Tips for Landing a Marketing Job without a Marketing Degree
Marketing is an exciting field, but many folks don't realize that until they have a bit of experience working in the business world. Marketing encompasses an intriguing blend of advertising, sales, public relations, promotion, design, customer service, networking, social media, and communications. There are a variety of facets to the marketing world, and having a degree in marketing will allow you to understand all of those facets, but having a degree in something else can actually be a great asset when you land that marketing job!To market a product or service, you simply need to be an expert of that product or service and be able to portray your excitement of your expertise to your target audience.So how do you land that marketing job in the first place?BECOME AN EXPERTIt is extremely important to know the ins and outs of your niche. If you, as a potential marketing executive, do not understand how your product or service works, there is no way you will be able to market it! Learn everything there is to know about what you'll be marketing.BECOME A CRITICTake some time and come up with a list of ideas to make this particular product or service better. Marketing professionals are constantly brainstorming for new ways to improve upon and market their product. What is it lacking? Where can it improve? Tell your ideas to the interviewer of the job you're going for in a positive way. You don't want to give him or her the idea that the product stinks! Keep in mind that this particular company has likely spent thousands of hours on marketing already, while also informing them that you have some valuable ideas.BECOME A VALUABLE ASSETNot every marketing professional can do it all, and do it all well. Learn the different forms of marketing and build upon your existing (or newly found) expertise and fresh ideas. This will make you a valuable asset to any corporation. Social networking, video blogging, email marketing, print and web design, advertising, writing for publications and press releases the list goes on. These are all different forms of marketing, and all can be incorporated into a fantastic marketing strategy. Find out what you can do, how to improve upon your skills, and do it! You'll be a valuable marketing expert for your next interview.Not only should you learn about existing marketing techniques that are out there right now, but you must stay on the cutting edge of marketing technology. It is an ever evolving business and when you stay abreast of new marketing strategies, you will prove yourself as a true marketing expert. To do this, read lots of blogs and books, join and become involved in social networking, and get to know other marketing professionals. Be a sponge! Take in all the information you can, and put it to good use.BECOME A MARKETERThe best thing you can do as a non-marketing major turned marketing expert is to market yourself. No one will hire you if they don't trust you, your knowledge, or experience. Clean up your resume, add exciting adjectives, be honest, and really show off what you can offer to your prospective company. Your resume is one of the first things an interviewer will see, so make it stand out from the crowd. Expertise, planning, and strategy are more important in the marketing realm than knowing the process.Marketing experts not only understand their product or service inside and out, but they also understand how to get their expertise to their target audience. They create a sense of loyalty, trust, and brand recognition. It doesn't take a marketing major to accomplish these things. It takes someone who is excited about the challenge of constantly building upon their product knowledge and marketing strategies!
