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Advertising

Advertising is an important business activity that requires skill in planning, fact gathering, and creativity. Although compensation for starting advertising people tends to be lower than that in other marketing fields, opportunities for advancement are usually greater because of less emphasis on age or length of employment. Typical jobs in advertising agencies include the following positions.

Copywriters help find the concepts behind the written words and visual images of advertisements. They dig for facts, read avidly, and borrow ideas. They talk to customers, suppliers and anybody who might give them clues about how to attract the target audience's attention and interest.

Art Directors translate the copywriters' ideas into dramatic visuals called layouts.

Account Executives are liaisons between clients and agencies. They explain client plans and objectives to agency creative teams and supervise the development of the total advertising plan. Account executives are usually personable, diplomatic and sincere.

Media Buyers select the best media for the clients.

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Brand & Product Management

Brand and product managers plan, direct, and control business and marketing efforts for their products. They are concerned with research and development, packaging, manufacturing, sales and distribution, advertising, promotion, market research, and business analysis forecasting. In consumer goods companies, the newcomer- who usually needs a MBA- joins a brand team and learns the ropes by doin numerical analysis and watching senior brand people. Product management is one of the best training grounds for future corporate officers

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Customer Affairs

Some large consumer goods companies have customer affairs people who act as liaisons between customers and firms. They handle complaints, suggestions, and problems concerning the company's products, determine what action to take, and coordinate the company's products, determine what action to take, and coordinate the activities required to solve the problem. The position requires an empathetic, diplomatic, and capable person who can work with a wide range of people inside and outside the firm.

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Industrial Marketing

People interested in industrial marketing careers can go into sales, service, product design, marketing research, or one of several other positions. They sometimes need a technical background. Most people start in sales and spend time in training and making calls with senior salespeople. If they stay in sales, they may advance to district, regional and higher sales positions. Or they may go into product management and work closely with customers, suppliers, manufacturing, and sales engineering.

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International Marketing

As U.S. firms increase their international business, they need people who are familiar with foreign languages and cultures and who are willing to travel to or relocate in foreign cities. For such assignments, most companies seek experienced people who have proved themselves in domestic operations. An MBA often helps but is not always required.

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Marketing Logistics

Marketing logistics, or physical distribution, is a large and dynamic field, with many career opportunities. Major transportation carriers, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers all employ logistics specialists. Coursework in quantitative methods, finance, accounting, and marketing will provide students with the necessary skills for entering the field.

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Market Research

Marketing researchers interact with managers to define problems and identify the information needed to resolve them. They design research projects, prepare questionnaires and samples, analyze data, prepare reports and present their findings and recommendations to management. They must understand statistics, consumer behavior, psychology, and sociology. A master's degree helps. Career opportunities exist with manufacturers, retailers, some wholesalers, trade and industry associations, marketing research firms, advertising agencies, and governemental and private nonprofit agencies.

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New Product Planning

People interested in new-product planning can find opportunities in many types of organizations. They usually need a good background in marketing, marketing research, and sales forecasting; they need organizational skills to motivate and coordinate others; and they may need a technical background. Usually, these people work first in other marketing positions before joining the new-product department.

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Purchasing

Purchasing agents are playing a growing role in firms' profitability during periods of rising costs, matierials shortages, and increasing product complexity. In retail organizations, working as a "buyer" can be a good route to the top. Purchasing agents in industrial companies play a hey role in holding down the costs. A technical background is useful in some purchasing positions, along with a knowledge of credit, finance, and physical distribution.

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Retailing

Retailing provides people with an early opportunity to take on marketing responsibilities. Although retail starting salaries and job assignments have typically been lower than those in manufacturing or advertising, the gap is narrowing. The major routes to the top management in retailing are merchandise management and store management. In merchandise management, a person movws from buyer trainee to assistant buyer to buyer to merchandise division manager. In store management, the person moves from management trainee to assistant department (sales) manager to department manager to store (branch) manager. Buyers are primarily concerned with merchandise selection and promotion; department managers are concerned with sales force management and display. Large-scale retailing lets new recruits move in only a few years into the management of a branch or part of a store doing as much as $5 million in sales.

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Sales & Management

Retailing provides people with an early opportunity to take on marketing responsibilities. Although retail starting salaries and job assignments have typically been lower than those in manufacturing or advertising, the gap is narrowing. The major routes to the top management in retailing are merchandise management and store management. In merchandise management, a person movws from buyer trainee to assistant buyer to buyer to merchandise division manager. In store management, the person moves from management trainee to assistant department (sales) manager to department manager to store (branch) manager. Buyers are primarily concerned with merchandise selection and promotion; department managers are concerned with sales force management and display. Large-scale retailing lets new recruits move in only a few years into the management of a branch or part of a store doing as much as $5 million in sales.

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