Section 1.2 Careers in Marketing
13
Each of the 16 career clusters includes
several career pathways.Tmcdqsgdrdo‘sg-
ways, or career areas, you will find careers
ranging from entry-level to those requiring
advanced college degrees and years of expe-
rience. All of the careers within any given
pathway share a foundation of common
knowledge and skills. All of these pathways
have marketing positions—marketing is
everywhere.
The career pathways that fall specifi-
cally under the marketing cluster include:
Marketing Communications, Marketing Manage-
ment, Marketing Research, Merchandising, and
Professional Sales.
Career exploration can be an exciting time
in your life. No matter which direction you
choose, education and training will be
necessary to be successful. There are many
foundation skills that are necessary for success
in any career. Some of those skills include
¶ a‘rhbrjhkkrˇqd‘chmf+vqhshmf+khrsdmhmf+
speaking, and math;
¶ sghmjhmfrjhkkrˇcdbhrhnml‘jhmf+bqd-
ative thinking, problem solving, visual-
ization, reasoning;
¶ odqrnm‘kpt‘khshdrˇrdke,l‘m‘fdldms+
integrity, honesty, sociability,
responsibility;
¶ sdbgmnknfxrjhkkrˇrnbh‘kldch‘jmnvk-
edge, software skills, systems skills; and
¶ atrhmdrrrjhkkrˇok‘mmhmf+nqf‘mhyhmf+
negotiating, leadership,
communication.
Exploring Careers
Marketing Professional
A company’s marketing policies play a large role in the products or
services it offers. People who work in marketing identify potential customers
and develop strategies to market the company’s products or services effectively to
these customers. In addition, marketing professionals help keep the company
on track by monitoring customer wants and needs and suggesting new products or services to satisfy
those needs. Typical job titles for these positions include marketing manager, marketing director,
marketing coordinator, brand manager, commercial lines manager, and market development manager.
Some examples of tasks marketing professionals perform include:
¶ bnnqchm‘sdl‘qjdshmf‘bshuhshdr‘mconkhbhdrsnoqnlnsdsgdbnlo‘mxoqnctbsrnqrdquhbdr:
¶ cdudknol‘qjdshmf‘mcoqhbhmfrsq‘sdfhdr:
¶ odqenqll‘qjdsqdrd‘qbg‘mc‘m‘kxrhr:‘mc
¶ bnnqchm‘sdnqo‘qshbho‘sdhmoqnlnshnm‘k‘bshuhshdr‘mcsq‘cdrgnvrsnrgnvb‘rdsgdbnlo‘mx
products or services.
Marketing professionals need a strong background in sales and marketing strategy, as well as cus-
tomer service and employee management. They need a solid knowledge of the English language,
business and management principles, media production, and communication. Marketing professionals
must also be able to think creatively and use critical-thinking skills to solve problems. A bachelor
degree in marketing, advertising, communications, or a related field is required. Management positions
generally require one to five years of work experience. For more information, access the Occupational
Outlook Handbook online.