Marketing is required across all sectors such as FMCG, Insurance, Finance, Consultancy Firms, Education, Entertainment, Events, Travel, Agricultural & even in establishing a new business. The best way to explore job opportunities in the field of marketing is to read about new marketing emerging roles, regularly checking job listings, & being aware of the evolution of consumer, media, and technology landscapes. B-Schools marketing professors can only provide guidance & show the path. But to learn the marketing skills & knowledge to walk successfully on the desired path is mostly dependent on the person itself. From the experience which I have in this field, would like to share a few things which you should know before starting a career in marketing.
1. Making sound career in marketing field required three basic qualities which are:
a. interest in Psychology
b. sound Analytical skill
c. Innovation (innovation which can bring solution to clients’ problem & can create win-win situation).
Mentioned skills can be learnt & develop over a period of time with the right guidance.
2. To acquire a new client takes lots of efforts from a marketer but it becomes easy (in fact very easy) if you love to be social & more importantly if you know how to manage the contacts. Invest time in meeting (just a chit-chat, may be on the current topics) with friends, colleagues, business partners & strangers too. It will show the path where a marketer can easily walk. Being social will benefit both the parties involved. Creating win-win situation for business has got no alternatives.
3. Respect the competition & industry. One has to have in-depth knowledge (the information would be an apt word, perhaps) about the business rivals & industry. It helps the marketer in modifying the strategy (if required).
4. As marketing goes with current trend so the work never become monotonous but the other side of it is that a marketer always need to be on his toes to match up with the current upgraded requirements of the clients & market. One has to has a desire to find the clues from day today life about the changing pattern of consumers’ demand. This might force a marketer to work for long hrs.
5. Due to diverse job roles and responsibilities, sometimes marketer might feel that his job is quite stressful.
6. Work life balance is tough to maintain.
Marketing department & marketers are always very close to the shareholders as this is the only department which fetches revenue from the market rest all are the cost-oriented resources, hence it’s easy to climb the ladder competitively but we need to be prepared to work for at least 14 – 16 hrs a day. Work gets started the moment you get ready to move out of home (for some, like me, the moment they wake up in the morning) – thanks to technology & smartphones. If you want to be in marketing please be sure that you would love to have those skills (if not have yet), mentioned in points 1 & 2. Prepare yourself to work hard, always have thirst for knowledge/ information. There is no short cut to be a successful marketer.
Author:
Vikas Chandra Sharma, Assistant Professor, Unitedworld School of Busienss (UWSB)
Disclaimer: The opinions / views expressed in this article are solely of the author in his / her individual capacity. They do not purport to reflect the opinions and/or views of the College and/or University or its members.
