What jobs can you get with a marketing degree
Marketing is all around us – on TV, online and in print. It is key to any business that wants to be successful. If you’re interested in marketing, PR or media, taking a degree in marketing can be the gateway to a huge number of opportunities, especially in the construction industry.
Types of marketing degrees and specialisations
Marketing is now seen as a degree subject in its own right, rather than just a module in a business degree. Many graduates take general marketing degrees, but others specialise in a particular area of marketing. This can include digital marketing, advertising, international marketing or business marketing. The specialised marketing skills you develop can give you an advantage over other marketing graduates when it comes to applying for jobs and starting your career.
Marketing-related career opportunities for graduates
These are some of the jobs in construction that marketing graduates move into:
Marketing & PR officer
Marketing and public relations (PR) officers are responsible for managing the image and reputation of a company through the media. They have skills in copywriting and brand management, which they use to influence opinions and behaviour – both internally and externally – through various communication channels, including websites, social media, local and national newspapers. Marketing and PR officers often represent companies at conferences and events, handle media requests from the press and co-ordinate publicity campaigns.
Product manager
Product managers work out what products customers want to buy, help businesses to manufacture or source the right products and support selling them. Product managers also provide the product vision and leadership to develop and market products, ensuring they support the company’s strategy and goals. A product manager is in charge of a product throughout its product life cycle. Skills for a product manager include good negotiation and analytical skills.
Business development manager
Business development managers are primarily responsible for driving business growth for a company. Business development managers create development plans, forecast sales targets and identify sales opportunities, as well as creating marketing strategies and sales presentations. Much of a business development manager’s time is spent outside the office. They will be meeting customers, attending trade shows and conferences, and trying to win new business.
Property sales advisor
Property sales advisors are responsible for looking after the on-site property sales process for a company, such as a property developer. This includes setting up and maintaining show homes, handling enquiries from potential buyers and producing reports based on sales data.
CSR co-ordinator
A Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) coordinator acts as a company’s ‘conscience’, championing and developing the ethical, environmentally friendly, and community-minded side of a business. The job involves creating links between a business and the community, as well as raising positive awareness of the organisation's commitment to sustainable social responsibility.
Continuing your education and professional development
Marketing graduates also have the option of taking their studies further. Education can continue for marketing professionals as they pursue their day-to-day jobs, in the form of continual professional development (CPD). This could involve professionally recognised qualifications, such as with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, training courses, distance learning or attending seminars and conferences.
Starting your marketing career: Tips and advice
Studying for a university degree is not the only route you can take into a marketing career. You could take a college course, or complete an apprenticeship as a marketing assistant or administrator. It is a good idea to gain work experience, which could involve volunteering for a charity or business, writing for a student newspaper or blog, or working for a charity during the summer holidays. With relevant work experience, you can apply directly to an employer.
What’s it like to work in construction marketing?
Larissa Hardisty went to university and studied Psychology. But she took the decision to start an apprenticeship in construction, and now works as a communications and marketing assistant for a stone flooring restoration company.