Could a career move into marketing be the right choice for you
Career changes should never be taken lightly, but if you have reasons for wanting to leave your current role and move into something different, it can be a very rewarding experience. Moreover, you won’t be alone, as a recent report found that nearly 52% of employees across the US are thinking about changing careers. It’s a surprisingly high percentage of the working population, and in order to get it right, they will have to plan carefully. From thinking about what career, you would find more fulfilling, to making the effort when it comes to retraining or gaining work experience, there are many practical tasks to consider. However, in a role that you care about and enjoy, you’re more likely to feel happy and experience greater job satisfaction.
Why do people choose to change careers?
Sometimes it’s the case that people just feel like a change, having spent years in the same role. You might feel like you’ve gone as far as you can go in terms of career progression and your ambition is driving you to achieve more. Moving to a different working environment can also be an opportunity to challenge yourself to do better and earn more. Alternatively, you could be seeking a job that fits in better with your family commitments, one that’s more of a nine-to-five role that does not require you to work evenings or weekends.
Are there any other benefits to pursuing a different vocation?
Finding a career that’s fulfilling and offers you a good level of job satisfaction can have a great impact on your mental health and feelings of wellbeing. According to a study released in 2018, “people perceiving their work as meaningful and satisfying reported less anxiety and stress”, and as we spend so much time at work, this can have a hugely positive impact on other areas of life. Even if you feel that you don’t have the freedom to explore other avenues or find a new role that’s more important to you, there are ways of getting started.
Put your skills to use in a marketing role
Instead of considering the qualifications you currently have and your existing skillset, think about what motivates you and what you enjoy in general. Marketing is a career that is often popular with people changing careers because it suits students from several backgrounds. If you are seeking something with an innovative edge, a role that’s different every day, and one in which you get to work as part of a dynamic team, marketing could be a good option.
In this career, you’ll be helping businesses and individuals to develop and maintain their image in innovative ways, over a range of different channels, from social media to email messaging and website maintenance. You’ll become an expert in analyzing customer behavior, understanding what people want from the companies they shop with, and how products can be promoted in effective ways. Your work will touch upon public relations, market research and even product design. As such, it’s a highly creative career, one in which you will be constantly looking for new ways of reaching out to and engaging with clients.
Moving into marketing presents many unique opportunities. You’ll need specialist skills to excel, but the good news is that these can be acquired online through programs that fit in around your commitments. At St. Bonaventure University, a career change to marketing can be accomplished within two years through an online Master of Arts in Communication with a specialization in Integrated Marketing Communication. Designed for undergraduates who want to hone their skills, it includes coursework, projects based on real-world scenarios, and one-to-one support from experienced faculty members.
Preparing for a professional career in marketing
For many of the key roles in a marketing team, relevant qualifications are essential. However, you can also give yourself a head start by attending conferences or webinars and staying up to date with industry news through news websites and magazines. Your time at university is also ideal for building a network of professionals in the field of marketing, people who you can discuss your career aims with and get valuable information from. Your network can include your tutors, people you meet at conferences, and online contacts, as well as your fellow students. A wide network of contacts is invaluable when you are trying to find your first role as they will help answer your questions and provide you with useful insights.
Reasons to consider marketing as a new career
Consumer preferences and advertising trends change all the time, so in marketing there is a constant need for new ideas to keep projects relevant and ensure that the company’s message remains on track. It’s a deadline-driven environment, but one that’s never boring.
It’s a varied role
Regardless of your passion, you’ll have a chance to explore it in a marketing career. There are so many different pathways and specialisms that everyone can find an area of the profession that appeals to them. People with a talent for written communication can choose a copywriting post in which they will produce marketing materials for blogs and advertisements. Others who wish to use their artistic and visual skills might prefer a graphic design role, while people who thrive in leadership positions could aim to oversee an entire team and drive their vision as a creative director.
The prospects are good
Marketing teams are always looking for new ways to introduce new products and generate enthusiasm for existing ones. This means that it is a fast-growing career in which new opportunities are always arising. Particularly in the field of technology, people with the right skills are constantly in demand. The internet, social media and influencers have all become useful tools for companies that want to extend their reach and broaden their audience. As innovations are launched and adopted by the public, marketing teams will be looking for people with an understanding of them to promote brands effectively in the new format. Professionals can expect lasting careers in a marketing role, and although some choose to make a long-term commitment to one employer, there are always chances to switch companies and advance within different organizations. As businesses grow, there are opportunities to progress into more senior roles and take home a generous salary.
You can work your way up to an excellent salary
When you first qualify and start work, you won’t have access to the best employee packages, but after gaining experience, refining your skills and proving your worth, this will change. As there are various disciplines and positions in marketing, there are many ways to work your way up in a company and take on more responsibility. People who start in an entry-level role as part of a large team could move on to become a marketing assistant in a smaller team and end up as a manager of marketing, one of the most senior roles in the profession. As reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021 the average annual salary of a marketing manager was $133,380.
You’ll work within a collaborative environment
In marketing, you’ll be interacting with a range of different people each day. From clients to customers and your colleagues, you’ll build great working relationships to flesh out your ideas and enrich group projects. When people come together with a shared objective – whether it’s a new campaign or to solve a problem – it’s a way of nurturing the creativity and innovation of the entire group. The people around you will be from different backgrounds and they will offer a diverse set of skills, so you will learn from their perspective and be confident enough to share your own. Your problem-solving skills will also be enhanced; you’ll learn new ways of generating ideas; and you’ll be able to keep your company ahead of the curve in a competitive industry. As marketing teams are made up of multiple specialists, often with different roles and responsibilities, you will work in collaboration to establish new strategies and examine new products. If you would welcome the chance to work as part of a team that develops ideas and collaborates, then marketing will give you the chance to do just that.
Your skills will remain relevant
As marketing is a constantly changing field, people in the profession are always learning new skills and proficiencies. This can be accomplished through learning from more experienced colleagues, gaining additional certifications, or attending seminars and conferences. This ensures that your skills will grow and change in line with the trends that are impacting marketing and what the industry considers to be best practices. Furthermore, if you remain engaged with your role, you are more likely to be considered for promotions when the time comes. Additionally, the extra skills you begin to master in this vibrant industry are not just readying you for one particular role – you will have the opportunity to progress in your career overall as you learn more effective ways of building a brand experience and relating with customers.
Marketing workplaces value creative expression
To ensure that content remains compelling for the audience and that customers consider a business’s products desirable, marketing teams have to be creative. Working as part of a creative team has many benefits for employees. They regularly have the chance to interact with people from different departments and at various levels of seniority. You are likely to have more access to important data and useful resources, so you understand the task that has been set and can make a good contribution in meetings. As creativity is encouraged, you’ll find that many employers have a management style that promotes freedom of expression and transparency. Failures need to be dealt with, but you will be expected to try your hardest and managers accept that this comes with risks. Creative workplaces must allow for failure, because if employees are fearful of the repercussions, then they are less likely to try out new things or share their ideas.
Whether you are involved in the initial brainstorming of a new idea, writing it up, or the design side, you have endless chances to express your creativity. During the process, you could even discover new talents that you didn’t know you had and be more prepared to tap into these in the future.
You are always busy
If you’re tired of going to work and doing the same thing every day, or feeling like there is very little to keep you interested, then a move into marketing will change all that. Marketing teams are always present when it comes to maintaining a relationship with an audience. They are not just a quick-fix solution for companies that need to sell products – rather, they are engaged with creating long-term strategies to ensure a business’s success. This means that marketing teams are always busy and will often need to deal with a range of different challenges every day. From testing out new ideas to gathering data and analyzing their findings, the potential for doing things better is always there. This means that it’s a shifting workplace, one in which ideas are constantly being considered and pursued or rejected. If you crave excitement and dynamism, marketing will keep you on your toes.
Some companies will allow you to work from home
When a business has most of its marketing activities online, employees can often choose to work remotely for a few days each week. You’ll often need to build up a few years of experience and gain the company’s trust before you’ll be able to choose this flexible option, but it does have many benefits. As long as you are committed to your role and fulfill your responsibilities, you can gain a better work-life balance and enjoy more autonomy when you work from home. Aside from lifestyle benefits, you can also forget about the daily commute because you can set up a desk in your bedroom if that’s what you prefer! This can save you money and time – plus, if you appreciate peace and quiet while you work, it’s the perfect location.
Marketing teaches you a range of soft skills
Marketers are constantly looking for new ways to connect with people and improve their collaborative efforts. This means that they are good at forming relationships, are great listeners, and are highly analytical. With training in audience sentiment and group work, you will also learn to listen and understand what people want. You’ll be ready to home in on the most important parts of a conversation, or a set of statistics, and find the insights that offer you value. Furthermore, as marketing is all about people, you’ll soon become an expert in communicating with different personality types and understanding what makes people tick. This will help you to be tactful, read people more effectively, adapt to their ways of working, and, ultimately, be more productive.
Almost all companies need a marketing team
Whether you have an interest in fashion, medicine, animal care or sport, you can work in a field that appeals to you. Your expertise will be in demand across numerous industries, so you can look for work in the marketing department of your favorite brands, in a non-profit that has a special place in your heart, or with a local company that you feel a connection with. In doing so, you can be certain of always working on a project you care about. If at some point, you do decide to look for employment elsewhere, you will have gained a wealth of transferable skills that will be useful in any marketing role.
You’ll gain confidence in your professional abilities
Marketing teaches you how to find clients and build relationships with them. So, if you choose to become self-employed one day or launch your own marketing company, you’ll know exactly how to get started. You have the ability to think on your feet, to make decisions quickly, and to balance the various risks involved. Your ability to spot opportunities, to make the most of them, and to bring in a project within budget will all stand you in good stead. You could also choose to work as a freelance marketing consultant or a contractor as this will give you a chance to travel. Without being tied to one particular role, you’ll have your freedom while also earning a great wage.
Are you ready for the move?
If marketing sounds like a good fit for your career aspirations and soft skills, then remember that it’s never too late to switch paths. In marketing, there is a role for everyone, and online courses can help you take the next step while you’re still working and earning in your current role. You’ll soon meet a community of like-minded students who are ready to support your success, while you support theirs. If you hope for a job that gives you flexibility, security and job satisfaction, as well as the chance to be creative and feel challenged, then marketing could be the ideal choice.
