What Can I Do With This Major

Advertising

Advertising explores ways of creating and delivering persuasive messages through paid media. Advertising includes studies in consumer behavior, design, account planning, and branding alongside the theories and ethics of advertising.

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Account Management

Common Career Paths

  • Sales
  • Development
  • Marketing
  • Administration
  • Planning
  • Information
  • Retail trade

Employers

  • Advertising agencies
  • Digital/Interactive agencies
  • Corporate advertising departments
  • Specialty advertising firms
  • Consulting firms
  • Marketing firms
  • Self employed/Freelance

Strategies

  • Cultivate an eye for detail, strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to handle multiple clients with various demands.
  • Learn to think strategically and to mediate between company and client.
  • Gain experience in sales by working at a campus or local newspaper or radio station.
  • Develop budgeting and scheduling skills and be prepared to enforce deadlines.
  • Take advantage of computer science classes to learn how to maximize online traffic and digital promotions.
  • Obtain skills and knowledge of statistical analysis.

Creative Services

Common Career Paths

  • Art
  • Copywriting
  • Print production
  • Broadcast production
  • Publishing
  • Technical writing
  • Web design
  • Product design
  • Graphic design
  • Casting
  • Illustration

Employers

  • Publishers:
    • Trade books
    • Paperback
    • Educational materials
    • Technical, scientific, and medical
  • Advertising agencies
  • Digital/Interactive agencies
  • Consulting firms
  • Internet sites

Strategies

  • Develop and strengthen art skills. This is the creative side of advertising.
  • Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics, and ideas.
  • Gain knowledge of production and printing.
  • Work with college or regional magazines, publications, or radio and television stations.
  • Take technical writing courses to enhance writing skills.
  • Learn how to sell your ideas and abilities.
  • Seek experience in the field, even if unpaid.

Media

Common Career Paths

  • Advertising sales
  • Planning/Buying
  • Public relations/Promotion
  • Research
  • Design, art, and production
  • Direct marketing
  • Traffic
  • Social media
  • Interactive marketing

Employers

  • Advertising agencies
  • Digital/Interactive agencies
  • Business corporations
  • Publishers
  • Television
  • Radio
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Government agencies
  • Internet marketers

Strategies

  • Gain practical experience through internships, part-time, or summer positions.
  • Join a campus or local newspaper or radio advertising staff.
  • Create a portfolio demonstrating strong creativity and marketing ability.
  • Develop strong communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills. Learn to take initiative.
  • Keep up to date with daily changes in digital technologies and its capabilities.

Research

Common Career Paths

  • Product analysis
  • Statistical analysis
  • Focus group moderation
  • Interviewing
  • Project management
  • Supervision

Employers

  • Advertising firms
  • Corporate advertising departments
  • Specialty advertising firms
  • Market research companies
  • Consulting firms

Strategies

  • A Master’s or Ph.D. may be required for advanced statistical analysis.
  • Gain experience with statistics, data interpretation, and writing.
  • Complete a co-op program or internship at a market research firm.
  • Obtain additional computer, math, and data analysis skills since research tends to involve “number crunching.”

Sales

Common Career Paths

  • Advertising sales
  • Industrial sales
  • Consumer product sales
  • Financial services sales
  • Services sales
  • Retail sales
  • Online sales
  • Operations management

Employers

  • Television sole practitioners
  • Radio
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Internet marketers
  • Manufacturers
  • Consumer product companies
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Banks and other financial institutions
  • Service providers
  • Department stores and other retail establishments

Strategies

  • Obtain sales and marketing experience in specific area of interest.
  • Develop excellent communication and negotiation skills.
  • Demonstrate high energy, confidence, assertiveness, outgoing personality, tact, and diplomacy.
  • Seek leadership roles in campus organizations or work settings.
  • Develop a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.

Public Relations

Common Career Paths

  • Special events
  • Media relations
  • Risk and crisis communication
  • Health communication
  • Fundraising
  • Marketing communication
  • Labor relations
  • Consulting

Employers

  • Public relations firms
  • Corporate in-house public relations departments
  • Trade associations
  • Government agencies
  • Colleges and universities
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Labor unions
  • Hospitals

Strategies

  • Get relevant experience through internships, part-time, or summer jobs.
  • Perfect public speaking ability and writing skills.
  • Demonstrate enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, persuasion, teamwork, integrity, good judgment, and intelligence.
  • Gain administrative and event planning skills.
  • Join a public relations student organization and seek leadership roles.

Getting Started and Advancing in Major

  • For advertising management positions, courses should include marketing, consumer behavior, and market research.
  • Obtain as much relevant experience while in school as possible, paid or unpaid.
  • A portfolio is a must have in this industry and should include work that demonstrates writing and design ability, as well as marketing sense. Save work throughout the course of your studies and employment to be used for a portfolio. It is better to have too much to choose from instead of too little.
  • Overall, individuals in the advertising area need to be excellent communicators, good listeners, team players, professional, hard working, creative, flexible, and enthusiastic.
  • Start exploring and analyzing a variety of ad campaigns you like and be able to explain what is good about them and how they target a particular audience.
  • Most advertising positions are filled by promoting experienced staff. Be willing to start in an entry-level position in order to get your foot in the door.
  • Be willing to relocate to larger markets such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles for more job opportunities.
  • Try various routes to find a job in this field: apply directly to an agency, join an in-house advertising department, take a job in a separate department while learning company procedures and advertising department staff, join a support resource group or take a chance and freelance.
  • When choosing an employer consider the size of the firm, location, client list, and type of advertising involved.
  • You may need additional areas of expertise for newspaper or television, such as printing and photography.
  • Read all relevant material to the area you want to work.
  • If you have no experience, pick up a running campaign, determine its objectives, and make something new to showcase your talents.
  • Increasingly social media applications are becoming a center in this field. Become familiar with utilizing digital space.
  • Develop a “unique selling proposition” to market distinctive qualities about yourself in the job search.
  • Maintain a good personal and professional social media presence.

Professional Associations

Related Resources

Occupational Outlook

Employment Opportunities