Is a Career in Marketing Right for Me?
If you're an effective communicator, like people and constantly obsess about what drives their spending habits, marketing may offer a satisfying career path. Even in poor economic times, companies recognize the need for someone to make buyers aware of their presence. Whether you're a good fit for the industry depends on your willingness to accept change, collaborate with others and work lengthy hours that often accompany the launch of a new campaign.
Prospective marketing professionals must think creatively and work with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, often stressful environment. Most projects occur in a team setting, so good interpersonal skills are vital, particularly if your long-term goal is a management position, according to an analysis from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Workweeks approach 50 to 70 hours during peak periods, so candidates also need a strong sense of time management and organizational savvy to function well in their positions.
Fluctuating schedules aren't the only difficulties marketing professionals face. Expect to spend a good portion of your time traveling to interview customers or conduct focus group sessions. Though marketing is intensely data-driven, you're often expected to assess a new product or service's potential need within limited time frames, notes "U.S. News & World Report." However, if the chosen strategy doesn't achieve its goal, you must explain the reasons. If this type of scrutiny makes you uncomfortable, marketing probably isn't your field.
The constant drive to maintain and expand market share means a potentially bright outlook for marketing professionals. Demand for marketing managers should rise by 14 percent between 2010 and 2020, estimates the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Advertising and promotions managers could see their field grow by 13 percent over the same decade. Competition is expected to remain fierce for these types of jobs, with the BLS forecasting the best prospects for advertising managers who successfully navigate the transition to digital media.
Marketing offers a visibly higher pay scale than many fields. As of May 2010, marketing managers' median annual wages were $112,800, the BLS reports. The top 10 percent earned more than $166,400, and the bottom 10 percent earned less than $57,750. Advertising and promotions managers' medial annual wages were $83,890. The top 10 percent earned more than $166,400, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $41,480. However, while most work is full time, you'll need to weigh potential earnings against putting in longer hours. Nineteen percent of advertising and promotions managers worked 50 or more hours per week in 2010.
Prospective marketers embrace the need for upgrading their knowledge and skills to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry. For example, the skepticism that greeted the rise of sites like Google+ and Pinterest quickly faded once business embraced them, Rasmussen College Marketing Specialist Grant Tilus observes. Before entering the profession, ask whether you can develop the mental agility to recognize trends and capitalize on them -- because that quality will make a major difference in your success.
Prospective marketing professionals must think creatively and work with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, often stressful environment. Most projects occur in a team setting, so good interpersonal skills are vital, particularly if your long-term goal is a management position, according to an analysis from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. Workweeks approach 50 to 70 hours during peak periods, so candidates also need a strong sense of time management and organizational savvy to function well in their positions.
Fluctuating schedules aren't the only difficulties marketing professionals face. Expect to spend a good portion of your time traveling to interview customers or conduct focus group sessions. Though marketing is intensely data-driven, you're often expected to assess a new product or service's potential need within limited time frames, notes "U.S. News & World Report." However, if the chosen strategy doesn't achieve its goal, you must explain the reasons. If this type of scrutiny makes you uncomfortable, marketing probably isn't your field.
The constant drive to maintain and expand market share means a potentially bright outlook for marketing professionals. Demand for marketing managers should rise by 14 percent between 2010 and 2020, estimates the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Advertising and promotions managers could see their field grow by 13 percent over the same decade. Competition is expected to remain fierce for these types of jobs, with the BLS forecasting the best prospects for advertising managers who successfully navigate the transition to digital media.
Marketing offers a visibly higher pay scale than many fields. As of May 2010, marketing managers' median annual wages were $112,800, the BLS reports. The top 10 percent earned more than $166,400, and the bottom 10 percent earned less than $57,750. Advertising and promotions managers' medial annual wages were $83,890. The top 10 percent earned more than $166,400, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $41,480. However, while most work is full time, you'll need to weigh potential earnings against putting in longer hours. Nineteen percent of advertising and promotions managers worked 50 or more hours per week in 2010.
Prospective marketers embrace the need for upgrading their knowledge and skills to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry. For example, the skepticism that greeted the rise of sites like Google+ and Pinterest quickly faded once business embraced them, Rasmussen College Marketing Specialist Grant Tilus observes. Before entering the profession, ask whether you can develop the mental agility to recognize trends and capitalize on them -- because that quality will make a major difference in your success.
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