If you have ever happened by large department stores' window creations, you have witnessed marketing efforts at their creative bests. If you have ever heard a news release, a marketing and public relations team carefully chose every word and may have even coached the speaker on every syllable of enunciation. Marketing is the art of placing products, companies, services, politicians, and any other commodity or service your mind can consider, into the most beneficial location and/or position. These locations or positions can be defined as a timeframe for company announcements, shelves in grocery and department stores, advertisements on billboards or other media sources, and locations that are broadly defined as entire cities (consider city benches, billboards on buses and targeted mail-outs for a company's grand opening). So do you think you have the creativity and ability to step outside the box? For those creative people who are looking to revamp their careers, these are dream jobs for those who are bold and not afraid of taking risks. Some of the most requested skills and required traits for marketing positions include:
- the ability to speak multiple languages.
- stress resistance.
- the willingness to work long hours, evenings, and weekends.
- the ability to speak to large groups, including the media.
- good judgment and fast thinking skills.
- the ability to build effective relationships with co-workers, management, media, customers, and the general public.
- the ability to maintain a public persona that indicates grace under pressure; tasteful clothing choices; and an always-on smile.
Also important to those self-sufficient and fearless souls: it is entirely realistic to believe you can strike out on your own and provide services as an independent contractor. In fact, many of the most-successful marketing gurus positioned themselves to go into business for themselves within three years of entering the sector. Few occupations offer such well-paying salaries, versatility in job descriptions, and success for independent contractors as those in the marketing field.
Education requirements are vital in this arena, and although many employers do not require degrees in fields such as business administration or engineering, it is strongly advised for those wishing to remain successful to continue their education efforts with courses in communications, consumer trends, marketing research, visual arts, and even journalism. Consider such organizations as Toastmasters as a way to further your career, since public speaking is nearly impossible to avoid in any of the fields within the marketing sector.
When you are ready to put your name out there for consideration, be sure to polish your resume until it shines. This is one time you want to include all of your successes, education and non-credit courses, as well as a solid idea in your mind for presentation during your interview. Often candidates are asked questions similar to, ''What can you do for our company's bottom line?'' Be prepared to answer such questions. Do your homework! You have to know the company with whom you are interviewing in order to make a credible and impressive impression on your potential employer.
