Marketing
Whizkids
What’s
under the Armani suit?
It’s a stereotype snappy suit, Porsche and expense
account. What a lifestyle! But there’s far more to
a career in marketing. You don’t have to be ostentatious
and aggressive to get in marketing or any of its satellite
functions such as advertising, sales promotion, PR and direct
marketing.
Marketing is
a core function of most businesses these days, large or
small. Along with accountancy, it is one of the direct roots
to the very top, but has a variety of different aspects.
The brand management route, from ‘brand manager’
to ‘marketing manager’ to ‘marketing director’,
gives you the whole brand, including product range, pricing,
packaging, distribution, advertising and sales promotion,
often dealing with external agencies. The marketing analyst’
function allows the collection of marketing data vital to
the smooth running of any brand or service. The ‘marketing
researcher’ plays a fundamental role in understanding
a brand’s customer.
Companies that
have an in-house public relations department rely upon the
creation and maintenance of brand and corporate image, through
the media and a variety of other events. The routes into
these jobs often via specific graduate training programmes.
On the marketing supply side, advertising, sales promotion,
direct marketing and PR agencies offer exciting careers,
where individuals can be exposed to a variety of different
brands and services. In these agencies there are usually
numerous functions, such as account management’ merchandising’
and media relations. A wide variety of people! You could
be working alongside some of the most talented individuals
in an atmosphere of almost creativity.
In addition to
these specialist agencies, there are of course the media
themselves. There are numerous opportunities in media sales
and marketing department. TV and radio companies, national
newspapers, magazines, and posters companies all need dedicated
marketers to run their own sales and marketing departments,
and specialist media planning and guying agencies also have
a need for well trained graduates.
At universities
throughout Britain there are courses available to support
all these careers. UK graduates are sales promotion, direct
marketing and public relations, partly because they are
appropriately trained to high standards, and partly because
most universities have the industry contacts to help them
at the very start of their careers.
In addition to
this, the numerous opportunities for studying abroad combined
with the invaluable work placements offered to you will
give you the chance to gain excellent work experience.
Upon graduation,
equipped with a degree and a year of work experience in
the marketing field, you will find yourself in an excellent
position. You will be attractive to future employers and
able to consider further postgraduate education if you desire.
Many students who complete work placement years find that
they have gained confidence and the ability to communicate
effectively in the real working environment. Applying theory
to practical situations can often be difficult, but work
experience will help you to do this.
There is a growing
trend at universities across the country for guest speakers
form industry to present lectures. These informative and
contemporary learning experience can give real insights
into particular industries. In recent years, more university
lecturers are entering education tooled with vast knowledge
and experience from a variety of marketing industry backgrounds.
Degree courses
offered at business schools in the UK include marketing,
advertising, marketing communications and international
marketing, with specific study modules allowing you to specialise
in a variety of areas, including selling and sales promotion,
direct marketing and PR.
With the option
to specialise from the outset, you can really make the most
of your education at university. A focus on the introduction
of graphic design pathways is also emerging in some universities
for those marketing students with a design orientation.
What’s more, many degrees in Marketing give you exemptions
form elements of the Chartered Institute of Marketing professional
exams, that are rapidly becoming an industry standard for
those graduates keen to progress in the marketing field.
To flied out
more about careers within the marketing function, advertising
field or associated industries, you can contact any of the
British and management undergraduate programmes.
Do it now and
start window-shopping for the suit!
Author:
Claire Jones
Marketing Officer, Luton Business School
