Navigating a Career in Marketing: your guide to success
by Isabela Harue Uemura Miyaki
November 13, 2024
Are you passionate about marketing and eager to carve out a successful career in this dynamic field? You’re not alone! Over the past 10 years, marketing careers have seen a significant surge as businesses ramp up their efforts to drive traffic and convert leads online, according to Forbes. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, that trend is likely to continue with the projected job outlook for market research analysts and marketing specialists for 2022 through 2032 being 13.4%.
So, what does Marketing Really Involve?
You might be wondering, what exactly does a career in marketing entail? The Oxford Languages Dictionary defines it as “the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising”. In simpler terms, marketing is about understanding what your customers want and how to reach them effectively.
Here’s a snapshot of what you might find yourself doing in a marketing role:
- Creating buyer personas
- Monitoring marketing trends to understand customers’ needs
- Developing targeting and pricing strategies
- Crafting and managing advertising campaigns
- Analyzing campaign effectiveness and reporting key findings
- Writing engaging sales copies and planning social media content
If that sounds intriguing, a marketing position could be your next move!
Getting there: The KSA Matrix
Now, let’s talk about how to position yourself for a marketing role. One effective tool you can use is the KSA matrix, a framework that helps Human Resources professionals identify the best candidates by evaluating their:
- Knowledge: subjects, topics, and information
- Skills: technical proficiencies
- Abilities: personal characteristics
Here is a simplified KSA matrix of qualifications to be selected and succeed in a marketing position. Use it as a checklist for your own progress!
| Knowledge
|
BS in marketing or in Business
· Marketing strategies and tactics (think 4Ps) · Website health: SEO (search engine optimization) Business statistics to analyze quantitative and qualitative data (SPSS) Analyze data to distinguish patterns, do forecasting, pricing competitive analysis… (every company used a different software, but we recommend learning Google analytics and/or Google trends) Basic financial understanding for budgeting, profit/loss quantities |
|
| Skills | Communication skills: strong writing, verbal, and visuals
Presentation skills: for audiences inside and outside the company Market research Marketing & advertisement campaign planning Social media content creation and management Web and campaign design (Adobe InDesign, Photoshop) is a plus! |
|
| Abilities | Creative to make the idea resonate more with the audience
Detail oriented when overviewing all the designs and campaigns. Social skills and be likable to work together in teams and with different departments. Adaptability to navigate changing market trends |
Your Roadmap to Success
With the KSA matrix as your guide, you can now highlight these aspects in your resume, cover letter, and interviews. But how do you build and demonstrate these KSA components? Enter BCC (Becoming a Case Consultant) and BE-EDGE – a program designed to help you craft your personal EDGE (Elucidate your core, Develop trust, Generate value, and Excite the market) and enhance your portfolio.
Here’s how it works:
- Elucidate Your Core: You’ll start by getting to know the company and the challenge at hand. Connect your experiences and interests to the case, find and articulate what your goal and impact will be for this case
- Develop Trust: Learn about the industry and market context while refining your data collection and analytical skills.
- Generate Value: This is where you’ll really shine. You’ll develop problem-solving and critical–thinking skills, plan your campaign and create a presentation that encapsulates your research, recommendations, and project plan. You’ll demonstrate adaptability, creativity, attention to detail, and strong communication skills
- Excite the Market: Finally, you’ll put together a case brief for your portfolio that showcases everything you have learned. You will also practice pitching your ideas, further refining your communication and organizational skills.
Ready to Dive In?
So there you have it! With the right knowledge, skills, and abilities – along with a structured approach like the KSA matrix and BE-EDGE – you’ll be well on your way to a successful career in marketing. If you are excited about the possibilities, start exploring BCC Digital Marketing Course Bundle how you can develop major traits such as Market Research, Content Planning, and Graphic Designing, and make your mark in the industry.You can also explore our “Becoming Case Consultants” mini-courses which specializes in major marketing skills.
Happy Marketing!
About the Author:
Isabela Harue Uemura Miyaki (Isa) is a third-year undergraduate student at Northeastern University studying Psychology and Business Administration. She is driven to become an expert in applying psychological principles to improve organizational behavior, talent acquisition, and community engagement.
