2 answers
thomas
Student
Port St. Lucie, Florida
1
Question
Asked
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How easy is the marketing management career ?
to get higher positions and experience
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2 answers
Susan Stout
Senior Graphic Designer
5
Answers
Thousand Oaks, California
Updated
Susan’s Answer
Hey Thomas, that's a really great question. It has a lot of potential answers!
To start, Marketing has so many facets - there's direct mail, graphic/print, social media, media advertisement, viral marketing, trade show marketing, and about a thousand others that I can't even think of right now. What type of marketing are you interested in? They're surprisingly interwoven, so start with what ignites your passion, and you'll be suprised as to what else your chosen field also connects to within the whole scope of the marketing sphere.
Here's the coolest thing about marketing that no one really says out loud: You're literally influencing the way that people behave... their perceptions, their behaviors, their thinking, their motivations - all through the powers of persuasion. Not only the obvious outside people that you want to buy your product or service, but also the people within your company and within your team whom you deal with every single day. That's some Lex Luther type of superpower. So! How do you do it?
It's not necessarily hard to get into Marketing management, but it does take some time and experience in order to be able to comfortably assume this role. Try not to think of it in terms of "easy", since becoming a really good manager takes an intimate knowledge of what marketing truly is, and the only real way to get these is to get out there, start working, and get your hands dirty. Let's substitute "easy" with "worthwhile". Most likely you'll start with an internship or entry-level job and that's where you start learning. Never stop learning!!! The more you can absorb, the better you'll be at not only the routine functions of your job, but also dealing with the random and the unexpected. Keep a journal and write down the things that you learn and any notes about what happened and how you solved it. This will be your bible as you rise through the ranks. You'll be surprised how many times you'll refer back to this "thing you did a year ago" and totally forgot about, but -boom!- there it is in your notebook, you record-keeping genius. :D
Also, don't forget that an effective Marketing manager doesn't just handle marketing tasks - you'll have to be in a leadership role to your team, all the time. Anything you can learn about effective communication (and EASILY just as important - effective listening), leading a group, motivating stubborn people, overcoming objections, handling diverse personalities, gathering input from adjacent teams and dealing with your upper management - well, those are all pure gold in terms of helping you advance in your career. Subscribe to blogs, webinars, classes, newsletters, social groups, and websites and dedicate yourself to finding out all about these facets. Trust me when I say that you'll need these skills in order to truly be a credible manager who has a team of people who are willing to back you and do their best for you. Lead by example, behave with integrity, don't play favorites, and stay objective during conflicts within your team and within your company. Also, please take the time to learn about what is and isn't proper and allowed in the typical HR environment of today's employers. But there is a tight rope to walk in terms of what the laws are, so get to know them.
You'll also need some pretty strong project management chops. Establishing clear goals, setting budgets, juggling priorities, mapping out timelines, making sure that deliverables are completed in a timely manner and that key milestones (often called KPI's, or Key Performance Indicators in market-ese) are met, editing and proofing artwork and copy, and powerful reporting and analytical abilities are going to be a huge part of your everyday life. Become a friend to project management and CRM (customer relationship management) software and at least the basics of Google Analytics. In short, you're going to be the one that they come to for answers, from both above and below you; be sure that you've got em.
It sounds like a lot - I know it does! - but don't eeeeeeeven sweat it! You're still a student, you're young and if you approach this as a learning journey, you're going to TOTALLY excel at this. Please allow this old lady to be super proud that you have a chosen direction to explore for your career; it ain't easy to contemplate what you want to do with the rest of your life, and I commend you for picking a fantastic potential avenue. You're a visionary - no joke! These skills that I talk about will naturally accumulate as you move through life and pay attention to what's important to your elected career, much like an oyster builds a pearl. Most of this will just come with time, and not nearly as much time as you'd think, or we'd all be dead of old age before we even managed a single dang thing. Just start where you can; learn EVERYTHING you can; ask questions, share your thoughts, theories and suggestions; be the likeable person that you are, and before you know it, you'll be right where you want to be. A good manager will encourage their support staff's growth behaviors, and a bad one won't.... as a subordinate, know the difference, and when it's your turn to lead, be the difference. Never be afraid to leave an environment that you've outgrown, and always support your own staff as they reach toward their personal potentials.
The one great thing that a standout Marketing manager can market is themselves - and that only comes with wisdom gained by navigating your own path, and "walking the walk" to get to your goal. Best of luck in your new career; it's a good one and I know that you'll go far. See ya on the cover of Forbes in ten years! :)
Go forth into the world and kick a$$. Go to bed knowing you conquered. Wake up happy. Repeat.
No matter what happens during your day in ANY career, leave it on the dance floor when you leave. Never worry or suffer for free. Go home and enjoy your life and your free time and everyone who loves you. Tomorrow is a new day, and a new opportunity to be awesome, which is exactly what you'll do.
You're even smarter and more resourceful than you think. I know it, now you do too. What you do with this is totally up to you.
Educate, encourage, recognize, inspire and congratulate your team - at first as a fellow member, and later as a leader. This is much of what will make you great.
To start, Marketing has so many facets - there's direct mail, graphic/print, social media, media advertisement, viral marketing, trade show marketing, and about a thousand others that I can't even think of right now. What type of marketing are you interested in? They're surprisingly interwoven, so start with what ignites your passion, and you'll be suprised as to what else your chosen field also connects to within the whole scope of the marketing sphere.
Here's the coolest thing about marketing that no one really says out loud: You're literally influencing the way that people behave... their perceptions, their behaviors, their thinking, their motivations - all through the powers of persuasion. Not only the obvious outside people that you want to buy your product or service, but also the people within your company and within your team whom you deal with every single day. That's some Lex Luther type of superpower. So! How do you do it?
It's not necessarily hard to get into Marketing management, but it does take some time and experience in order to be able to comfortably assume this role. Try not to think of it in terms of "easy", since becoming a really good manager takes an intimate knowledge of what marketing truly is, and the only real way to get these is to get out there, start working, and get your hands dirty. Let's substitute "easy" with "worthwhile". Most likely you'll start with an internship or entry-level job and that's where you start learning. Never stop learning!!! The more you can absorb, the better you'll be at not only the routine functions of your job, but also dealing with the random and the unexpected. Keep a journal and write down the things that you learn and any notes about what happened and how you solved it. This will be your bible as you rise through the ranks. You'll be surprised how many times you'll refer back to this "thing you did a year ago" and totally forgot about, but -boom!- there it is in your notebook, you record-keeping genius. :D
Also, don't forget that an effective Marketing manager doesn't just handle marketing tasks - you'll have to be in a leadership role to your team, all the time. Anything you can learn about effective communication (and EASILY just as important - effective listening), leading a group, motivating stubborn people, overcoming objections, handling diverse personalities, gathering input from adjacent teams and dealing with your upper management - well, those are all pure gold in terms of helping you advance in your career. Subscribe to blogs, webinars, classes, newsletters, social groups, and websites and dedicate yourself to finding out all about these facets. Trust me when I say that you'll need these skills in order to truly be a credible manager who has a team of people who are willing to back you and do their best for you. Lead by example, behave with integrity, don't play favorites, and stay objective during conflicts within your team and within your company. Also, please take the time to learn about what is and isn't proper and allowed in the typical HR environment of today's employers. But there is a tight rope to walk in terms of what the laws are, so get to know them.
You'll also need some pretty strong project management chops. Establishing clear goals, setting budgets, juggling priorities, mapping out timelines, making sure that deliverables are completed in a timely manner and that key milestones (often called KPI's, or Key Performance Indicators in market-ese) are met, editing and proofing artwork and copy, and powerful reporting and analytical abilities are going to be a huge part of your everyday life. Become a friend to project management and CRM (customer relationship management) software and at least the basics of Google Analytics. In short, you're going to be the one that they come to for answers, from both above and below you; be sure that you've got em.
It sounds like a lot - I know it does! - but don't eeeeeeeven sweat it! You're still a student, you're young and if you approach this as a learning journey, you're going to TOTALLY excel at this. Please allow this old lady to be super proud that you have a chosen direction to explore for your career; it ain't easy to contemplate what you want to do with the rest of your life, and I commend you for picking a fantastic potential avenue. You're a visionary - no joke! These skills that I talk about will naturally accumulate as you move through life and pay attention to what's important to your elected career, much like an oyster builds a pearl. Most of this will just come with time, and not nearly as much time as you'd think, or we'd all be dead of old age before we even managed a single dang thing. Just start where you can; learn EVERYTHING you can; ask questions, share your thoughts, theories and suggestions; be the likeable person that you are, and before you know it, you'll be right where you want to be. A good manager will encourage their support staff's growth behaviors, and a bad one won't.... as a subordinate, know the difference, and when it's your turn to lead, be the difference. Never be afraid to leave an environment that you've outgrown, and always support your own staff as they reach toward their personal potentials.
The one great thing that a standout Marketing manager can market is themselves - and that only comes with wisdom gained by navigating your own path, and "walking the walk" to get to your goal. Best of luck in your new career; it's a good one and I know that you'll go far. See ya on the cover of Forbes in ten years! :)
Susan recommends the following next steps:
Charlie Jennings
Director of sales
23
Answers
Lexington, Kentucky
Updated
Charlie’s Answer
Thomas,
Confucius is credited with saying..."a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". Decide what branch of marketing interests you most, then try to get an intern position with that form of marketing. You'll quickly discover if you like it or not, then try another until you find your niche. Start with a television station or an advertising agency, be willing to do anything to get your foot in the door and make yourself so valuable that they cannot live without you! In time you'll discover your interests and you'll learn what it takes to advance into upper management if that's your goal.
You can do it, I did!
Good Luck!
Charlie
Confucius is credited with saying..."a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step". Decide what branch of marketing interests you most, then try to get an intern position with that form of marketing. You'll quickly discover if you like it or not, then try another until you find your niche. Start with a television station or an advertising agency, be willing to do anything to get your foot in the door and make yourself so valuable that they cannot live without you! In time you'll discover your interests and you'll learn what it takes to advance into upper management if that's your goal.
You can do it, I did!
Good Luck!
Charlie