Marketing professionals can work in-house (for an organisation) or for an agency (which tends to mean working on several different campaigns at once).
Roles in this industry differ greatly but they generally fall into four areas:
- Account Managers - work closely with clients and pass on their requirements to the project team
- Marketing Assistants - support the account managers and marketing team
- Marketing Creatives - produce the copy or artwork for the campaign to the client requirements
- Marketing Executive - develop client-led sales strategies, attracting new clients and evaluating the performance of campaigns
Marketing professionals can work in-house (for an organisation) or for an agency (which tends to mean working on several different campaigns at once).
Entry routes
Many large organisations will have a dedicated marketing stream as part of their graduate scheme. These include L’Oreal, E.ON and Sky but it’s worth doing your research as there are many more.
The most common way of entering the marketing profession is via an entry-level/marketing assistant role, often in a smaller company.
Speculative applications can be another good way in, particularly if you approach smaller companies. Ensure you’ve researched the organisation well and expressed your skills and abilities through your CV and covering letter.
You could choose to study for a masters or professional qualification (e.g. CIM) but the sector values experience highly so further study alone will not get you further in this competitive industry.
Getting experience
To find companies that might offer internships visit the adMISSION website. You can also look on Careers Connect.
A speculative approach can also be very effective. This involves sending your CV and cover letter to a marketing agency or in-house department to enquire about work experience when there are no opportunities listed on their website.
Get involved in organising and promoting events for a student society or charity. This will demonstrate skills in budgeting, time management, teamwork, communication, organisation and social media. Find volunteering positions through The Guild of Students or visit the Do-it website. You can also look for casual promotion work whilst at university. Campus Brand Managers are hired by large companies to promote their organisation/products.
The University of Birmingham offers work experience bursaries for any student in their first, second or penultimate year of study. For more details visit the internship funding pages.
Finding a job or internship
Find out more
Not found what you're looking for? Find out how to get in touch with us.