An overview of marketing career

Before taking a plunge, let's have a look at what marketing is actually about-

• Marketing is mainly about media= It clearly defines all different ways through which a company interacts with potential clients. The communication could either be done through newspapers, radio, television or internet. Media sector has now become more fragmented and daunting than ever.
• Marketing field involves creativity= The sector is all about persuasion, communication and finding different ways to explain advantages of your products/services to other people so that they buy them.
• It comprises of brands= In the current scenario, companies pave more focus on brands. Undoubtedly, brands mirage the personality of a company. It is crucial to build a brand for the simple reason that people pay extra amount for the name they know and trust.
• Marketing is universal= If we would say that business has crossed the boundaries of countries and continents then there would be no exaggeration. Therefore, it becomes inevitable for businesses to formulate marketing strategies that allow them to market their products/services in other parts of the world also.
• It is all about team efforts= It is tough to achieve targets individually and good marketing always happens when designers, strategists and researchers put their efforts in accomplishing a single objective.

Whether you are surfing the Internet, reading newspapers & magazines or browsing through Facebook or Linkedin, you will witness effects of advertising and marketing sector. Undeniably, marketing makes the world go round.

In the absence of marketing, products/brands/services would not be able to grab the attention of the public. And that is what marketing professionals are able to do. They are the brainchild behind all aspects and ideas that you see every day. The career in marketing is not confined to only one area as there are so many facets of the sector, from print marketing, online marketing to social media marketing. It means, there is no dearth of good marketing jobs and therefore, you can build your career in this area.

Marketing jobs are available in different sectors and industrial segments. Have a look on some of the popular areas where you can find marketing jobs-

Product management= Known as brand management also, here the marketing function is primarily focused on making important managerial decisions, like product development, distribution, pricing and in some areas, it covers profit and losses also. This type of marketing can be found in companies that are selling consumer packaged items. It has been seen that brand managers constantly put efforts in making sure the consistency in pricing and advertising of different products under the same brand.

Below are some of the leading product management companies-

• Proctor & Gamble
• Coca Cola
• PepsiCo

Market research activities= Those people who are involved in market research collect vital market analysis information which is then used by management for making different decisions. Market researchers create questionnaires, reports and display their findings. Also, researchers need to collect data on competitors, product features and market research. There are bountiful career opportunities available with retailers, manufacturers, government agencies, etc.

Business-to-business (B2B) marketing- This kind of marketing is done for planning and selling different products/services which are used for commercial purposes only. It means, this kind of marketing does not interact with final consumers and their target audience is merchants, retailers and businessmen.

Below are top B2B companies offering marketing jobs-

• Ask4plastics
• Material Stock Exchange
• PCB India

Customer relation management- Unlike B2B marketing, this kind of marketing focuses upon creating and maintaining profitable relationship with the vast clientèle base.

Below are top Customer relation management companies-

• Oracle
• SAP CRM
• Amazon

Retail- It is touted as a major contributor to the economy's GDP and it involves selling products to the target audience.

Below are top retail companies-

• Future Retail
• Lifestyle International Pvt. Ltd
• Shoppers Stop Limited
• Titan Company Ltd.
• Puma Sports India Pvt. Ltd.

Distribution management- Professionals involved in this type of marketing need to analyze, plan and control different activities which are associated with the procurement and distribution of different products/services.

Below are top distribution management companies-

• Cadensworth (India) Ltd.
• ProConnect Supply Chain Solutions Ltd.

Direct marketing= Here the person involves into direct interaction with customers via door-to-door, catalog or telephone channel.

Advertising and PR managers= They manage the company's interaction with consumers, employees, investors and public. Known as the spokespeople of the company, they help in building trust and loyalty. The competent marketers in this field help in formulating viable communication plans.

Below are some top advertising & PR agencies=

• Lowe Lintas
• Ogilvy & Mather
• Mudra Communications
• Ethos PR
• Clea PR

Internet marketing= In today's digitalized world, it is indispensable to create an excellent online presence in order to survive the cut-throat competition. Nowadays, almost every company, irrespective of its size and business, has its presence in the Internet world. In fact, companies have set aside a budget for digital marketing. It is the duty of a digital marketing manager to create a suitable marketing plans for effectively optimizing mobile and Internet channels for varied purposes.

Below are some common marketing job positions that you may enjoy-

1. Product management= Product Analyst->Senior Product Manager->Director
2. Advertising/public relation= Executive->Account Manager->Account Planners->Brand Manager->Vice President
3. Market Research= Project Director->Research Manager->Senior Research Manager->Vice President
4. Digital marketing= Sales executive->Team Leader->Business Head->Digital Marketing Manager

New Delhi= Rs 7 lakhs+

Bangalore= Rs 8 lakhs+

Pune= Rs 5.5 lakhs+

Chandigarh= Rs 5 lakhs+

Marketing jobs offer lucrative package along with excellent incentive plans. As a fresher, you can fetch anything between Rs 15,000-25,000. Moreover, the position also offers incentive plans which make it a lucrative career option. After gaining years of experience & skills, you can easily earn Rs 1-2 lakh/month. Some employers also offer foreign trips to their marketing professionals when they overachieve their targets.

Typically, entry-level marketing jobs need a bachelor degree. The marketers play diversified roles in different companies and therefore, these degree programs focus on a wide spectrum of marketing skills that can help marketers to successfully perform their duties. The bachelor program prepares students to work in different areas, like copy writing, communication, international sales among others.

Usually courses may include-

• Marketing strategies
• Digital marketing
• Quantitative analysis
• Consumer behavior
• Strategic management

For marketing job positions like research analysts, it is crucial to possess a post graduation degree in business administration or related field. Those who want to build a career in digital marketing, a course in computer science or other web-based language is an added benefit.

The success of any business is decided by how it is marketed and therefore, there is a huge demand of qualified marketers. It comes as no surprise that all top B schools in India and abroad are offering MBA in marketing. Moreover, no particular graduate degree is required and students from all streams are eligible for this course.

Irrespective of the career you choose, there will always be some skill sets which you should possess to achieve success in the particular field. Marketing is not a different sector. To assess whether you should do a marketing job or not, ask yourself if you have following skills or not.

In India, fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is witnessing a rapid development. Companies like Nestle, Pepsi, Marico, Procter and Gamble and Unilever are always looking for fresher and experienced professionals. Also, consumer durable companies like BPL, Maruti and Godrej are offering excellent marketing jobs. All types of products/services, ideas and brands need a suitable platform to market themselves. This entire process gives birth to the marketing job position which is available in all types of sectors like information technology, lifestyle, automotive, entertainment, manufacturing, finance, etc.

The marketing has a bright future. There has been a considerable change in the way marketing is done. Although traditional marketing ways like radio, television, direct mail, etc., are still in use, the latest marketing avenues like social media, email marketing, etc., are gaining huge popularity.