Building towards your first marketing job. What avenues can you take?

As with most careers these days, there are a number of avenues that you can take to enter any one specific field, and, for all of you aspiring marketers, luckily enough, this is exactly the same for you.

This guide outlines some of the different approaches, avenues, and educational routes you could take in order to land your first role within marketing.

Understanding marketing roles

Marketing is a really diverse subject and has a broad range of roles, each with distinct responsibilities and skill sets. Common entry-level positions include:

• Marketing Coordinators: Manage campaigns, coordinate between teams, and assist in project execution;
• Social Media Specialists: Develop and implement social media strategies to engage audiences;
• Content Creators: Write and create visual content for blogs, websites, and social media;
• SEO Specialists: Optimize web content to improve search engine rankings;
• Digital Marketing Assistants: Support online marketing efforts, including email campaigns, PPC advertising, and analytics.

Understanding these roles helps align your interests and skills with potential career paths in marketing.

However, many people enter the field as generalists and this is often a really good place to start. Doing so will allow you to experience a variety of types of marketing as opposed to a really niche marketing role.

Educational pathways

Maybe you’re just about to finish school, college, or university. Or, maybe you’re looking to retrain. So what options do you have open to you to learn more about marketing? Well, here are some of your options.

Formal education

College

• BTECs and A-levels in things like Business, Psychology, English, Design and other complementary subjects can help you land your first marketing role.

Bachelor’s degree in marketing

• Provides foundational knowledge in market research, consumer behaviour, advertising, and digital marketing;
• Includes practical coursework and projects to develop strategic and analytical skills;
• Can include internships or work placements, offering real-world exposure.

Related degrees

• Degrees in Business, Communications, or Public Relations can also be beneficial;
• Focus on elective courses in marketing or take part in marketing clubs and projects to gain relevant experience.

Master’s degree

• Consider a Master’s in Marketing or an MBA with a marketing concentration for advanced positions;
• Often preferred for roles involving strategic planning, data analysis, or leadership.

Certifications and short courses

Digital Marketing certifications

• Google Analytics: Understanding web traffic and user behaviour;
• HubSpot Content Marketing: Creating and managing effective content strategies;
• Facebook Blueprint: Mastering advertising on Facebook and Instagram;

Online courses

• Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer courses on SEO, social media marketing, and email marketing;
• Look for programmes endorsed by industry leaders to ensure quality.

Building Experience

Apprenticeships

A marketing apprenticeship is a structured, on-the-job training programme where you’ll gain practical experience and skills in marketing. It combines work-based learning with mentorship, allowing apprentices to develop expertise in areas like digital marketing, social media, and campaign management while earning a wage. Examples include the level 3 Multi-Channel Marketer, level 4 Marketing Executive, and level 6 Marketing Manager degree.

Internships

Internships are useful for gaining hands-on experience. Look for opportunities in various marketing functions to build a broad skill set. Internships provide:

• Practical experience – Apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios;
• Networking – Connect with industry professionals and mentors;
• Resume building – Gain tangible achievements to showcase in job applications.

Freelance projects

Freelancing offers flexibility and practical experience, particularly in content creation, social media management, and graphic design. Start with small projects or volunteer for non-profits to build a portfolio. Websites like Upwork and Fiverr can help you find initial projects.

Personal projects

Launching a blog, YouTube channel, or social media page focused on a topic of interest can demonstrate your marketing skills. This approach allows you to:

• Experiment – Test different marketing strategies and learn from outcomes;
• Showcase Creativity – Create content that highlights your abilities;
• Build a Portfolio – Present your personal projects to potential employers as proof of your capabilities.

We recently wrote an article on how to start your own marketing portfolio for instance. Maybe check that out.

Conclusion

Now, this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, and there may be many more avenues open to you. However, this should give you a good idea of some of the routes that you could take at any point in your life.

Ultimately, what we wanted to highlight is that there are loads of ways in which you can enter the field of marketing. But, if you feel like you need any additional advice, feel free to drop us an email or call and one of our team would be glad to help.