Marketing and sales sector
Want to find out more about a career in sales and marketing?
Careers in marketing exist across all sectors as most businesses require marketing, advertising and PR as part of their operations.
A career in marketing requires digital skills and an innovative mind.
It is important for both marketing and sales roles that you can make a product or service attractive to target audiences.
New! Explore our latest article, which articulates essential insights derived from the recent 'Insight into Marketing and Public Relations' panel event.
Explore your options
If you want to explore the marketing and sales sectors, learn more with the below resources.
Start by exploring these websites
We recommend that you explore the below websites to find out more about marketing and sales:
- Prospects website offers sector information on:
- TargetJobs offers information on:
- The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising has information on Careers in Advertising.
Graduate schemes with big agencies are one route into the industry. Closing dates for these schemes are often in October or November so it’s important to get your applications in early.
Smaller agencies may not advertise vacancies specifically for graduates so it’s a case of looking on key websites. Speculative applications can also be very effective.
Doing a masters or completing a postgraduate qualification could help you develop the skills the industry is looking for but it is not essential. When researching courses, look out for:
- Industry professionals as tutors/lecturers
- Theory vs practical
- Placements, experience and industry contacts
The sector values experience highly so postgraduate study alone will not get you further in this competitive industry.
Top tips and myth-busting
We spoke to a graduate currently working in marketing - read their top tips for developing a career in the sector.
Amelie Marron
Event Sales Coordinator and Venue Hire Content Producer at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
“My favourite part about my job is how different each and every day is. While I do typically follow a 9 to 5 pattern, my weeks revolve around meetings with clients and events, which changes things up!”
Many of our graduates from University of Birmingham have gone on to pursue careers in marketing and sales. Read and watch their stories:
Attend an Employer Insights event
Plan your career
If you are ready to start planning a career in marketing and sales, have a look below.
LinkedIn Learning has over 13,000 courses to enhance your CV and stand out from the crowd when thinking about a career in marketing and sales.
University of Birmingham students get free access to LinkedIn Learning.
Pre-entry work experience is extremely desirable and an excellent way to gain an understanding of how an agency works. Work experience also enables you to make some valuable contacts to use when you're looking for a permanent role.
Some larger agencies offer formal work experience/internship programmes, often in the form of summer schools. Check resources such as RateMyPlacement for details of schemes.
Speculative applications are the most common route to getting work experience in this field. Use the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) agency directory to draw up a list of companies you’d be interested to work for. Take a look at their website to see if there’s an email address listed and contact them with a tailored application.
You may want to consider getting experience in other related role such as in sales, marketing or PR. Employers often find the skills and experience gained in these related roles transferable to advertising.
You may want to complete a ‘Diagonal Thinking’ test. This is designed to aid the recruitment of talent into the creative industries and is widely used across creative industries.
Finding a job or internship
You may be eligible to apply for work experience bursaries through The University of Birmingham. For more details visit the internship funding pages.
Apply for jobs
If you are ready to apply for a job in marketing or sales, have a look below.
Search and apply for jobs in the sales and marketing sectors
When you have a clear sense of where you want to apply, the final step is making the most out of your application. Our Employability Advisers are here to help review your application documents.