to these areas of marketing—Advertising, Market Research, Non-Profit, Product Management, and Retailing

• Marshall School of Business, Marketing: another great introduction to different areas of Marketing career: http://www.marshall.usc.edu/web/marketing.cfm?doc_id=2890

• Wanna Learn?: a free online lesson on marketing strategies and tools, etc.:  http://www.wannalearn.com/Business_and_Careers/Marketing/

• Salary Expert- salary, bonus, cost-of-living, and benefits data for US, Canadian and international jobs: http://www.salaryexpert.com

Print Resources:

• So You Want to be a Brand Manager: The Essential Guide. From WetFeet.

• Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in Marketing.

• Real People Working in Sales and Marketing. By Blythe Camenson and Jan Goldberg, VGM Career Horizons.

• Careers in Marketing. VGM Career Horizons

• Opportunities in Marketing Careers. VGM Career Horizons

• Anyone Can be in Advertising: It Beats Working for a Living.

• Medical and Pharmaceutical Sales: How to Land the Job of Your Dreams.

• Wow! Resumes for Sales and Marketing Careers: How to Put Together a Winning Resume.

• Better Resumes for Sales and Marketing Personnel. By Adele Lewis and Gene Corwin.

• Nike, Inc.: The Insider's Guide

Marketing Employers at Smith

Following is a small sample of employers who recruit marketing majors at Maryland. The positions are just an example. Always be sure to read the actual job description thoroughly. Sometimes assumptions from the job title may be misleading. You can find out more through SOURCE or the OCM.