We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How Do I Get Started in a Sales and Marketing Career?

By Angela Farrer
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 3,833
Share

To get started in a sales and marketing career, you need the related education combined with the interpersonal and technical skills that best fit your specific area of interest. Working in sales and marketing provides many opportunities within a range of job roles, so it is important to examine your strengths and preferences to determine which job in sales or marketing may hold the most potential for you to be successful. A sales and marketing career typically begins with the completion of a four-year college business degree with emphases in advertising, marketing, or communication. Practical experience through an internship is also an important resume-builder.

Any job in sales requires solid communication skills, and the best time to build these may be during your education. Most business degree programs require courses in speech delivery and small group communication. The key to becoming confident with delivering verbal messages is to practice; consider adding elective classes in debate or advanced rhetoric. Understanding the process of communication is essential to a sales and marketing career because it is closely connected to analysis of consumer demands and behavior patterns.

A degree emphasis in advertising creates a good foundation for a sales and marketing career through in-depth study of direct selling procedures, consumer psychology, and effective brand creation. A working knowledge of advertising theories and practices will give you an edge as far as awareness of what potential buyers are seeking and what types of ads can potentially lead to increased profits. Coursework in design principles and copywriting will give you additional in-demand skills for an entry-level job in sales and marketing. Once you are nearly finished with your college classes, an internship at an advertising or marketing firm can potentially open many doors as far as beginning your sales and marketing career.

Marketing is a comprehensive and dynamic field that uses diverse business practices to connect consumers to the products and services they need and want. Completing a business degree with a marketing emphasis is a beneficial first step toward a job in this field. A solid education in marketing will give you the abilities to analyze existing supply and demand as well as price trends. It will also equip you with the skills to communicate product benefits to a diverse global audience.

In addition to completing the bachelor's degree that most sales and marketing jobs require, you can gain an advantage over the competition with the technical skills that more employers seek as more marketing and selling takes place online. Knowledge of e-commerce techniques and social media–based marketing can create additional opportunities for creative thinkers who are able to use these kinds of computer applications with effective results.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/how-do-i-get-started-in-a-sales-and-marketing-career.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.