Marketing executive
Marketing officer, assistant marketing planner
Marketing executives promote a company’s products, services or brand.
Salary range: £18,000 to £35,000
How to become a marketing executive
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
- specialist courses run by professional bodies
University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- marketing communications
- advertising
- business and management
- psychology
- humanities
It may be possible to study Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualifications alongside your degree through the Graduate Gateway programme.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More information
- equivalent entry requirements
- student finance for fees and living costs
- university courses and entry requirements
Apprenticeship
You can get into this role through a marketing assistant advanced apprenticeship, or higher apprenticeship as a marketing executive.
Entry requirements
You’ll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
More information
Work
You could join a company’s marketing department as an administrator or assistant. This could give you enough experience to work your way up to become a marketing executive.
Volunteering and experience
You could get good, basic experience and marketing skills by volunteering for a charity and helping with their social media and events communications.
Direct application
You can apply directly to employers if you’ve got business and marketing skills. You may get these through jobs like sales, customer service or public relations work. Some employers may ask for a degree qualification though it’s not always essential.
Other routes
You can do professional qualifications offered by The Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Data and Marketing, which may help your job prospects.
You can also get a communications qualification from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
These qualifications are not essential but they may give you an advantage when applying for jobs. You can also complete qualifications like these while working to help you get ahead in your career.
More information
Professional and industry bodies
You can join The Chartered Institute of Marketing and the The Institute of Data and Marketing to do professional qualifications and to make industry contacts.
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a marketing executive from The Chartered Institute of Marketing.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You’ll need:
- the ability to sell products and services
- knowledge of English language
- the ability to use your initiative
- leadership skills
- maths knowledge
- customer service skills
- business management skills
- ambition and a desire to succeed
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
What you’ll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your day-to-day tasks may involve:
- researching customer thoughts and feelings and market trends to inform campaigns
- developing working relationships with clients
- writing and editing content for print
- understanding brand guidelines and checking they are followed
- organising and promoting events
- creating and planning marketing campaigns
- managing campaign content for social media and websites
Working environment
You could work in an office or at a client’s business.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a marketing manager.
You can use the skills you develop as a marketing executive to move into digital marketing, if you’re interested in that career.
You could also become a freelance marketing consultant, or work in advertising, sales or public relations and communications.