Marketing executive Job Information | National Careers Service

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Marketing executive

Hours

30-40 per week
Starting salary

£18,000 + per year

If you are a good organiser, and would enjoy using your creative and communication skills to sell products, this job could be ideal for you.

As a marketing executive, you would promote your employer's products or services, or raise people's awareness a message.

You would need creativity to think of ways of communicating with customers, using methods including TV, radio and press advertising, direct mail, and corporate sponsorship of events.

To work in this job you would have to work well in a team, be confident when working to deadlines, and have good business sense. Many marketing executives have a degree or BTEC HNC/HND in marketing or another business-related subject. However, a degree is not always essential if you have business and marketing skills gained from previous jobs such as sales, customer service or public relations work. Taking a professional qualification could also help you to get into your first job.

The work

Your work would involve:

researching the market, consumer attitudes and competitors
coming up with ideas for marketing campaigns
arranging for advertisements to go into newspapers, magazines, the trade press, TV or radio
organising the production of posters, flyers and brochures
writing and distributing press releases and mailshots
maintaining a database of customers
arranging sponsorship
organising and attending events and exhibitions
making sure that all parts of a campaign run smoothly
reporting on the campaign’s progress to managers
networking with clients, suppliers and the media.

In some jobs you may be known as a marketing officer, brand executive or account executive.

Hours

You would typically work standard office hours, Monday to Friday, with occasional extra hours at busy times such as the run-up to a campaign launch. You may also need to attend networking events in the evenings.

The work is mainly office-based, but you may also travel to meet clients and attend conferences, exhibitions and product launches.

Income

Starting salaries can be between £18,000 and £22,000 a year
With experience, this can rise to between £25,000 and £40,000
Marketing directors can earn £50,000 a year or more.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

You could get into marketing with various levels of experience, but generally the more experience and skills you have, the higher up the career ladder you can start.

Many marketing executives have a degree or BTEC HNC/HND in marketing or another business-related subject. With a degree, you could join one of the graduate training schemes that larger employers often run for new recruits. Most degree subjects are acceptable, but you may have an advantage with one of the following:

marketing (especially if the course included work placements)
communications
advertising
business and management
psychology.

A degree is not always essential if you have business and marketing skills gained from previous jobs such as sales, customer service or public relations work. You could also join a company’s marketing department as an administrator or assistant (perhaps as a temp), and work your way up to marketing executive with experience.

Taking a professional qualification from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) could help your promotion prospects or increase your chances of finding your first marketing job. Some CIM qualifications are suitable if you don't already have a marketing-related degree or relevant work experience:

Introductory Certificate in Marketing – an entry-level qualification open to anybody
Professional Certificate in Marketing – for anyone educated to A level standard, or with a little marketing experience.

CIM qualifications are available full- or part-time at many colleges, and by distance learning – see the Training and Qualifications section of the CIM website for more information.

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Training and development

You will usually be trained on the job, possibly through a company's structured graduate training scheme.

You could also study for recognised qualifications from professional bodies such as the CIM or the Communication, Advertising and Marketing (CAM) Education Foundation. These include:

CAM Diploma in Marketing Communications – includes marketing and consumer behaviour, public relations, direct marketing and advertising
CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing
CIM Professional Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing
CIM Chartered Diploma in Marketing.

The CIM and CAM courses are available full-time or part-time at colleges and training centres, or by distance learning. Visit the CIM and CAM websites for details of entry requirements and where to study.

If your job involved direct marketing, you could study for qualifications from the Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM), including the Certificate and Diploma in Direct and Interactive Marketing. See the IDM’s website for more information.

Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM)

You should also keep your skills and knowledge up to date throughout your career. CIM and IDM offer a range of short courses and networking opportunities to help your professional development at all stages in your career. See their websites for more information.

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

Skills and knowledge

As a marketing executive, you should have:

excellent spoken and written communication skills
creative thinking
good organisation and planning skills
the ability to work well as part of a team
drive, motivation and enthusiasm
the ability to work under pressure and to deadlines
the confidence to 'sell' your ideas
attention to detail
good business sense and budget awareness.

More information

Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) (Opens new window)

Moor Hall
Cookham
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 9QH
Tel: 01628 427120
www.cim.co.uk

Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing (IDM) (Opens new window)

1 Park Road
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 0AR
Tel: 020 8614 0277
www.urthebrand.co.uk
www.theidm.com

Communication Advertising and Marketing Education Foundation Limited (CAM) (Opens new window)

Tel: 01628 427120
www.camfoundation.com

Arts Marketing Association (Opens new window)

Tel: 01223 578078
www.a-m-a.co.uk

Opportunities

You might be employed by a marketing agency or consultancy, or you could work directly for an organisation's in-house marketing department. Larger companies in all kinds of industries can spend a considerable amount of money on marketing.

With experience, you could specialise in a particular type of marketing, or be promoted to marketing manager. You could also choose to become a freelance marketing consultant, or move into a related area like advertising, sales or public relations.

Jobs may be advertised in the local, national and industry press, on graduate recruitment websites, and by specialist recruitment agencies.

You may find the following useful for general reading and job vacancies (links open in new window):

Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.

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