What can I do with a marketing degree?

Skills developed in college

Below are some examples of broader business skills developed as a result of studying marketing. They are not all limited to your academic study and can be applied to other contexts. Employers' job vacancy details often refer to these skills. Skills sections on your CV can help you demonstrate the broad range of qualities you have to offer employers such as being able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of organisations, the external environment in which they operate, how they are managed and the future needs of organisations
• problem-solve and make decisions, using appropriate quantitative and qualitative skills and be able to create, evaluate and assess options, together with being able to apply ideas and knowledge to a range of situations
• apply critical thinking analysis and synthesis, including being able to identify assumptions, evaluate statements, detect false logic, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately
• employ effective communication, using ICT and a range of media widely used in business, for example, business reports
• demonstrate numeracy and quantitative skills including modelling and data analysis, interpretation and extrapolation
• self-manage own time, behaviour, motivation, initiative and enterprise.
• show an appetite for reflective, adaptive and collaborative learning.
• be self-aware, sensitive and open to the diversity of people, cultures, business and management issues
• have leadership, team building, influencing and project management skills
• be effective at listening, negotiating and persuasion
• be able to research business and management issues
• be able to address issues at European and international levels.

During the course of your degree, you will also have developed an essential range of other business skills, including:

• A talent for clear expression, both oral and written;
• The ability to plan in advance and think strategically;
• Research, analysis, team working and presentation skills;
• The ability to think independently.

Types of employers/industry sectors

Marketing graduates can work in industries and sectors as diverse as retail, fashion, manufacturing, financial and public services, leisure and tourism, consumer goods, music, electronics and so on. Public relations, sales, brand management, advertising and general management are all careers where the analytical and problem-solving skills of marketing graduates are sought.

A marketing degree prepares you for a career stretching across any sector or industry. You can work almost anywhere with a marketing degree. Nearly every type of business or industry utilizes marketing professionals in some way.

There are many roles covering all the diverse elements involved in successfully promoting and selling a product or service: market research, pricing, packaging, advertising, sales, distribution, etc. This may be for any kind of manufactured product, from fast-moving consumer goods (food, toiletries, etc) to industrial machinery, for a financial or professional service (bank accounts, insurance policies, accountants, lawyers etc), for a charity or a public body (local authorities, tourist boards, universities) and many others.

Digital marketing areas to consider include:

• SEO (Search engine Optimisation)
• Search Engine Marketing
• Affiliate Marketing
• Brand Marketing
• Blogger
• Social Media Marketing

Here are some examples of employing organisations who may value either the subject knowledge or skills business studies graduates have to offer:

• industrial & commercial organisations
• the finance sector
• the public sector: government & local authorities
• major recruiters offering graduate training schemes
• small businesses
• self-employment may also provide an opportunity for graduates

Career options with your course

The demand for outstanding marketing professionals has never been stronger. Corporations and interest groups place tremendous value on marketing graduates for their ability to connect and spread information in a profitable way.

Some careers you could pursue:

• Advertising account manager
• Arts agent/promoter
• Exhibition organiser/event manager
• Market researcher
• Marketing executive
• Media buyer/planner
• Political lobbyist
• Press officer
• Public Relations Officer
• Social Researcher

Job hunting

Graduate training schemes offered by large employers frequently focus on ‘commercial’ roles and may be of interest to marketing graduates. Many give experience in several departments but others encourage specialisation from the outset. These recruitment schemes are advertised in directories available for free from your careers service as well as online.

Other job-hunting opportunities exist within:

• New media and digital media agencies
• Advertising agencies
• E-business and e-commerce companies
• Companies providing online marketing product and services
• Corporate employers recruiting for in-house online marketing related jobs
• SEM and SEO Firms