A career in marketing can be an engaging one if you enjoy both business and communications. Marketing is all about how to make a product, a service or an organization appealing to the public or at least to the intended audience. This is a field that may appeal to you whether you are more of a people person or you are someone who prefers to deal with quantifiable data. There is room for both types of professionals although your course of study will probably differ depending on which best describes you.
Figure Out Your Funding
One of your first steps before you head off to college for your undergrad should be to get your funding lined up. Most people and their families are not able to pay the full amount for college tuition and other expenses, and for this reason, there are a number of ways to get money for school, including loans, scholarships and grants. Many people use a mix of federal and private aid. Once you know what you are eligible for in federal money and what scholarships and grants you will receive, you can use private loans to make up the difference. A private lender might be your local bank or credit union, or you could find one online.
Bachelor of Arts or Science
While there are a number of different focuses you may have as a professional, there are essentially two different, complementary approaches to marketing. One approach is focused more on psychology and understanding human behavior. This type of marketing career might have similarities to working in public relations and might involve strong customer service skills as well. The other approach focuses on collecting, storing and analyzing data. Some schools offer a bachelor of arts degree for the former focus and a bachelor of science degree for the other although this will not necessarily be the case at the college that you attend. Still, it is worth thinking about which emphasis interests you more and which courses you should take as a result.
Additional Courses to Take
Depending on what types of coursework your program offers, you may want to consider as electives some courses from outside the program that would bolster your skills. For example, classes in psychology, statistics and communications might all be useful.
A Career in Marketing
Nearly every type of business and organization needs some kind of marketing department. Whether you want to work in the corporate world, for a nonprofit or in government, there is a place for your skills. While you are still in school, it’s a good idea to start exploring your options so you can tailor your college experience to make you better qualified for the type of position you want. For example, if you want to work for a major tech or social media firm, your preparation might be very different than that of someone who wants to work for a nonprofit that focuses on affordable housing or animal welfare. You can seek internships or connections in the industries and at the companies that interest you to increase your likelihood of getting a job there after graduation.
