Marketing students often wonder if they can get a job in advertising with only a marketing degree. Crossing over into a completely different profession after having obtained a degree in another isn’t always the simplest operation. The process is not too complex when a person wishes to get into a related business, but even a small move into a different role might require a bit of reeducation and prep work. When an individual trained in marketing wants to make the jump to advertising, he or she is fortunate in that marketing teaches many basic skills utilized in the advertising world. There are many similar job titles within advertising and marketing, and the industries often work cooperatively with one another.
Moving Early is Easiest
For an individual trained in marketing, the easiest time to make a move into advertising is near the beginning of a career. Entry level positions are most forgiving as far as experience and training are concerned, and the basics of a marketing degree do carry weight with standard advertising practices. In more advanced positions, such as managerial jobs, there remain similarities within the industries, and it’s common for individuals who have a marketing degree to work at advertising firms.
Differences in Approach
One of the basic differences between advertising and marketing philosophies is that an advertiser develops creative strategies designed to enhance company sales while a person in marketing searches for ways to find more customers. This means that a marketer might take something designed by an advertiser and find a way to get it in front of a customer’s eyes. The difference is quite subtle, however, and often it’s the case that a marketing education will include courses in advertising and promotion. This means that during the application process for an advertising job, a person with a marketing degree would be able to boast having taken some advertising classes as part of his education.
Preparing for the Move
A marketer who wants to learn about how to get a job in advertising should consider reading industry periodicals and speaking with individuals currently in the advertising field to talk about emerging trends. When applying for a job in a different field, it’s important for the applicant to speak confidently on the industry and be able to convince the new company that a degree in marketing offered suitable training for work in advertising. In addition, as a potential hire, an applicant needs to be able to display a variety of valuable attributes such as an aptitude for problem-solving and experience with collaboration (or management for more advanced positions).
Like any career change or industry move, the more a person researches and prepares, the better the potential result. During interviews and applications, a person with a marketing degree should focus on the ways in which his marketing education might offer value to an advertising firm or position. For example, a marketer would need to understand the demographics of a company’s customers, which would be vital for any position in advertising. A marketing degree would definitely be valuable to anyone wishing to get into an advertising position.
