Help!! I desperately need career advice!

[DaSkorpion]

Originally Posted by downtownnola

So, I'm in a bit of a bind.. I'm facing the age old college graduate problem... I am seeking an entry level job but many of the entry level positions that I have found require 1-2 years of experience. I have worked as a Front Desk Supervisor at a large hotel for more than two years (I worked while I went to school), but I'm not sure if this is the type of experience most employers are looking for.

I graduated with my B.S. in Marketing in May and have had a few interviews but no job offers. I realize that Marketing is a competitive field, but I had no idea that it is this competitive.

To anyone else who has been in a similar situation, where do you recommend I go from here? Should I look for jobs out of state? Do you have any recommendations for good job finding resources? If I were to take a non-marketing related job, do you think that I could still end up on the marketing/advertising career path down the road?

This is just a hard place to be... all through college, you get so hyped up to get a good job when you graduate, only to enter the realm of reality I'm not trying to be negative, I just don't know where to go from here...

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What does your resume look like?

Secondly have you done anything marketing or sales related in your position as a front desk supervisor - yes you have and might have over looked it.

Make sure all those things are on your resume.....I know marketing and sales positions mostly deal with goals + figures. What goals have your department achieved that has helped the company gain revenue, what you do on a daily basis etc all help a lot if you can somehow convert some to the marketing/sales lingo.


Good Luck and God Bless

[mommabear2]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

I have a friend who got a degree in marketing years ago and could have written your post. She honestly didn't make the connection that the logical job for her was sales. She didn't want to be a salesperson. EWWWW! So of course I had to ask why she got a degree in Marketing????

That's funny - many people assume that being a salesmen means selling used cars or little products. The salesmen I know sell machines bigger than your house, make a commission off selling million dollar machines and live a very comfortable life. It's not a bad way to live.

[belovenow]

Originally Posted by yellowsnow

What is marketing? Sales. There's your job and it can be a great one. If you work hard, the sky's the limit. I have a friend who got a degree in marketing years ago and could have written your post. She honestly didn't make the connection that the logical job for her was sales. She didn't want to be a salesperson. EWWWW! So of course I had to ask why she got a degree in Marketing????

I also know of someone with this exact experience - 2 degrees in Marketing and an aversion to "sales" and then the surprising realization once graduated that Marketing is a profession dominated by type A personality males with sales backgrounds. For the few real marketing management/advertising positions available at Consumer Product or large companies in other industries... they generally hire from their interns as well as from graduates from top-tier universities. If you didn't intern previously, and aren't from an top-tier university marketing program, then good luck trying to find one of those positions even with a national search.

The good news is that if you do not have an aversion to sales, and you have the personality for it, then a marketing background is a bonus and the two together will likely help you achieve your marketing/advertising career goals - just a bit further down the road than I believe you anticipated.

Unfortunately 2nd and 3rd tier Management degrees are a dime a dozen now and companies know this. These days to excel in Marketing/Advertising you also really will want your MBA. Where you are now is advantageous because you could work for the next 4-7 years and build a resume to get you into a top tier MBA program (successes in Sales and any Marketing activities you can get involved with will help). From there a marketing course concentration will go a long way to helping you get into a good marketing management position at a Fortune/Forbes top 500/100 company.

[christina0001]

This is why it is so important for colleges to make sure students do internships before graduating. It's hard to do an internship while in school but at least it's experience related to your career choice.
I would call up some of your favorite professors, and see if they can offer any assistance. They may have connections.
Don't go too far out of your field of choice. It will just make it that much harder to get into marketing. Keep applying...sales is a good option too. Try to find sales jobs with an element of marketing/advertising to them. Also check into non-profits who need marketing people; they often pay less money but it's still marketing experience.
Best of luck; hang in there!

[downtownnola]

Thank you, everyone!

I didn't expect such an overwhelming response... it's nice to know that there are still people who will take time out of their busy day to help other people out!

I believe that I have been given excellent advice and I look forward to giving you all an update when I land a job!

Time to get back to job searching

[proudmommy]

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