Before you can move to the upper levels of marketing, you need to understand the basic demands of breaking into the field.
Obviously, the first requirement you would need to become a marketing director is the appropriate education. For entry level positions, you’ll want to at least get a bachelor’s degree in marketing. However, if you want to pursue marketing executive jobs you’ll probably want to end up with a master’s degree in marketing or a similar field. Public relations, advertising, or business would be appropriate options.
Having a background in marketing is important, but if you’re hoping to rise through the ranks in a specific industry you may also want to develop a background in that area as well. For example, if you want to pursue positions in software marketing, you would do well to complete some classes in software development.
Although education will be the cornerstone of your success, experience is truly what will help you climb the ladder. Before you can land marketing management jobs, you’ll first need to gain some experience in the trenches. That means you may need to take entry level jobs in agencies and work your way up the ladder. You might need to begin in marketing assistant jobs before you start climbing to the top. Remember the experiences you have as you build your reputation are going to decide how far up the ladder you can go.
Finding Marketing Director Positions
There are a number of ways to locate one of these positions. The most traditional method is to start at the bottom of the ladder. You advance by having your hard work recognized and eventually end up promoted to the upper ranks at the agency. Of course, there is no guarantee that you’ll always reach the top if you choose this option. Today, most people in marketing understand they won’t get far in the industry by putting all of their eggs in one basket (meaning if they devote themselves to only one marketing agency they are unlikely to reach the level they want).
As for you, begin by working for smaller agencies where it will be easier to make a name for yourself. After you have moved up a few rungs, you can begin searching for a position in a larger agency. The idea is to keep moving up the ladder and changing to a better position at another agency once you have ways to make yourself look desirable by a new agency.
Now the question is where you are going to find the available jobs you need. You could look in the newspapers but unless you already call a major metropolitan city like New York or Chicago home you aren’t likely to find many opportunities listed.
The better option is to look online. There are some general job search sites which allow you to find positions available all over the country but these can be time-consuming and can frequently pull up results that are not relevant. In fact, if you look at these sites for marketing jobs you’ll end up getting many work-at-home scams and other offers which are nothing you should even waste time on.
Instead, consider seeking out marketing specific job search sites such as www.MarketingCrossing.com. By doing this, you are going to increase your odds of accessing a position that will be desirable for your long term needs. After all, you’ll have fewer jobs to dig through in order to find what you want. Most of these sites do still have search engine options so you can focus your efforts on particular locations if you desire. However, if you are open to relocating anywhere then these sites will make it much easier for you to find all of the options available.
Applying for the Job You Want
Of course, finding a possible job is only part of what you need to do. When you start applying, be sure to include very specific stories of your successful marketing campaigns. Always explain the position you played in the campaign and have statistics to back up your claims. Most human resources managers and marketing supervisors are going to want as much evidence of your abilities as possible.
Keep in mind that you should be holding onto all of this information from the moment you begin your marketing career. Even while you are in school or completing an internship, you should start creating a portfolio of your work.
The marketing industry offers many different jobs options and can really help you to succeed in your career. Marketing directors might be at the top of the ladder, but who says you can’t climb all the way to the top?
