Career Paths

There are many paths that you can take as a business graduate in the wider Sales and Marketing Profession. These include Sales, Marketing, Analysis and Research. It is important to remember that you will need a wide array of experience to gain future management opportunities.

As a graduate, you may not get your dream role first up as often these roles require someone with some previous commercial experience. You need to consider the company you will potentially work for and look for career opportunities above anything else.

Below is a general guideline to potential career paths that you might take. You should look at it only as a guideline as there will be many different variations - who knows what the future will bring!

Marketing

Junior/Entry Level (0 to 3 Years)

• Marketing Assistant/Marketing Coordinator
  Supports and assists senior marketing staff in undertaking a range of marketing related tasks and activities.

• Assistant Product Manager
  Supports and assists in the development and implementation of marketing programs for an assigned product/range.

Middle Management (3 to 7 years)

• Product Manager
  Develops and implements marketing programs for an assigned product/range to assist in achieving marketing plans.

• Brand Manager
  Develops and implements marketing objectives and strategies for a defined brand or group of products.

• Market Research Manager
  Develops, implements and manages market research activity to identify opportunities and review effectiveness of marketing strategy.

• Marketing Manager
  Manages the profitable marketing of the company’s products within agreed strategy to achieve budgeted sales, profit and market share.

Executive

• Marketing Director
  Plan and lead the implementation of the Marketing Strategy so as to achieve the companies sales, profitability and market share objectives.

Sales

Junior/Entry Level (0 to 3 years)

• Sales Support/Customer Service
  Assists in supporting the sales function and dealing with operational customer queries.

• Merchandiser
  Manages and maintains stock and display levels at retail outlets whilst building and maintaining good working relationships with clients.

• Trade Marketing Assistant
  Provides support in the development and implementation of trade marketing activities to maximise sales and market share associated with sales and marketing initiatives.

• Sales Representative
  Ensures the implementation of sales and marketing strategies within a defined territory to achieve budget.

• Account Manager
  Manages major account customers to achieve budget objectives for sales volume and profit contribution of product lines.

• Sales Administration Manager
  Controls the administration of sales operations and procedures to support field sales activities.

Middle Management (3 to 7 years)

• Customer Service Manager
  Identifies areas within the organisation requiring specific consumer focus and ensures that consumer satisfaction is maintained at all times.

• Regional Sales Manager
  Plans and directs the sale of products within a defined region to achieve the sales budget.

• Trade Marketing Manager
  Ensures the most effective development of all trade marketing funds to maximize sales and market share associated with sales and marketing initiatives.

• Category Manager
  Develops and implements specific demand plans and actions to achieve the annual category plan.

• Field Sales Manager
  Directs the activities of a Field Sales Team within a defined territory to achieve budget targets.

• National Account Manager
  Manages the relationship with nominated national accounts to ensure maximum brand exposure and yield from promotional expenditure and all business activities.

Senior Management (up to 15 years)

• National Business Manager
  Controls and manages the development, implementation and execution of company strategy at a national level across a group of national accounts or a range of categories.

• International Sales Manager
  Controls and manages the export function of the company, including developing sales and marketing plans for overseas markets. May be responsible for a region or specific country.

• National Sales Manager
  Controls and directs the national sales activities to achieve business sales, volume, profit and market share objectives.

Executive

• Sales/Commercial Director
  To lead the sales organisation to achieve volume and value growth and increase branded market shares in line with company profitability objectives. Staff development, customer relationships, trading terms, category management.

Analyst

Analysis is an increasingly important area of all businesses and is becoming a highly sought after skill for employers. Not only is analysis helpful in marketing and sales but it is a viable career option in itself.

The aim of an Analyst is to enhance the performance and profitability of a business so it has an important strategic role in any company.

If part of your degree involved Statistics, Database Information Systems, Economics, Mathematics, Accounting and Finance and Engineering and you have strong Excel skills, any analyst type roles can be a potential career for you.