What can I do with a degree in marketing?

A key component of any business, marketing offers graduates a career at the forefront of some of the most compelling and iconic brand campaigns. Whether you’re interested in consumer behaviour, social media strategy or event management, there’s something for everyone.  

To help you find a role you’re truly passionate about, we’ve listed some examples of careers you can pursue with a marketing degree based on different interests.  

If you’re also considering which university you should attend to study marketing, here are the top institutions according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023:  

Careers in marketing if you like writing 

• Copywriter: Responsible for writing content across a company’s online and print marketing. Examples include emails, websites, brochures and billboards. If you decide to work as a copywriter, you could use your writing skills to entice readers into buying a product or signing up to a service. 

• Content editor/writer: If you’re interested in writing long-form content such as articles, reports and blogs, you may be better suited to content writing. Content editors/writers often use a blend of research, data and interviews to create engaging written content with the purpose of showcasing an organisation’s products or services.  

Careers in marketing if you enjoy analysing data

• Market researcher/insights manager: This role involves collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data on consumers and competitors to generate actionable items and reports. If you’re more of a numbers person and are fascinated by consumer behaviour, you can help inform marketing strategies to increase a company’s competitive edge.  

• SEO specialist: An SEO specialist helps businesses generate more traffic and improve their online presence. You’ll be using your expertise to make important changes to a company’s website with the aim of improving key metrics such as user session length and search results. In addition to possessing strong analytical skills to understand ranking algorithms, you may also need some experience of HTML coding to improve the backend and foundation of a website.  

Careers in marketing if you enjoy using social media 

• Social media manager: As the name suggests, working as a social media manager involves overseeing a company’s interactions with the public through planning and implementing campaigns on a range of social media platforms.
  
  Some responsibilities may include creating multimedia content such as infographics and videos, reporting performance to key stakeholders and managing community engagement by interacting with other users. So, if the idea of making catchy TikTok reels for a brand sounds like your thing, this could be the job for you. 

Careers in marketing if you want to work in operations or you’re a ‘people person’ 

• Brand manager: To build customer loyalty over time, brand managers oversee aspects of marketing which relate to the company’s outward image. You could be involved in developing marketing and advertising strategies, analysing success of marketing campaigns and making decisions about costs. You’ll need to liaise with people from different areas of the business so it’s important to feel confident in your communication skills.  

• Events manager: If you have a knack for planning and organising events and love working with other people, you may be suited to the role of an events manager. You’ll be primarily responsible for running a range of promotional events, co-ordinating event logistics and ensuring that the message of the event is communicated clearly. You could also find yourself travelling often to attend some of these events in person.