Wondering how to get into marketing? Start by exploring what marketers do. Choose a direction to try, learn the core skills and tools, then create proof you can use in an application. Internships, projects and student organizations can all help you gain experience before your first job. A degree can bring those steps together, but your route to success will depend on your current schooling and experience, as well as where you see yourself heading. So, if you’ve been asking, “How do I get into marketing?” you’ve come to the right place.
Understand What Marketers Do
There are many different careers in marketing. However, at its core, marketing involves finding an audience, understanding what it needs, solving that problem and communicating why your specific product or service fits. Daily tasks can vary a lot, depending on your role on the team. For example, you might handle:
- Content marketing – Write articles, email campaigns, social media content or videos that answer audience questions.
- Social and paid media – Build a social presence or run ads on platforms such as Instagram and Google.
- SEO and analytics – Help people find a website through search and examine what they do once they arrive.
- Brand and public relations (PR) – Shape how an organization presents itself and communicates with the public.
- Product marketing – Research customers, position a product and plan how to introduce it to the market.
Look at actual job listings in two or three areas. The tasks given in the descriptions will tell you more about a role than the titles alone. As you progress in your career, you can move into roles involving marketing strategy and marketing management.
Choose a Specialty or Direction
Ask what kind of problem you like solving. If you enjoy writing, try content marketing or PR. If numbers and experiments interest you, look at analytics, research or paid media. Design may draw you toward creative campaigns. If you like talking with people and understanding their choices, explore research, brand or product marketing.
Choose one area for your first project and another to explore. You aren’t making a permanent decision: marketers often move between specialties as they learn what they enjoy.
Build Foundational Marketing Skills
Across specialties, you’ll need to be able to explain an idea clearly, understand an audience and judge whether your work helped. Practice the following:
- Communication – Write a short message for a specific audience and explain the choice behind it.
- Data literacy – Read a simple performance report and ask what a number does and doesn’t show.
- Creativity – Generate several approaches to the same problem instead of settling on the first.
- Strategy – Connect each tactic to a goal, such as more qualified inquiries or repeat purchases.
For example, if a post draws views but few sign-ups, don’t just write another post. Check whether the audience, message and next step fit together.
Learn the Tools Employers Expect
You don’t need to master every platform. Learn one tool in the category most relevant to your target role, then be ready to explain what you used it for.
| Category | Tool |
| Website analytics | Google Analytics |
| Advertising | Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager |
| Email and customer relationships | Mailchimp, HubSpot |
| Visual content | Canva, Adobe Express |
| Project tracking | Asana, Trello |
Tools change, so learn to stay flexible and keep up with industry trends.
That’s where Rowan University can help.
Build a Portfolio or Other Proof of Your Skills
Job requirements for marketing vary, but most employers want a portfolio to start. You could write a sample email sequence for a local shop, for example, or build a content plan for a nonprofit.
For each piece, state the audience, goal, your decisions and the result. Label hypothetical work clearly. If you have real results, include numbers and context: “Increased newsletter sign-ups from 20 to 32 in one month” is more useful than “improved engagement.”
For more help, explore free learning and credentials from HubSpot Academy, LinkedIn Learning, Google’s digital marketing offerings and Meta Blueprint, and check each provider’s current terms before enrolling. Also consider taking marketing and other business electives in high school. The American Marketing Association’s Professional Certified Marketer credentials are another option.
Gain Experience Through Internships, Freelance Work, Student Organizations, Projects or Volunteering
An internship gives you a chance to learn from a team and leave with work you can discuss in interviews. Freelance or volunteer work for a local business or nonprofit can provide a real brief and audience. Agree on the scope and how you’ll measure success before you begin.
Student clubs and organizations deserve a look, too. A campus marketing group or American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter may let you plan events or lead a team. However, if those options aren’t available to you, create a small project: launch a blog, test a social series or draft a mock campaign with a stated audience and budget. Rowan business students can also explore the Rohrer Center for Professional Development for internship and job-search support.
What Classes Do Marketing Majors Take?
A sampling of core marketing courses and electives offered at Rowan includes:
- Principles of Marketing
- Consumer Behavior
- International Marketing
- Marketing Research Methods
- Strategic Marketing Management
- Digital Marketing
- Management of Advertising and Promotion
“I absolutely loved Consumer Behavior. It was fascinating to dive into the psychology behind consumers’ decisions. My professor was amazing, and I’ve learned so much from the class that I can take with me into the business world.” – Emily P. (B.S. ‘28)
Decide Whether a Marketing Degree Is Necessary for Your Goals
When looking into how to become a marketer, consider your degree path. Some coordinator roles, as well as content and social roles, consider applicants with relevant skills and experience from other routes. More specialized positions may ask for a bachelor’s degree. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says market research analysts typically need one. It also lists a bachelor’s degree and related work experience as being standard for marketing managers.
That makes sense, because a management title is generally a later step, not a first job. Review actual postings in your chosen field and consult NACE job-market resources as you decide what to apply to.
What a Structured Program Can Add
Rowan’s B.S. in Marketing combines marketing study with opportunities to apply it. Business students can pursue and earn credit for supervised internships through Rowan’s professional development center. Rowan’s AMA student chapter is another way to network, explore specialties and practice leadership. In one Rowan student account, a site visit to Philadelphia International Airport led to a marketing internship. Those experiences can give you concrete stories to share with an employer about your work experience.
Build Your Resume and LinkedIn Presence
Put your most relevant projects near the top of your resume and add a prominent portfolio link to showcase anything you can in content or marketing processes. For each experience, show the goal you set and your contribution to meeting the goal. Also, share an outcome if you have one. A volunteer email campaign counts when you can explain the work honestly; a mock campaign should be identified as a mock campaign.
On LinkedIn, make your headline specific: “Content marketer | Email, SEO and Audience Research” says more than “Student,” and use an entry-level title or degree-related descriptor that accurately reflects your background. Add your best samples to the Featured section and share an observation from a project to fill out your profile. Then, connect with peers and engage thoughtfully with industry discussions.
Network and Make Industry Connections
Ask a marketer for a brief informational interview about their day-to-day work, the skills they use and how they entered the field. Don’t turn that conversation into a request for a job. Professional associations, local events and campus programs can help you meet people doing the work you’re considering. For Rowan students, the AMA chapter provides a recurring way to participate and build relationships instead of relying on a single introduction.
Identify Entry-Level Marketing Roles to Target
When you’re looking for an entry-level role, search by duties as well as titles. A marketing coordinator or assistant may help run campaigns across channels. Other entry-level options include social media coordinator or content and copywriting assistant roles. If you prefer research and data, consider market research analyst roles.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a $78,760 median annual wage in May 2025 for market research analysts and marketing specialists and projects 7% employment growth from 2025 to 2035. That is a median across workers in the occupation, and it includes many titles, from marketing to social media coordinators.
Apply Strategically for Your First Role
Apply strategically when you begin looking for a job. A content application should have a portfolio of writing examples, but an analytics application should show how you interpreted data. Follow application instructions and send a brief follow-up when appropriate, especially after a conversation with a recruiter or a hiring manager.
Prepare for Marketing Interviews
To prepare for a marketing interview, bring two or three portfolio pieces you can walk through in a few minutes each. Then, be ready to say who the audience was, what you chose, what happened and what you’d change next time.
It can also help to prepare in advance. Before the interview, look at the employer’s website, social presence, recent campaigns and positioning. Prepare for behavioral questions about collaboration and feedback, plus questions like “How would you market this product?” Have an elevator pitch prepared, as your interviewer will likely start by asking you to “Tell me about yourself.”
Start Building Your Marketing Career at Rowan
If you want a structured way to explore specialties, build business knowledge and gain experience, take a closer look at Rowan’s B.S. in Marketing.
Marketing Career FAQs
Can you get into marketing with no experience?
Yes. Start with a small project. For example, take on a volunteer assignment or join a student organization to build relevant experience you can explain.
Do you need a degree to get into marketing?
It depends on the role and employer. Some entry-level postings are flexible, while research and later management roles may require a bachelor’s degree.
What certifications look best on a marketing résumé?
Choose one that matches your target work, such as analytics, advertising or email. Be ready to show how you applied what you learned; check an AMA credential’s suggested experience level before choosing it.
How long does it take to break into marketing?
There is no standard timeline. Your starting skills, available projects and local job market all affect how long your search takes.
What entry-level marketing jobs should I look for?
Try marketing assistant or coordinator, social media coordinator and content or copywriting assistant. Search market research analyst roles if you have the relevant research and data skills.
What skills do employers look for in entry-level marketers?
Clear communication, comfort with basic data, curiosity about customers and the ability to connect a task to a goal are useful across specialties.
Do I need a portfolio to get a marketing job?
Not every posting requires one, but samples can make it easier to demonstrate your skills, especially when you have limited formal experience.
How can I gain marketing experience before getting my first job?
Try an internship, campus organization, volunteer project, freelance assignment or self-directed campaign. Document your role and the outcome.
What marketing tools should beginners learn?
Start with the tools relevant to the role you want, such as Google Analytics for measurement, an ad platform for paid media or an email platform for campaigns; you can also benefit from learning about different social media platforms.
What’s the difference between marketing and advertising?
Marketing covers understanding an audience, developing a message, building or managing content about a product or service and choosing how to reach people. Advertising is one way to deliver that message through paid or organic placements.
About Rowan
A top 100 national public research institution, Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral and professional programs in person and online to nearly 25,000 students. The fastest-growing public research institution in the Northeast and among the country’s top 10 fastest-growing, Rowan offers a thriving multidisciplinary environment with a strong emphasis on practical research in health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. Nationally recognized for innovation, high-quality, affordable education and public-private partnerships, Rowan is one of two universities in the U.S. to offer M.D., D.O. and D.V.M. degree programs.