Is Marketing The Right Career Choice For You?

by TalentEgg Incubator   When I tell others that I’m a marketing coordinator, the statement is invariably followed by, “So, what do you do exactly?” For many, it seems marketing is difficult to understand. I like to believe it is because it encompasses a wide variety of tasks and skill sets. So, when I answer that question, I don’t just provide a textbook definition of what marketing is (the strategic process of determining the needs and wants of a particular group of people and then providing a good and/or service to satisfy those needs and wants), but rather an exploration of how my role integrates and impacts the organization within which I work.

The marketing career path

Marketing consists of several different career possibilities: advertising, public relations, brand management and market research, to name just a few of the big ones. In my opinion, it’s not as important to know what particular path you will end up following but instead to know if marketing as a whole is the right fit for you. This is because new marketers are often thrust into generalist positions that allow them to have a hand in all of the above possibilities and then some. Ultimately, you learn from experience where your true strengths and passions lie, not from a textbook. So, if you’re looking to take that leap into marketing, consider the following:

Communication

Marketing is often paired with communications because of how integral it is to the success of any marketing endeavor. In both the oral and written sense, communication is the heart of a message. To speak and write articulately in the predominant language of a market is to embrace a construct that facilitates connectivity between the consumer and the organization. If either of these—speech or the written word—comes naturally to you, marketing is certainly a career path that will force you to understand your audience and hone your ability. Now, if it is a not-so-natural skill but marketing appeals to you nevertheless (and there is no reason why it can’t), my suggestion is to practice because your ability to skillfully communicate is powerful beyond measure.

Strategy

Do you want to work with customers, or write copy? Are you interested in events, or advertising? Regardless of your field of focus, at the core of each segment is a strong strategic element. What target market will we enter? What articles will we write? What events to attend and what ads to distribute? Though these questions appear superficially simple, they create a foundation for any marketing strategy. Even if you don’t plan on venturing into the strategic aspect of marketing, it is always important to remember its significance and how your role is part of the bigger picture.

Multifaceted

One of the things I love most about marketing is it continuously challenges me in unexpected ways. I live for that challenge, mostly because monotony drives me insane. I also find that marketing embraces change. It has to in order to survive. And any new marketer will have to as well. The market, the industry and the customers are changing all the time. The best marketers are consistently aware of that. They respond quickly, fervently accept the challenge and willingly (though not always successfully) take risks. If that environment of challenge and change doesn’t leave you kicking and screaming—well, then, welcome to marketing.

Visuals

Graphic design is often closely interconnected with marketing. This is because it aids in delivering a message, cultivating a brand, advertising and building its presence and developing a visual and physical identity. I included this section because being comfortable with the visual, and sometimes tangible, aspects of marketing can enhance your understanding of an industry and a market. Knowing the software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) takes it one step further. Combine all of the above plus this and you might just have the full package. All I can say is: consider the above. None of this is gospel, and none of it is meant to alienate you. Ask yourself: do you see yourself fitting in somewhere above amongst the beautiful chaos of marketing?