I've always been super interested in, and wanted to go into marketing as a profession. I know this might be the commonly sprouted line, but my interest lies predominantly in creative marketing.
Going into Uni next year, the course that looks attractive to me is a double degree: Bachelor in Commerce (majoring in Marketing) and Psychology.
While this is certainly what interests me most, I spose I should consider my potential for getting employed after Uni - do any of you with more experience than myself in the area of business and particularly marketing have anything to say about my degree idea?
I tell this to everyone I've heard planning on getting a second BS: Don't. It's a common mistake that seems like a good idea to someone who hasn't entered the job market yet, but ultimately a Bachelor's is about as impressive as a High School Diploma to employers these days. You'll be better served by going to grad school.
Ultimately, two Bachelor's degrees impresses no one (especially in Psych, which is one of the most common and least useful BS degrees out there, as you need a graduate degree in Psych to do ANYTHING in the field), and it just costs you extra time and money. It doesn't qualify you for anything more than a single degree does (for instance, replacing required experience - a BS usually accounts for two years, two BS degrees doesn't replace four years), and it's twice the stress. I would recommend pursuing a graduate degree in some sort of Marketing, or getting an MBA instead. Masters are only two extra years, and most people pursuing dual Bachelor's degrees end up spending an extra year or two anyway.
Master Degree is a way better investment cause it punches glass ceilings in government jobs and military. Anyone can really work marketing cause its about personal ingenuity not class time training. Big marketing job hunting is about who has the highest degree, who you interned for, and who your professors can introduce you to for a job interview. For additional information about marketing, read Dilbert.
In the US (which may not apply at all in Australia), I would encourage you to get an undergraduate degree in Business/Marketing, secure the customary 4-6 years of industry experience, then go back for your MBA in Marketing.
Consider electives that will provide exposure to the areas that marketing positions interact with, so you can speak the same language. Perhaps Business strategy, graphic design, and management accounting (forecasting, return on investment) as a few examples.
I want to stop all the advice for a second and open the question because the answers given so far assume too much.
What about marketing attracts you and why do you like it?
What role in the field of marketing do you want to play?
What type of marketing?
What is marketing in your opinion?
I want to stop all the advice for a second and open the question because the answers given so far assume too much.
What about marketing attracts you and why do you like it?
What role in the field of marketing do you want to play?
What type of marketing?
What is marketing in your opinion?
I like the creative aspect of things, and if I'm going to be honest, I guess there's a "sadistic" side of me that enjoys trying to convince people to purchase a product/service.
I'd prefer to be involved with promotion - advertising and that sort of thing.
Creative marketing? - I guess I'm not well enough educated about the field to make a proper response to that.
Management of all aspects of a product, its placement, pricing etc. to tailor it towards the target market and increase market share/profits?
Creative marketing? - I guess I'm not well enough educated about the field to make a proper response to that.
You might also want to learn some Graphic Design then, as well, but NOT as a major (take a Community College course or something, it's not worth the four year degree).
I'll warn you that 'Marketing' as a career field is dying out. With the glut of Graphic Designers out there and many working for so cheap (I was guilty of it in College), business don't really bother with a 'marketing' budget anymore. So you may want to do some more research on the field. I know in the US the number of dedicated 'marketing' firms is declining, as are the size of marketing departments.
You might also want to learn some Graphic Design then, as well, but NOT as a major (take a Community College course or something, it's not worth the four year degree).
I'll warn you that 'Marketing' as a career field is dying out. With the glut of Graphic Designers out there and many working for so cheap (I was guilty of it in College), business don't really bother with a 'marketing' budget anymore. So you may want to do some more research on the field. I know in the US the number of dedicated 'marketing' firms is declining, as are the size of marketing departments.
This absolutely untrue. My day job is supporting the marketing function of my company, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Marketing. Sales and Marketing are almost always some of the largest divisions of major corporations in the US.
Marketing is not graphic design, they are entirely different things. I agree media creation is a dead end career wise, India and China can bang out logos and layouts cheaper than you ever will. But marketing professionals are absolutely needed to create and target marketing campaigns, to identify different market factors that impact product penetration, they need to understand market segmentation, pull through, metrics and analysis, it's a MASSIVE field with plenty of opportunity. Especially predictive/behavioral and computational marketing, they are super hot fields (and very well paying), although they aren't looking for marketing majors, they are looking for high level Math Theory and Quant guys.
To the OP, if you want to get a job in marketing, major in Marketing with a minor in psychology (even better if the school of marketing has a Market Psychology department that offers marketing specific psychology classes). You also want to have solid exposure to accounting and finance, as well as management theory. An MBA will not be all that helpful unless you plan to go into management.
Keep in mind that unless you are coming from an Ivy League school, your primary focus needs to be on building a portfolio of marketing plans and campaigns you came up with, usually they will be for group projects. Internships are highly valuable as well, focus on getting into one your Junior year, and make sure you walk away with tangible assets for your portfolio and letters of recommendation from co-workers if you can get it.
Keep in mind that entry level Marketing is TOUGH work. It is a field dominated by timelines and numbers. If your idea doesn't generate numbers, it's gone. If you need to line up the launch of the print campaign with the radio and TV campaigns, your entire life revolves around that deadline. You need to be excellent at selling your ideas over all others. There are only so many marketing dollars, and a company is only going to spend them on the campaigns that get the most ROI. You need to be REALLY comfortable with rejection and excellent at working with a LOT of different personalities. It can very easily become a job you live.
This absolutely untrue. My day job is supporting the marketing function of my company, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Marketing. Sales and Marketing are almost always some of the largest divisions of major corporations in the US.
My mistake, I should have been more clear - Major Corporations may be spending more than ever on marketing. All the small businesses I encountered while working were spending less and less, and I heard the same from friends in web design and the like. In my area the privately owned marketing and 'ad' companies are drying up.
I've always been super interested in, and wanted to go into marketing as a profession. I know this might be the commonly sprouted line, but my interest lies predominantly in creative marketing.
Going into Uni next year, the course that looks attractive to me is a double degree: Bachelor in Commerce (majoring in Marketing) and Psychology.
While this is certainly what interests me most, I spose I should consider my potential for getting employed after Uni - do any of you with more experience than myself in the area of business and particularly marketing have anything to say about my degree idea?
Cheers!
Ultimately, two Bachelor's degrees impresses no one (especially in Psych, which is one of the most common and least useful BS degrees out there, as you need a graduate degree in Psych to do ANYTHING in the field), and it just costs you extra time and money. It doesn't qualify you for anything more than a single degree does (for instance, replacing required experience - a BS usually accounts for two years, two BS degrees doesn't replace four years), and it's twice the stress. I would recommend pursuing a graduate degree in some sort of Marketing, or getting an MBA instead. Masters are only two extra years, and most people pursuing dual Bachelor's degrees end up spending an extra year or two anyway.
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Consider electives that will provide exposure to the areas that marketing positions interact with, so you can speak the same language. Perhaps Business strategy, graphic design, and management accounting (forecasting, return on investment) as a few examples.
What about marketing attracts you and why do you like it?
What role in the field of marketing do you want to play?
What type of marketing?
What is marketing in your opinion?
I like the creative aspect of things, and if I'm going to be honest, I guess there's a "sadistic" side of me that enjoys trying to convince people to purchase a product/service.
I'd prefer to be involved with promotion - advertising and that sort of thing.
Creative marketing? - I guess I'm not well enough educated about the field to make a proper response to that.
Management of all aspects of a product, its placement, pricing etc. to tailor it towards the target market and increase market share/profits?
You might also want to learn some Graphic Design then, as well, but NOT as a major (take a Community College course or something, it's not worth the four year degree).
I'll warn you that 'Marketing' as a career field is dying out. With the glut of Graphic Designers out there and many working for so cheap (I was guilty of it in College), business don't really bother with a 'marketing' budget anymore. So you may want to do some more research on the field. I know in the US the number of dedicated 'marketing' firms is declining, as are the size of marketing departments.
TerribleBad at Magic since 1998.A Vorthos Guide to Magic Story | Twitter | Tumblr
[Primer] Krenko | Azor | Kess | Zacama | Kumena | Sram | The Ur-Dragon | Edgar Markov | Daretti | Marath
This absolutely untrue. My day job is supporting the marketing function of my company, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Marketing. Sales and Marketing are almost always some of the largest divisions of major corporations in the US.
Marketing is not graphic design, they are entirely different things. I agree media creation is a dead end career wise, India and China can bang out logos and layouts cheaper than you ever will. But marketing professionals are absolutely needed to create and target marketing campaigns, to identify different market factors that impact product penetration, they need to understand market segmentation, pull through, metrics and analysis, it's a MASSIVE field with plenty of opportunity. Especially predictive/behavioral and computational marketing, they are super hot fields (and very well paying), although they aren't looking for marketing majors, they are looking for high level Math Theory and Quant guys.
To the OP, if you want to get a job in marketing, major in Marketing with a minor in psychology (even better if the school of marketing has a Market Psychology department that offers marketing specific psychology classes). You also want to have solid exposure to accounting and finance, as well as management theory. An MBA will not be all that helpful unless you plan to go into management.
Keep in mind that unless you are coming from an Ivy League school, your primary focus needs to be on building a portfolio of marketing plans and campaigns you came up with, usually they will be for group projects. Internships are highly valuable as well, focus on getting into one your Junior year, and make sure you walk away with tangible assets for your portfolio and letters of recommendation from co-workers if you can get it.
Keep in mind that entry level Marketing is TOUGH work. It is a field dominated by timelines and numbers. If your idea doesn't generate numbers, it's gone. If you need to line up the launch of the print campaign with the radio and TV campaigns, your entire life revolves around that deadline. You need to be excellent at selling your ideas over all others. There are only so many marketing dollars, and a company is only going to spend them on the campaigns that get the most ROI. You need to be REALLY comfortable with rejection and excellent at working with a LOT of different personalities. It can very easily become a job you live.
My mistake, I should have been more clear - Major Corporations may be spending more than ever on marketing. All the small businesses I encountered while working were spending less and less, and I heard the same from friends in web design and the like. In my area the privately owned marketing and 'ad' companies are drying up.
TerribleBad at Magic since 1998.A Vorthos Guide to Magic Story | Twitter | Tumblr
[Primer] Krenko | Azor | Kess | Zacama | Kumena | Sram | The Ur-Dragon | Edgar Markov | Daretti | Marath