With innovations like Netflix and recorded television, people are watching fewer commercials than ever. With this trend, companies have to be more creative when it comes to getting their message out to an audience. If you are a creative individual who is also interested in numbers and statistics then a career in marketing may be right for you.

Education

With so many different opportunities in marketing, you may be able to enter the field with a high school diploma, however, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree will help you land greater opportunities down the line.

An associate’s degree in marketing will take approximately two years to complete and can help you gain entry-level employment in almost every facet of marketing, from marketing assistant to social media manager. Over the course of this degree, you’ll gain a basic understanding of economics, business communication and consumer behavior.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing will allow you to gain a more comprehensive understanding of marketing concepts and allow you to focus in on a specific field. This degree takes on average four years to complete and will cover market research, sales and communication methods.

Career

Marketing is a profession that encompasses a wide range of possibilities. This field can include anything from market research, sales, public relations, advertising, social media and branding. Your duties will depend heavily on what specific field you choose to work in. Some paths will focus heavily on writing and understanding customer behavior like public relations. Other paths will be more number-heavy such as market research. There are also opportunities for the artistically inclined such as advertising and branding.

Salary and Job Outlook

Since marketing is such a broad field, it’s hard to nail down an expected salary. However, here are some examples of specific jobs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that can give you a pretty good idea what to expect.

Market research analysts, on average, make $60,300 annually and can expect this field to grow by 32 percent by 2022, which is much higher than average.

Advertising managers have a median salary of $88,590 and the field will grow 7 percent over the same decade.

You can learn more about this professional path with Next Step Academy’s course “Careers in Marketing“

Social media has expanded beyond a fun way to communicate with friends — it is also an important tool for making connections and branding yourself. Social media can help you develop relationships and show off your skills to peers and potential employers. Today we are answering three standard questions regarding social media and what you share with professionals in your field.

What social media platforms should I be using?

If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet, get one. LinkedIn is like your resume, but allows you to expand on your experience, showcase your talents and create a portfolio of your work. The point of LinkedIn is to make connections with people within your field, making it the perfect platform to find new opportunities, open yourself up to recruiters and develop your career.

Unlike LinkedIn, which is strictly business oriented, Facebook and Twitter can be used in both a personal and professional context. It all depends on who you choose to connect with. Depending on your field, you may want to separate your personal life and professional life into two accounts. Use a personal account to stay in touch with friends and a professional account to share professional development and advancement as well as interesting news in your industry.

Which pages should I include on a resume or business card?

The social media platforms you include depend on what you use the pages for. Just to reiterate, LinkedIn is a must! However, other social media should typically be left off your resume, unless it is a professional account relevant to the position you are applying for.

Examples of social media you can include are a professional blog you write or a company profile you shared content on. These examples highlight your ability to use social media in a professional setting and show off your knowledge about your field.

How should I present myself on social media?

Be consistent. Use the same username and the same picture and post similar content across all of your social media profiles.

Be active. Do not share social media you aren’t regularly posting to. Trying to connect using a profile you haven’t posted to in months will not give a good impression.

Be appropriate. This tip should go without saying, but don’t swear or discuss inappropriate subjects. If you wouldn’t talk that way in front of your boss, don’t say it on a professional account.

Let’s face it—whether you happily engage in social media or feel it is a “weapon of mass distraction,” it’s not going away any time soon. And chances are you either currently (or will in the future) participate in some form of social media.

With that being said, taking time to think about your personal brand is crucial. So, regardless if you’re on one platform or all one-hundred billion and five social medial platforms that are out there, (ok, that might not be an accurate number, but you get the idea) personal branding comes with its own set of rules.

Let’s look at the biggest social media Dos and Don’ts to maximize your personal branding efforts:

Do: 

• Be Consistent

Do not confuse ‘consistent’ with boring. It’s about being recognizable to your followers, potential clients or employers.

• Be Cautious

If you don’t have anything nice to say… you know the rest. Find a way to politely disagree without antagonizing or perpetuating social negativity.

• Be Selective

By nature, people are curious. We have many interests. A good practice is to pick one hobby, one professional skill and one cause or lifestyle topic.

• Be Creative

What is unique about you, your voice and your personality? Work those attributes into your content.

Don’t: 

• Be Critical

Remember, no matter what your privacy settings are, social media is still essentially public record. Being critical comes across as combative. It is not a trait that employers (or anyone else) will be impressed with.

• Be “That Person”

Know the difference between personal branding and shameless self-promotion. Personal branding should be an authentic expression of your personality. Self-promotion is “spammy”, unfocused and does not productively contribute to any conversation.

• Be Negative

We all have this friend: they only post about is how awful everything is; their love life is the worst, their job is the worst, their life is the worst. Repeat after me, “My social media is not my personal diary.”

As a sidebar here: If you do have reason to be concerned about a friend who is seemingly distressed, take the conversation offline—call them, contact someone close to them or contact professionals if there is a real problem. The sooner the person receives support, the better.

• Be Fake

The glory of social media is that you can make it as unique as you are. It’s an opportunity for others to learn more about you and you about them. Be authentic. Be bold! And always, always be you!

Don’t panic if you find yourself guilty of some of these social media “Don’ts.” You can start creating—or turning around—your personal brand today. Next Step Academy also has a perfect Social Media Etiquette course. Need a refresher? Take a few minutes and check it out: http://www.nextstepacademy.com/course-detail/life-skills/social-media-etiquette

Now, go forth and brand!

Finding scholarships can sometimes be tough. We found one we think you might be interested in!

Marketing Certified Students Leading Social Media Scholarship

Deadline: August 31st, 2015
Award: $1,000

Who Can Apply? The Social Media Scholarship is for students ages 16 – 25 who have maintained a 2.5 GPA or greater in the most recent year completed.

To be considered eligible for the Marketing Certified Social Media Scholarship you must:

1. Be between the ages of 16 and 25 on August 31st, 2015 and a citizen of the United States or Canada

2. Like Social Media Scholarships Facebook page.

3. Email a short essay explaining how you think social media would, from a future employment prospective, benefit your career. Explain in under 500 words how understanding social media would help you become more marketable to a potential employer. Clearly identify how it will benefit you and explain why you think you should be granted the Social Media Scholarship. Send your essay to: scholarship@marketingcertified.com.

4. Register your contact information on their website.

5. Complete the 50-question social media exam they send you with once you have completed your registration. The exam ensures that you are proficient in social media.

Interested in social media? Take Next Step Academy’s online course to learn more!