A career in Marketing – where do you start?

For those recent college graduates seeking opportunties in the growing field of Marketing, where should you start? First off, if you’re asking yourself that question after graduation, you are already in trouble; you should have done a few internships already. Second, since the field is becoming so specialized, you will need to have much clearer direction than even a few years ago (it’s a lot more like medical school – though there are generalists, you probably need a specialty to succeed).

A few suggestions, do several short stints with different companies as an intern or apprentice to get a better feel of what you want to pursue. Be prepared not to make much money while you’re learning – tell yourself it’s like getting paid to go to grad school. Finally, read the marketing trade magazines (B2B, PR Week, Brand Week, Ad Age, Marketing Management and Media come to mind) to get a better sense of trends, issues and leading firms.

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