A combination of college education and experience is required for many promotions manager positions. Competition to become a promotions manager can be fierce, because the job may come with a number of benefits and includes opportunities for advancement. People with better qualifications and greater levels of experience are more likely to get jobs as well as advance in the industry. In addition to having formal training and familiarity with the industry, it can help to belong to professional organizations dedicated to marketing, promotions, and related subjects.
The first step for someone who wants to become a promotions manager is often a college degree in a subject like business, marketing, or communications. While in college, students may find it helpful to pursue internship and job opportunities to start building up connections and experience. These can be essential to obtaining entry-level positions after graduation. It can also be advisable to look up job listings at companies of interest to learn more about their requirements, as this can help a student plan ahead.
Some companies prefer candidates with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. In this case, to become a promotions manager, a candidate may want to consider applying into an MBA program to earn this certification. Training in the program can provide people with valuable advice, skills, and connections. Internship opportunities also typically expand for MBA candidates, and can lead to job offers after people graduate.
Whether someone who wants to become a promotions manager stops with a bachelor’s degree or moves on to an MBA, the next step is to develop experience. Working in the marketing and promotions department of a major company, it can be possible to build up the necessary time in the industry. People don’t have to seek entry-level positions in the companies they ultimately want to work for, but should focus on jobs in related industries. Someone who wants to work for a car manufacturer, for example, shouldn’t be working for a dairy.
Three to five years of practical experience in a senior position may be necessary to become a promotions manager. This provides proof that a candidate is familiar with how ad campaigns are designed and executed. Experience with products, pricing, and other companies in the industry is also helpful, as the promotions manager needs to be able to keep up with trends. It can help to have glowing references from senior personnel, making it important to work on constant improvement and personal development while gaining experience.