Getting Started in the Marketing Field

  The big question that most college graduates have is: What do I do now? It is a strange feeling knowing that the next step is entering a career path, but now knowing exactly where to begin. I have been struggling with this question for a while now, but after talking with  many people and educating myself on line, there are many paths that one can take.

     One of the easiest and best ways to get started in the marketing field is to get an internship. Internships are great because they give you an insight into the field that you are interested in, and it helps you form connections with the employees there. Many companies hire their interns to full time positions if they like them. This is because the companies train their interns and really focus on developing their knowledge as professionals and they hate to see all that talent leave them after the program is finished. Also, having an intern is a good way to see if everyone's personalities are going to mesh well together. Finding an additional team member who fits well into the group can sometimes be challenging, so having an intern is a great way to test someone out.

      Another great way to get a job is to attend job fairs. A job fair is like a convention where many different companies get together and have individual stands where potential employees can speak with employers, ask questions, and submit their resume. This is not only helpful to the employers because they can see many people at one time, but it is also helpful to the potential new employees. Having one area where one can visit with businesses is much more convenient than individually sending out emails with your resume on them. Shown to the right is a picture of what a job fair typically looks like. These are a great way to get your resume out to multiple different companies at one time, and it allows you to have in person contact with someone at the company. I always think that seeing someone in person gives you a much better advantage to get a job than if calling in or emailing. Meeting someone in person allows the hiring manager to see how you present and carry yourself which often times tells a great deal about a person. Creating a professional image is important while going to these job fairs as well as in interviews. First impressions are always going to be what sticks in the employers head so you want to present yourself how you want them to remember you. Here is a great  website to see when the next local job fair is if you are in the San Francisco Bay area.

     Finally, my last tip to finding a job is to simply start networking. The word networking sounded really intimidating to me at first but then I realized that it is so simple and should not be something to worry about. One thing that I like to do if I have a specific company in mind that I would like to work for is to simply go to their website. Educating yourself about the company is key because you don't want to go in without any prior knowledge. Then, start calling around. There will most likely be a name of the person in charge of the marketing of the company. Call them up and ask about positions that might be available and tell them a little bit about yourself. Just getting your name out there helps.

 I hope that these tips were helpful to all of you on the hunt for jobs. Good luck!