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Marketing Career Pathing
There is no one definitive path to the marketing field. Marketing professionals represent a diverse array of backgrounds and academic training that include business, journalism, psychology, and more. Included below are important tools, resources, training, and preparation needed for someone to successfully launch and sustain a marketing career journey.
Industry Areas, Concentrations, and Salaries
Advertising
Advertising is an area of marketing communication that aims to persuade customers [Business to Consumer (B2C) and Business to Business (B2B)] about a particular product or service to generate awareness, desire, and result in a purchase. Advertising generates awareness, builds brand image, drives sales, and influences consumer behavior. It is delivered through television, radio, print media, billboards, online platforms (such as websites, social media, pay-per-click, and search engines), and mobile devices. The specific choice of advertising channels depends on the target audience, budget, and campaign objectives.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $35,000 – $50,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $100,000
Brand Marketing
Brand management ensures the brand image and value of a product, product line, or company maintains or enhances the full trust and confidence of the shopper.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $35,000 – $55,000
- Mid-Career: $70,000 – $120,000
Content Marketing
Content marketing is comprised of graphic design (websites, infographics, images, ads), content creation (video, podcasting), social media marketing, and conversion rate optimization which aims to convert readers into customers.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $35,000 – $55,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $100,000
Consulting
Consulting involves providing expert marketing advice, guidance, and solutions to businesses seeking guidance with marketing and advertising challenges or opportunities. Consultants leverage their marketing expertise, industry knowledge, and analytical skills to assess marketing situations, recommend strategies, and drive positive change within businesses.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $60,000 – $80,000
- Mid-Career: $80,000 – $150,000
Digital Marketing
Digital marketing or online marketing, is the promotion of brands to connect with potential customers through digital communication that includes the internet, email, social media, mobile apps, and multimedia messaging. Digital marketing is comprised of two segments: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which addresses how search engines index website content and help a user find content; and email marketing which uses email to reach current and potential customers through email promotions and creative email messaging.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $40,000 – $60,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $100,000
Marketing Analysis
Like other areas of commerce, quantitative analysis has a huge influence of marketing campaigns, budgets, and investors. Whether working internally as a marketing analyst for a company or working for a third-party marketing firm, companies place a premium on utilizing staff to interpret data and guides marketing business decisions.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $45,000 – $65,000
- Mid-Career: $65,000 – $90,000
Marketing Strategy
Strategists develop and implement the roadmap to advance the broad marketing goals of a business to best main and attract loyal customers.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $40,000 – $60,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $100,000
Product Marketing
Product marketers take a comprehensive approach as the chief strategist for a single product (e.g., Tide) or product line (Tide with Bleach, Tide Free and Clear, Tide Travel Packets) across all marketing approaches.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $45,000 – $65,000
- Mid-Career: $75,000 – $120,000
Public Relations
Public relations (PR) is devoted to strategic communication to influence the reputation and perception of a business or brand to its target audience and the public. Public relations seek to build positive relationships, enhance credibility, and maintain a favorable public image among customers, employees, investors, media, government agencies, and the community. Categories of public relations include media relations, reputation management, crisis communication, corporate communication, and stakeholder engagement.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $35,000 – $55,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $90,000
Sales
Sales seeks to close deals, meet sales targets, and generate revenue by converting leads into purchases through direct interaction with customers. Salespeople or business development associates facilitate the purchase process by engaging with prospective customers, qualifying leads, presenting solutions, negotiating terms, and resolving objections. Through the sales process, salespeople build relationships, address customer needs, provide product information, and guide customers through the buying process.
Northeast Salary Averages:
- Entry-Level: $35,000 – $55,000
- Mid-Career: $60,000 – $100,000
Academic Areas of Focus
While there are no formal concentrations or tracks declared by marketing majors, the program divides coursework into four content areas:
- Advertising and Digital Media
- Customer Insights and Analytics
- Sales and Retail
- Marketing for Social Impact
Salary
It is important to realize that salaries can vary depending on several factors including the specific field of marketing, the marketing firm, position location, and industry. Over time salary ranges and market and industry conditions change as well as your ability to negotiate can influence your compensation. Like other areas of career preparation, it’s important to research salary information based on your qualifications and the industry you are entering.
- Isenberg average starting salary: $61,371
- National entry level salary range: $45,000 – $60,000
Top Employers & Job Titles
Isenberg Employers
- Akamai Technologies
- ALDI
- ALKU
- AMP Agency
- Access Real Estate
- Aramark
- AlphaSights
- Amazon
- Brockton Public School
- Burlington Stores
- BSN Sport
- CVS Health
- Dell EMC
- Epsilon
- Newell Brands
- Oracle
- Target
- TikTok
- TJX Companies
- Wayfair
Northeast Employers
- Arnold Worldwide
- BJ’s Wholesale
- Fidelity
- Deloitte
- Hubspot
- Mass General Brigham
- Mass Mutual
- NBC Universal
- PepsiCo
- P&G
- Target
- Thermo Fischer Scientific
- TikTok
Top Job Titles
- Marketing Assistant
- Marketing Consulting Analyst
- Marketing Coordinator
- Digital Marketing Assistant
- Market Research Analyst
- Content Marketing Assistant
- Public Relations Assistant
- Advertising Coordinator
- Sales Associate
- Business Development Associate
Clubs/Organizations, Professional Organizations, Early Talent & Diversity Recruitment
Isenberg & UMass Clubs
Marketing majors may be interested in getting involved in the following student organizations:
- UMass Ad Lab
- Public Relations Student Society of America, UMass Chapter
- Isenberg Marketing Club
- Isenberg Sales Club
- Association of Diversity in Business
- Association of Latino Professionals of America, UMass Chapter
- Delta Sigma Pi, Pi Rho Chapter
- Isenberg Undergraduate Consulting Group
- Isenberg Women in Business
- Protect Our Breasts
- Women of Isenberg Conference
Professional Orgs
Some organizations by industry are the following:
- American Marketing Association
- Association of National Advertisers
- Direct Marketing Association
- eMarketing Association
- Interactive Advertising Bureau
- International Association of Business Communicators
- Marketing Edge
- Marketing Research Association
- National Association of Pharmaceutical Sales Representatives
- National Association of Women Sales Professionals
- Public Relations Society of America
- Social Media Club
Early Talent & Diversity Recruitment
- AAPD Summer Internship Program
- Bain BEL (Building Entrepreneurial Leadership) Program
- BCG Growing Future Leaders Program
- BRAG Internship Program
- The Broad Diversity Apprenticeship Program
- CBS Diversity Institute Writers Mentoring Program
- Emma Bowen Fellows Program
- Facebook University
- FTI Consulting – Future Leaders Internship
- Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities – National Internship Program
- INROADS
- Jopwell
- Lime Connect Fellowship
- McKinsey Sophomore Diversity
- The Multicultural Advertising Internship Program
- T. Howard Foundation’s Diversity in Media Internship
- Out 4 Undergrad
- Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO)
Skills & Certifications
Technical Skills & Tools
- Marketing Automation Platforms: Hubspot, Marketo, Pardot
- Marketing Research Platforms: Qualtrics, Survey Monkey
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Zoho
- Content Management Systems (CMS): WordPress, Drupal, Joomla
- Analytics and Data Visualization Tools: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, IBM Watson Analytics, Tableau, Google Data Studio
- Social Media Management Tools: Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social
- Search Engine Optimization Tools: SEMruch, Moz, Ahrefs
- Graphic Design and Image Editing Software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Canva, Sketch
- Email Marketing Platforms: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Sendinblue
- Project Management Tools: Asana, Trello, Jira, MS Project
Broad Skills
- Brand Management
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Consumer Understanding
- Creativity
- Content Creation and Storytelling
- Direct Marketing
- Data Analysis and Interpretation
- Written Communication
- Problem-solving
- Leadership
- Organization
- Critical Thinking
- Adaptability
- Time Management
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Attention to Detail
Certifications
- Google Ads Certification
- HubSpot Certifications
- Facebook Blueprint Certification
- Hootsuite Social Media Certification
- Content Marketing Institute Certifications
- Marketo
- Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification
- Qualtrics Fundamentals Certification
Marketing Portfolio Resources
There are several marketing portfolio software options available that can help you showcase your work and achievements in a visually appealing and organized manner. Software options can vary depending on individual needs and preferences. But, bottom line, portfolios are an excellent tool to complement your resume accomplishment and displays visually engaging evidence of your marketing talent and track record. Here are some popular marketing portfolio software options:
Website Builder Options
- Adobe Portfolio: Adobe Portfolio is a website builder that allows you to create and customize your online portfolio. It integrates seamlessly with Adobe Creative Cloud, making it easy to showcase design work, photography, and other creative projects.
- Wix: Wix is a user-friendly website builder that offers templates and drag-and-drop functionality to create a portfolio website. It provides a range of design options and features for displaying your marketing projects.
- Squarespace: Squarespace is another website builder that offers visually-appealing templates and customizable options for creating a professional portfolio site. It provides a clean and modern aesthetic.
Portfolio Platforms
- Behance: a platform specifically designed for showcasing creative work. It allows you to create an online portfolio, share projects, and connect with other professionals in the creative industry. It’s widely used by designers, artists, and marketers.
- Dribbble: a platform focused on showcasing design work. It allows you to create a portfolio, share visual projects, and receive feedback from the creative community.
- Carbonmade: a portfolio-building platform that offers customizable templates and simple editing tools. It is popular among creatives, including designers, illustrators, and marketers.
- Portfoliobox: a website builder that offers templates and features specifically designed for creating portfolios. It provides a range of design options and allows you to customize your portfolio site.
- Cargo: a platform that offers customizable templates for creating an online portfolio. It caters to creative professionals, including designers, photographers, and marketers.
Four Year Success Habits for Isenberg Students
Year 1
Explore Vault Guides and Lightcast on the IConnect Marketing Major page for an overview of jobs and careers by industry related to your academic major. Discover the UMass Business Collection Market & Industry Resources Lib Guide.
Read business publications including The Wall Street Journal. Read Marketing Industry Publications such as Campaign, AdWeek, and eMarketer.
Follow companies of interest on LinkedIn and other social media platforms.
Discover and get involved in Isenberg and UMass clubs and organizations including Isenberg Marketing Club, UMass AdLab, and Public Relations Society of America, UMass Chapter.
Take on marketing roles within student government, residential life, or other on-campus departments.
Utilize UMass Student Job Board to identify social media and digital media job opportunities on campus.
Set your preferences in IConnect to receive tailored and relevant information including jobs, blogs, resources, emails, and event blasts based on your marketing major, affinity group, and more!
Get to know the Business Librarian, Allison Messier in 1:1 appointments at Isenberg or via online chats. Learn how these can support your future internship and job search activities.
Get started on writing your Isenberg Resume, developing a LinkedIn Profile and building your Competency Inventory.
Get to know your Transitions peers and TAs.
Learn from others. Ask an upper classman to have coffee with you, or maybe a friend of your Freshman Transitions TA or even a Career Peer! Practice networking in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. This success habit continues as you move through your professional development process!
Leverage the search terms “freshman” and “rising sophomore” on job boards (UMass Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed.com) if seeking summer internships
Check out company event series, Meet & Greet opportunities, and virtual information sessions posted on the IConnect calendar!
Learn how your town’s Chamber of Commerce = Internships (Career Coaches can show you how!)
Get your recruiting feet wet by engaging with employers and recruiters tabling in the Learning Commons (in the Hub)!
Year 2
Check out how credits work for internships at Isenberg.
Learn the difference between an externship, internship, and co-op. Discover how a Co-op = Resume Booster! (Ask a Career Peer or Career Coach!)
Decide which marketing academic major area to concentrate on and which marketing career path to focus on for career experience.
Thinking of Going Abroad? PLAN NOW and meet with a Career Coach to understand how being abroad may impact internship recruiting timelines.
Pay attention to IConnect email blasts in your UMass email inbox to stay on top of marketing career-related activities and job postings.
Identify sophomore and affinity group focused “Summit,” “Leadership,” and other early professional development engagements hosted by numerous employers.
Seek out and contribute to marketing and social media committees or leadership positions in your Isenberg and UMass organizations to allow you to gain skills in project/event/team management.
Apply for opportunities as a Career Peer in the Office of Career Success!
Develop career readiness with the SCH-MGMT 200: Career and Professional Development course. Build your confidence in your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interviewing skills, and ability to use numerous career-focused resources.
Update your Competency Inventory with new skills and accomplishments. Bring to Career Coach appointments to help further progress!
Investigate Early Talent and Diversity and Inclusion programs offered by employers and other organizations.
Begin to “professionalize” your marketing experience profile! Gain skills and work experience through a micro-internship/externship (i.e. Paragon One or Parker Dewey), or simulated work experience (i.e. Forage or Bright Networks).
Befriend and master the Networking/Job Search Excel Template on IConnect and make it yours! This organization tool will be your BEST resource for gathering information about companies, professional contacts, industry keywords, and MUCH MORE.
Sharpen focus on interests through attending industry-focused sessions, and speaker series via clubs and conference events at Isenberg and on-campus.
Build relationships with advisors, faculty, and staff. They can provide you with insights and understanding that could influence your choice of a major or pursuit of a career. They may also become a key part of your professional network.
Look for on-campus internships or jobs on the Student Job Board and UMass Handshake. Connect with students and employers on Handshake to find out more about specific opportunities.
Realize the efficiency of using Handshake filters! You can refine your job/internship search and find opportunities that align with your marketing preferences and qualifications. Remember to adjust the filters to tailor your search to your specific marketing career goals.
Use “Sophomore” as keyword in job board searches (Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed).
Year 3
Explore internships and co-op options early to prepare for early fall deadlines. Find postings on Handshake, LinkedIn, Creatively & Media Bistro, and other industry-specific job boards, as well as direct company sites.
Make time in your weekly schedule for Career and Professional Development Activity! Another successful habit to grow!
Study Abroad or Experience a Domestic Exchange. Remember, you can still meet with a Career Coach virtually for any career questions and concerns!
Apply for opportunities as a Career Peer in the Office of Career Success!
Identify and participate in Case and Pitch Competitions, and on-campus conference events to expand your resume and skills!
Develop your professionalism – enhance communication and time management skills, practice business etiquette, seek mentorship, join a professional organization, maintain a professional online presence, and more!
Utilize your Competency Inventory and experiences to draft “STAR” examples for interview questions. Practice interviewing on Big Interview and make time to mock interview with Chase Career Coaches.
Update and refine resume and LinkedIn to amp up keywords with specific coursework and projects.
Attend Isenberg Career Day (September), McCormack Sport Management Career Fair, HTM Career Fair and Career Blast (February) in addition to other events in your specific area of interest.
Identify and request information from alumni in target industries/companies on LinkedIn and Connect UMass. Prioritize time for building connections, networking, and maintaining relationships. Continue to collect all information in your Networking/Job Search tracking document.
Expand your network with Isenberg seniors and recent graduates to learn about possible internships/co-ops and contacts.
Pay attention to IConnect blasts in your Isenberg email to stay on top of career-related activities, events, and job postings.
Expecting an internship or early full-time offer? Learn how to manage multiple offers and offer response deadlines. A Career Coach can show you ways to manage these situations.
Year 4
Don’t panic if you’re still not sure what you want to do! Meet with a Career Coach for guidance!
Stay open to new possible career or employer options, and continue to learn about marketing career paths in different industries.
Research starting salaries in positions and industry roles of interest through payscale.com, salary.com, and Isenberg Senior Survey results on IConnect.
Seek out a research project with marketing professors or apply to become a marketing course teaching assistant to add interesting content to resume.
Highlight leadership club leadership, work experience, and academic coursework accomplishments in interviews and during networking events.
Tailor resume with marketing-specific keywords and content; add specific marketing and other business a coursework and projects.
Highlight Commonwealth College Thesis or other research projects on resume where relevant to your marketing career goals.
Practice answering interview questions! A career coach can be an invaluable asset in this activity!
Engage with corporate representatives tabling at Business Innovation Hub events.
Expand your network in specific marketing areas of interest. Update Networking and Job Search Tracking Sheet.
Complete the Isenberg Senior Survey in the Spring semester and contribute your placement information to Isenberg’s data!
Update LinkedIn profile with accomplishments and employment news. Commit to maintaining an updated profile beyond graduation.
Regularly assess IConnect emails full of opportunities from the Office of Career Success!
Gain insight into job offer evaluation and the protocol around accepting and declining opportunities.
Add new employers to your Networking and Job Search Tracking document. Leverage your research to find the best opportunity!
Go beyond on-campus postings and employers to discover additional opportunities.
