Marketing CAREER INSIGHT
LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk
www2.ljmu.ac.uk/careers
Career Insight: Marketing
Introduction Studying towards a degree in Marketing will help you develop an in-depth understanding of areas like: research methods, marketing theory, marketing communications and consumer psychology, which will put you in a good position to start a career in general marketing, as well as the chance to specialise in a specific area of marketing such as: direct marketing, digital marketing, brand management, market research, advertising, PR and event management. Transferable skills like planning, IT, analytical, interpersonal and problem-solving skills will also enable you to follow a number of other career paths in areas like: finance, retail, sales, general management and management consultancy. In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you. You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn profile and following relevant organisations and vacancy sites on Twitter.
Typical job options Typical job options with a Marketing degree include roles like: marketing assistant, marketing officer/executive, account executive, market researcher, as well as a range of advertising and PR roles. You could start exploring some of these in more detail via: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/marketing_executive_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/market_researcher_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_relations_account_executive_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/public_relations_officer_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/event_organiser_job_description.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/advertising_account_executive_job_description.htm http://www.cim.co.uk/insight/tools-and-templates/getin2marketing/ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/marketing_advertising_pr_sector.htm https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/marketing-advertising-and-pr Your options within the wider business and management sector include for example: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_financial.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_human_resources.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_management_and_statistics.htm http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_retailing_buying_selling.htm
The suggestions listed here are by no means exhaustive, so we would encourage you to consider other relevant options e.g. based on previous work or voluntary experience, skills and interests. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use
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Career Insight: Marketing
career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Does the employer offer support to study towards professional qualifications through relevant industry associations like the Chartered Institute of Marketing? Is any specific work experience required? We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the Careers Team website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm this includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options and introduces you to the DOTS model to help you with your career planning.
Main employers You may be employed in-house directly by an organisation (known as client-side) or by a marketing agency. Marketing professionals who work client-side work in all sectors and industries in organisations of all sizes – depending on the number of employees working within an organisation, the work can vary widely e.g. in smaller organisations you might be the only member of staff dealing with any marketing, communications or PR related issues making your role very varied and diverse. Many large organisations have a separate marketing and communications department with specialist staff whose roles are more closely defined and focused. Marketing agencies provide services to many different clients and can vary in both size and range e.g. some agencies may specialise in one particular area of marketing/promotion and some may focus on a particular sector or sectors – larger agencies will usually have a wider range of specialisms and a broader client base. A key benefit of working agency side is the amount of different clients and industries that you can come in to contact with, this can help to develop experience, skills and knowledge which can enhance career and professional development. Many large organisations in the private sector run structured marketing graduate schemes. Some examples are listed below, but we would advise you to research additional employers from the sectors you are particularly interested in.
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Jaguar Land Rover: http://www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/jlr-roles/graduate/
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Unilever: http://www.unilever.co.uk/careers-jobs/graduates/uflp/marketing/
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Marks and Spencer: http://careers.marksandspencer.com/graduate-careers/marketing-graduate-programme
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KPMG: http://www.kpmgcareers.co.uk/graduates/graduate-programmes/central-services/marketing
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Tesco: http://www.tesco-graduates.com/graduate-programmes/marketing/
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Boots: http://www.boots.jobs/talentprogrammes/graduates/brand-buying-marketing-programme/
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GlaxoSmithKline: http://futureleaders.gsk.com/en-gb/our-programmes/marketing-and-sales/
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BTB International (market research graduate scheme with a market research agency): https://www.b2binternational.com/about/about-b2b/work-for-us/graduates/
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Career Insight: Marketing
All occupational profiles listed on http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm include a section on typical employers and vacancy sources, so use these as a starting point to research potential employers within additional career areas that interest you.
Useful links and websites LJMU Vacancy website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Prospects - Careers information and graduate jobs http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ Targetjobs - Careers information and graduate jobs https://targetjobs.co.uk/ Milkround - Graduate jobs, placements & internships http://www.milkround.com/ Jobs in the public sector http://www.lgjobs.com/ http://www.jobsgopublic.com/ Graduate Talent Pool - Graduate internship opportunities http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Search for jobs in marketing http://www.simplymarketingjobs.co.uk http://jobs.brandrepublic.com/ http://jobs.marketingweek.com/ Chartered Institute of Marketing http://www.cim.co.uk/ http://www.cim.co.uk/insight/tools-and-templates/getin2marketing/ (careers information for students and graduates) Direct Marketing Association http://www.dma.org.uk/ Business Marketing Association http://www.marketing.org/ The Market Research Society https://www.mrs.org.uk/ Chartered Institute of Public Relations http://www.cipr.co.uk/ http://www.cipr.co.uk/content/careers-cpd/careers-advice-and-case-studies Public Relations Consultants Association www.prca.org.uk PR Week http://www.prweek.com/uk
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Career Insight: Marketing
Search for jobs in PR http://jobs.theguardian.com/jobs/pr/ http://www.prweekjobs.co.uk/ http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/marketing-pr Information about careers in Advertising from Creative Skillset http://creativeskillset.org/creative_industries/advertising_and_marketing_communications Institute of Practitioners in Advertising http://www.ipa.co.uk/
Follow relevant companies/websites through Twitter for example: •
@LJMUCareers
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@Prospects @ProspectsJobs
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@targetjobsUK
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@CIMinfo
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@BrandRepublic
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@CIPR_UK
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@prjobsuk
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@prweekuknews
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@IPA_Updates
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@SkillsetSSC
Depending on your specific career interests, you could also follow relevant websites and organisations e.g. @retailweek for news relating to the retail sector.
Sources of work experience Download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at University” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. LJMU has been managing a summer internship programme for Level 5 students in recent years, so keep an eye on your LJMU inbox for details of any opportunities. Many large organisations like: GSK, L’Oréal, Vauxhall Motors, Microsoft and Cancer Research UK offer marketing or communications summer internship opportunities or year-long sandwich placements. These are generally advertised on websites like Prospects, Targetjobs or Milkround, as well as on the organisations’ own websites – opportunities are also advertised on the Careers Team’s vacancy website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk and on www.ratemyplacement.co.uk. Many placement schemes in other areas like finance, retail management or HR are open to students from any degree discipline. Check your eligibility before making an application e.g. some summer placements are specifically aimed at second-year students. Application deadlines for sandwich placements and
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Career Insight: Marketing
summer internships can be as early as October/November for a start date between June and August the following year, so start your research early to ensure you don’t miss out on relevant opportunities! Applications for summer internships or year-long placements with large employers are very competitive, so involvement in extracurricular activities, previous work experience or voluntary work can give you the edge over other candidates. It’s never too early to start getting involved in clubs and societies or to gain work experience, so explore relevant options early on in your studies. Many societies/clubs through LiverpoolSU have an events/social activities or marketing co-ordinator/officer, which could be an excellent opportunity to gain some experience in organising events, liaising with corporate sponsors or managing a society’s social media presence. There are also opportunities as a student brand manager or on-campus promoter (these are usually paid positions). Companies recruiting brand managers on behalf of clients like Aldi, Virgin, the Guardian or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office include http://campusindustries.co.uk/ and http://www.oncampuspromotions.co.uk/. If you are interested in completing a year-long sandwich placement, we would recommend that you seek advice from the Employability Support Unit in the Business School, who advertise industrial placement vacancies and advise on opportunities https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/esu/index.htm. Many undergraduate students also secure work experience through a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach i.e. after contacting organisations directly through networking events, via email or through LinkedIn. You might, for example, consider contacting a local PR/marketing consultancy (depending on your career interests) as a starting point. Once you have some initial career ideas, undertaking work experience or voluntary work in these areas can be a great way not only to find out whether this role would be right for you but also to build up a network of professionals and organisations in your chosen sector, which can often lead to further work experience or even a full-time role after graduating. Before contacting organisations about work shadowing or work experience opportunities, make sure you research the organisation and find out the best person to get in touch with. It is important that you demonstrate that you are interested in the organisation and have spent some time finding out what they do. Even when applying to secure work experience for the first time in this industry, show the employer what you have to offer e.g. briefly outline any relevant skills or knowledge gained from your course. Look at the skills listed under entry requirements in the occupational profiles on Prospects http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm and try to evidence these on your CV, drawing on examples from your course, work experience or extra-curricular activities to demonstrate how you developed these. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include https://do-it.org/ and http://www.liverpoolguild.org/volunteering. Many charities and not-for-profit organisations require volunteers to assist them in organising fundraising events, developing and implementing a social media strategy or generally marketing their organisation. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer.
Recruitment schedule Recruitment cycles and deadlines will vary depending on the type of work you are applying for. Again, research is key to ensure that you do not miss relevant opportunities. As a rule of thumb, the selection process takes longer in larger organisations, as they tend to receive a higher number of applications and use several different stages to reduce the number of potential candidates. As a result, application deadlines can be as early as October/November in your final year of study for a start date in August
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Career Insight: Marketing
or September of the following year. If you are considering postgraduate study, find out if there are any specific closing dates for applications by contacting relevant universities directly. Many graduate training schemes with large companies will accept applications from students of any degree background. If you are interested in these roles, you will need to be aware of the recruitment cycle. Many employers begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final-year students – some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December, but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process for graduate training schemes usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. This may be followed by psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. You may also need to submit your CV. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm. The Careers Team runs its “Graduate Schemes Uncovered” workshop on a regular basis – please check our events pages on https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/ for details. Many of these opportunities are advertised in the Prospects Student Career Guide and the Targetjobs directories (available from the Careers Zone) and on websites such as Prospects, Milkround and Targetjobs – also check organisations’ own websites. You may also find work through small and medium-sized enterprises/businesses (SMEs). These types of companies don’t usually have structured training schemes but will recruit ‘as required’. Depending on previous experience, you might find yourself applying for entry-level roles on an administrator grade at first i.e. job titles like marketing administrator, marketing/PR assistant; but once you have gained experience in one of these roles this should open up opportunities for promotion within your organisation, or give you the required experience to apply for higher-grade positions with other employers. Some SMEs may use their own application form but most applications will be by CV and covering letter. These positions will be advertised on company websites, relevant recruitment websites, the Job Centre and national and local newspapers. The ‘creative’ or ‘speculative’ approach to job hunting, outlined above, is also important when looking for graduate roles. Making contacts and approaching organisations speculatively to look for work is a common route into employment. For more information about the speculative approach to job hunting, download a copy of our guide to ‘The Hidden Jobs Market’ from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm. You can get advice about the recruitment process by booking a one-to-one appointment with a careers or employability adviser (call us on 0151 231 2048/3719 to arrange this) or you can attend relevant workshops in the Careers Zones.
Key events and networking
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Liverpool Careers Fairs: are usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for details.
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Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events/ for details.
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Placement fair at LJMU: the Employability Support Unit in the Business School organises an annual placement fair where you can meet employers offering year-long placements to find out more about available opportunities, entrance requirements and application deadlines. If you are considering applying for a sandwich placement, this is an essential date for your diary!
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Career Insight: Marketing
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Careers and employability events at LJMU: keep an eye on our events page at https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/ for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks.
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LinkedIn: you could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account https://www.linkedin.com to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry.
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LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: http://www.liverpoolsu.com/clubsandsocs.
Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship - support for LJMU students and graduates interested in starting up their own business https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup/. Postgraduate Study - download our mini-guide on “Thinking about Postgraduate Study” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different options available.
Examples of employment destinations (LJMU Marketing graduates): Marketing Executive-Active Profile Marketing Executive-Global Data Marketing Executive-JCD Co Business Development Executive-Latitude Digital Marketing Business Development Graduate-BAE Systems Marketing Assistant-Allstars Casting Business Development Support-European Door Sets Ltd Marketing/Sales Assistant-Frost Ltd Marketing Assistant-WEC Group Ltd PR and Marketing Coordinator-John Lewis plc Recruitment Officer-NHS Student Society Coordinator-Liverpool Guild of Students Customer Service Executive-The National Insurance and Guarantee Corporation
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Career Insight: Marketing
Notes
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Š 2017 Liverpool John Moores University. The content of this document is copyright material of Liverpool John Moores University. No part of this document may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Career Insight: Marketing
Notes
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Š 2017 Liverpool John Moores University. The content of this document is copyright material of Liverpool John Moores University. No part of this document may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Career Insight: Marketing
Notes
https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/ 1010 https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/
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