Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Marketing Professionals
Entry-level marketing roles, such as "marketing generalist" positions, provide a strong foundation; these roles allow individuals to explore different marketing areas like "the data side," "digital marketing," or marketing operations, as Michael's experience—starting as a sales rep who automated emails—demonstrates. Finding a company and role that sparks curiosity and joy is key to a fulfilling marketing career.
Marketing Operations, Entry-Level Marketing Roles, Career Exploration, Professional Development, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Schnell
Sr. Manager, Marketing Operations
SmithRx
UCSB
n/a
Communications
Healthcare, Medical & Wellness, Insurance
Communication and Marketing
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Entry-level marketing roles such as marketing generalist positions are a great starting point for undergraduates interested in marketing operations.
2. Gaining experience in low-level marketing tasks like email automation and social media campaigns provides valuable skills and insights.
3. Internships offer opportunities to explore various aspects of marketing (operations, data, digital marketing) and discover personal interests within the field.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
When it comes to junior marketing roles, I think anything like that is a good start. Even the marketing generalist is a role I've seen out there and one I've hired for. Being able to understand how the engine works is why I'm good at my job and why marketing operations has been my career path.
Starting out, I was a sales rep who needed to automate emails and didn't want to make phone calls. So, I dove in and figured out how to automate those emails. Being able to do those kinds of lower-level marketing roles, which are a little more gritty perhaps, like sending emails, social media campaigns, or product marketing.
The entry-level marketing roles, regardless of where on the marketing team they are, are about getting your foot in the door. It's about starting to understand how the team operates and what you enjoy in the marketing world. Sometimes people come in as a marketing generalist and aren't sure if they want to focus on marketing operations, the data side of things, or the digital marketing side.
I've had interns who were in college at the time go into each of those different directions after starting as a marketing generalist. So, being able to find a company you enjoy, make connections within the organization, and then find what brings you curiosity and joy is a big part of it. Having one of those entry-level marketing roles like a marketing generalist is a good way to get there.