Careers in Marketing
WHAT DO MARKETERS DO?
Since the 1960's, marketing has become the dominant business philosophy founded on the principle that organizational
objectives may be best achieved through the satisfaction of customers' needs and wants. The marketing concept now drives the strategic direction of almost all companies, both domestic and international. Generally, marketers become experts in understanding customers and formulating strategic plans that will best satisfy customers' needs and wants, while simultaneously meeting organizational objectives. Therefore, marketers often operate at the central core of the business and at high levels of responsibility. The marketing profession is often a direct route to upper level management. In a recent survey of 1,000 companies, 30 percent of the chief Executive Officers had sales and marketing backgrounds, followed closely by finance and accounting with 25 percent each, and manufacturing/operations with 21 percent. Because marketing's importance has risen over time in most companies, experts predict that marketers will dominate executive positions even more in the future.
 Traditionally, the career path in marketing has been through the sales department. That is, traditionally, most marketing graduates' first position would be as sales representatives, progressing from there to district sales management, on to national sales management, and finally to top marketing management. The principal reason for this path is that, in sales positions, marketers can most effectively and efficiently obtain the knowledge of customers, products, company, competition and industry needed to succeed in management.
Although still very popular and viable, this traditional path is changing. Today, many companies desire marketing specialists with expertise in a number of associated functional areas. For example, marketing professionals with a background in computer science are needed to create marketing information systems. Marketers with a strong background in statistics and measurement are needed for marketing research. Marketers with multi-cultural understanding and foreign language skills are needed for international marketing efforts.
In addition, many companies need marketing students with expertise in their specific industry or product group. Many marketing students are able to convert avocations (sports, hobbies, crafts, etc.) and part-time jobs into viable career opportunities. For example, a student with artistic skills recently secured a very attractive position with a print and lithographic distribution company. Another student who worked part-time as a waitress was promoted into corporate management, and another who had worked in a nursing home was hired as a Director of Marketing for a medical group. Without a doubt, specialized product knowledge combined with expertise in marketing makes many students powerfully attractive candidates to some companies. Because such companies are oftentimes small and specialized, they do not come to campus recruiting students; and as a result, many students do not pursue them as career options. However, such opportunities can be located with some effort; and once located, such positions can be very lucrative and personally rewarding.
Clearly, the most successful marketing students are those who develop an expertise in a specialty area, whether it be knowledge of a particular industry or functional area of business. By creating a differential advantage over other candidates, highly qualified candidates are more frequently recruited and command much higher salaries.
SALARY
Starting salaries are relatively high in marketing but vary greatly. The initial salary offered a candidate is largely a function of the position being filled and the attractiveness of the candidate. Some companies recruit students for their ultimate leadership capabilities, while other companies recruit to fill functional positions. Companies who approach recruiting from a long-term, managerial development perspective tend to be very selective and pay the higher salaries necessary to attract high quality candidates. On the other hand, some positions do not require particularly specialized skills. As a result, these companies do not have to be as selective in recruiting and can offer lower salaries.
In 2005, annual salary offers received by most CSUSB marketing graduates were between $39,000 and $45,000. After the initial training and indoctrination period, salaries for productive, successful marketing professionals rise more rapidly than for other functional areas of most companies. Commissions and profit sharing plans add significantly to the base salary of many marketing positions, and with increased responsibilities that accompany promotions, salaries rise very rapidly. For example, managers of larger retail stores generally earn between $50,000 and $125,000, including bonuses. Sales representatives for industrial companies often earn salaries in excess of $100,000. Marketing management salaries are generally highest in marketing-oriented consumer and industrial products companies and are virtually limitless.
ADVANCEMENT POSSIBILITIES
Organizations have substantially different advancement criteria. Contrary to popular belief, promotions are almost always based on very objective, performance-related information. Although getting along with co-workers and managers is of importance, ability and interest in performing the job well and a dedication to getting the job done, regardless of the time and effort involved, are generally the critical components in promotion decisions.
Most professionals in the early portion of their career, regardless of functional area, must work long hours and put forth significant effort to succeed. Later, promotions tend to be more related to criteria such as: 1) the expansion of the company and related expansion of the management team; 2) demonstrated ability to take on greater responsibility and authority.
CREATIVITY AND CHALLENGE
The corporate environment is changing faster than ever. Dynamic change threatens even the largest and most stable companies. Times such as these represent major opportunities for aggressive, innovative marketing graduates. The rate of new product introduction has never been greater, as companies strive to maintain competitive advantage. Marketers play critical role in identifying new markets, and inventing creative approaches for pricing, promoting, and distributing goods and services to these markets. The key is creativity and a willingness to pursue risks. Your education provides a framework within which to develop this orientation.
CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT
Your marketing concentration should prepare you for a wide variety of careers following graduation. Because marketing has become the dominant management philosophy over the past three decades, the entry-level, executive-track position in many companies is in the marketing department. Therefore, marketing graduates are recruited by many firms from many diverse industries.
Your career planning should begin at a very early stage in your college education. Students who have focused career and employment objectives can develop an effective professional development strategy to meet their objectives and therefore are far more likely to obtain the employment they truly desire. For example, many (but certainly not all) companies demand that a candidate meet the following criteria:
A reasonable grade point average (usually 3.0 or above). Demonstration of leadership skills. Honors and awards demonstrating outstanding performance and recognition by others. Activities in several community, social, and academic organizations. Work experience with responsibility as closely related to the position as possible.
A student who is aware of such demands made by desired employers can take steps early in his/her education to meet or exceed these standards.
Students should counsel with their advisors, family, friends and acquaintances for input on career decisions. Other important sources of career information include business periodicals and participation in student organizations. Students can greatly enhance their educational experience in general and career planning specifically by regularly reading such practitioner periodicals as Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Inc., Fortune and Advertising Age. These publications are readily available in the library, and students can subscribe directly to many of them at a very low student rates.
As your graduation approaches, you must isolate companies who have a need for your services and can fulfill your career goals. This process generally takes much time and energy in your final academic term and designing a program of study with a "light" final term is generally advised. The Marketing Department places great importance on assisting students' efforts to find employment; however, your success will be determined in large part by your preparation and efforts. Several methods are generally used by students in combination to obtain employment. Each of these are discussed next.
Do not wait until after graduation to begin your employment search. The placement process generally takes many months, and those students who begin the process late and do not use the University facilities find the placement process much more challenging.
ON-CAMPUS EFFORTS
Career Development Center
The overall mission of the Career Development Center is to assist in bringing CSUSB students and employers together regarding professional employment. Members of the professional staff are available to assist you in planning a complete job search. The Career Development Center is located in UH-329,
537-5250. During the regular academic year, the office is open Monday through Friday; however, during the summer months, the center is open Monday through Thursday.
Exploring a full range of employment possibilities is highly advantageous, and the Career Placement Center provides students with the opportunity to interview with many companies from many industries. While it is hard to characterize these companies, most are large, nationwide companies. Typical employers:
Advertising/Public Relations Firms
Airlines and Cruise Lines
Banks and Finance Companies
Colleges and Universities
Electrical Manufacturers
Health-Care Organizations
Insurance Companies
Machinery Manufacturers
Market Research Firms
Not-for Profit Organizations
Pharmaceutical/Chemical Companies
Retail/Wholesale Merchandisers
Stocks/Securities Brokers
Travel/Transportation Services
Exporters and Importers
Generally, students should take advantage of the opportunity to interview with companies at the Career Placement Center.
It is also strongly recommended that students consider one of the
internship opportunities available
through the college before graduation.
One very good reason for becoming actively involved in student organizations is that they serve as a great source of career information and provide a forum through which students can make contacts with business professionals. Most student groups invite executives to speak at their meetings. In addition, organizations such as the American Marketing Association, Mu Kappa Tau, and Pi Sigma Epsilon have professional chapters in the Inland Empire with whom college members can interact and network. Such contact with marketing professionals can provide students with insight about career choices and opportunities.
OFF CAMPUS EFFORTS
Oftentimes, students will not find a suitable match through on-campus efforts. For example, some students desire to work for a very small, entrepreneurial company or a company in a specific geographical area. Therefore, companies typically using the Career Placement Center will not be able to meet these students' needs. In addition, some students will discover that they have failed to develop a set of professional characteristics that appeal to these companies. In any event, finding a position with outside-campus assistance requires a great deal of effort and careful preliminary planning.
Placement efforts outside the Career Placement Center should begin early in your senior year. Carefully worded cover letters and professionally prepared resumes are critical in persuading a potential employer to grant an interview. Oftentimes, students find break periods (such as Spring break) very valuable travel times for interviewing potential employers. Targeting specific employers takes creativity and research skills. Recognizing that people are also products, marketing majors often find that they can apply their marketing training to their placement efforts.
The Career Placement Center, advisors, Marketing faculty, family, and friends can assist you in these outside efforts. In addition, some students obtain the services of employment agencies, many of who are fee-paid (at no cost to the student) to assist in their efforts. Agencies may be especially helpful to those who want to locate in a distant geographical area. Again, students attend business schools to develop a career, do not fall short of your aspirations because of a lack of forethought and planning.
ACADEMIC PREPARATION FOR A CAREER IN MARKETING
A student desiring a career in Marketing may enroll at CSUSB in an Administration Major and a Marketing Concentration. The course requirements for an Administration major with a concentration in Marketing are divided into four sections:
86 units of general education requirements. Seven lower division courses which may be completed at a community college.
Lower Division Core:
INFO102 and INFO 103 - Information Technology Courses (4 units) - Requires a $25 lab fee when you register for
INFO 103
ACCT211 - Principles of Accounting (4 units)
ACCT 212 - Principles of Accounting II (4 units) - Prerequisite: ACCT211
ECON200 - Principles of Microeconomics (4 units)
ECON202 - Principles of Macroeconomics (4 units)
MGMT230 - Business Law (4 units)
MSCI210 - Applied Business Stat. (4 units)
MATH210 - College Algebra (4 units) - Meeting category B1 in GE Requirements
OR
MATH120, MATH192 or MATH211
Note: These courses may be taken at a community college. You must have junior standing (89.9 quarter units), have completed all lower division course prerequisite courses and specified course prerequisites before you can be enrolled in the Required Core Courses.
Nine upper division core courses providing foundation in the various functional areas of Business Administration.
Upper Division Core:
FIN 313 - Business Finance (4 units) - Prerequisite: ACCT211 or 312, MSCI210 and MATH110
FIN314 - Corporate Financial Management (4 units) - Prerequisite: FIN313
OM304 - Principles of Operations Management (4 units) - Prerequisite: MATH110 or 120 and MSCI120
INFO309 - Information Management (4 units) - Prerequisite: INFO101- Requires $25 lab fee
MGMT302 - Management and Organizational Behavior (4 units)
OR
PSYC302 - Management and Organizational Behavior (4 units)
MGMT330 - Legal Environment of Business (4 units) - Prerequisite: MGMT230
MKTG305 - Marketing Principles (4 units)
PA315 - Government-Business Relations (4 units)
MGMT490 - Strategic Management (4 units) - Prerequisite: To be taken in senior year AFTER
completion of all core courses
Marketing concentration courses. for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree, the concentration consists of 24 units (six courses): For the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree, the concentration consists of 44 units (eleven courses).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marketing Department
Chairperson or Faculty Advisor
JB-458, (909) 537-5749
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