UK job opportunities for sales and marketing graduates
For recent sales and marketing graduates, job opportunities in the UK are plentiful. With a growth of 13.2 percent predicted for the sector in 2007, jobseekers will find a myriad of vacancies as they enter this vibrant and continuously metamorphosing industry.
However, it is because of this very dynamism that the bar is constantly being raised in terms of what sales and marketing employers expect of their new recruits. Not only are formal qualifications often the key to securing interviews for sought-after positions, but the majority of recruiters seek candidates who boast hands-on experience as well. Read on to discover which types of qualifications and skills will be most advantageous once you embark upon your sales or marketing career.
Entering into the sales and marketing sector
With a formal qualification behind your name, you are already fairly attractive to potential employers. In fact, many employers in the industry believe that having a degree is, in itself, far more significant than the actual focus of the qualification. This means that you could find yourself in a junior or even medium-weight sales and marketing role, regardless of the type of degree you have completed.
That having been said, it is also crucial to bear in mind that the sector is a rapidly developing one, and employers are routinely seeking better qualified and more highly skilled individuals to fill sales and marketing vacancies. As a graduate with little or no experience, you may be able to secure a job as a marketing assistant, sales rep or junior sales or client service executive. However, if you intend to progress up the ladder, you’ll need to gain as much experience as possible, and perhaps even further your qualifications by completing part-time courses specialising in particular areas of sales and marketing.
Individuals who excel in this sector are those who are able to adapt quickly and easily to a new working environment. Finely-tuned people skills are key. Employers tend to seek candidates who complement the staff and capabilities already present in the company, and who act as “team players” in the workplace. In other words, individuals who are perceived to “fit in” with current employees will be favoured over those who appear to lack interpersonal skills and shy away from teamwork.
Getting that promotion: What you need to know
Any company that has a marketing division recognises the importance of employing experienced sales staff. As a result of the current move towards “smart selling” – as opposed to the forceful “hard sell” approach of the past – sales and marketing staff are expected to be as sharp and knowledgeable as they are dynamic, especially if they hope to be promoted to middleweight and senior positions.
For new graduates, the implications of this shift are considerable: Now, along with your qualification (and relevant industry experience, which is sometimes even more important than theoretical know-how), you could be expected to be skilled in market analysis and planning. Furthermore, your sale approach needs to be comprehensive and direct without being overbearing, which means that industry professionals would be wise to hone their customer services skills and consultative methods of selling.
To this end, it is advisable to attain an Advanced Certificate in sales and marketing or strategic sales, for example. These types of courses can be completed once you have attained your undergraduate qualification, or they can be taken up as soon as you finish your secondary schooling. A theoretical and practical understanding of e-commerce and Web technology is also particularly advantageous to graduates seeking employment in the marketing sector.
Enjoy a rewarding career in sales and marketing
With the right qualifications and sufficient expertise, jobs in the sales and marketing sector can be highly rewarding. Promotion could come fairly quickly for skilled and motivated individuals, and you could find yourself moving from junior positions into roles such as account manager, account director and middle-weight or senior sales executive. Sought-after positions in Key Account Management, for example, are awarded to highly skilled candidates, many of whom may have started out in junior roles but gained extensive hands-on experience through their work in the industry.
Therefore, along with your formal qualifications, you will need to gain practical sales and marketing experience in order to move up the ranks into middleweight and senior roles. Constantly honing your skills and improving your theoretical knowledge is the best way to achieve this, and will ensure a swift and fulfilling progression up the career ladder.
Find your dream job today – browse our sales jobs or our marketing jobs section for frequently updated vacancies in and around London.
