One of the many perks of working in a marketing role is that a background or degree in marketing communications can be applied to nearly every industry imaginable, from technology to the medical fields to general business and everything in between. After all, virtually all organizations have the need to understand their audience, and communicate the value of their products or services.

Demand for skilled marketing professionals has continued to rise in recent years. As such, the job outlook for those looking to enter the field is bright. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for marketing managers nationwide is projected to grow eight percent from 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the national average for all occupations.

If you’re just starting out in the marketing industry, or you want to advance your marketing career, it can be difficult to know exactly what opportunities are available to you and what qualifications you need to land your dream job. It can be even harder to understand these factors on a local level.

Fortunately, marketing communications is a broadly applicable field which allows professionals flexibility when determining their career path. In an area like the Merrimack Valley, which is home to many great employers, there are countless opportunities to get started.

Here, we explore some of the most attractive opportunities in the Merrimack Valley.

Top Marketing Communications Careers in Merrimack Valley

1. Marketing Communications Specialist

Marketing communications specialists use their skills to help craft and manage an organization’s message. The daily tasks associated with this role often include preparing marketing materials such as brochures, emails, press releases, newsletters, presentations, and other promotional messaging materials.

These professionals often have a balance of creative skills, and especially strong writing skills, as well as a strong knowledge of communication strategies. Employers typically search for job candidates who have at least a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications or similar field and relevant work experience.

Marketing communications specialists earn an average of $52,576 per year.

2. Social Media Specialist

Social media has become a powerful way for organizations to communicate and engage with their audiences. Organizations in a wide variety of fields now employ social media specialists who are charged with implementing marketing strategies and managing communications through social media platforms.

Although formal education may not be necessary to understand the different social media platforms, professionals in this role often hold a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. Having a strong educational background is essential to understanding the strategies that drive an organization’s social media activities, as well as other key functions like reporting and analysis.

Social media specialists earn an average of $43,985 per year.

3. Public Relations Specialist

Similar to marketing communications specialists, public relations specialists are also focused on managing an organization's messaging, as well as ensuring that the public perception of the organization remains positive. Much of a PR professional’s work is focused on executing marketing strategies. However, when the need arises, these professionals may work to defuse situations which may be seen in an unfavorable light.

Due to the complex nature of maintaining a brand’s image, PR specialists often hold a bachelor’s degree in a field like business or communications. Employers also look for candidates with experience in public relations.

On average, public relations specialists earn $48,260 per year.

5. Customer Relationship Manager

A customer relationship manager is typically charged with maintaining relationships with an organization's customers and clients. Within this role, the customer relationship manager effectively acts as the liaison between the organization and its clients in order to meet the needs of both parties and facilitate long-term working relationships.

Since this role is so focused on building strong relationships, these professionals must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills in addition to a strong knowledge of the business. As a result, most employers search for candidates with a degree in business, marketing, or similar field plus relevant experience.

The national average salary for customer relationship managers is $63,015 per year.

6. Marketing Coordinator

Marketing coordinators are professionals who are skilled in developing and coordinating marketing campaigns for their organizations. Marketing coordinators must have strong written and verbal communication skills in order to carry out their roles effectively. They must be able to work with key stakeholders to understand the requirements for certain marketing efforts and present deliverables, as well as coordinate the efforts of others in the marketing department to facilitate projects.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing communications or related field is typically the minimum requirement for securing a job as a marketing communications coordinator due to the skills and experience required for the role. Since this job does often require marketing experience, professionals often start with an entry-level position and aspire to reach this level.

In the United States, the national average salary for marketing coordinators is $43,889 per year. With advanced experience, these professionals can earn up to $58,000 or more annually.

7. Marketing Manager

Marketing managers are senior members of an organization’s marketing departments who drive strategy and oversee marketing efforts. Similar to marketing coordinators, the title of marketing manager is one that professionals typically earn after several years of experience in the field.

The majority of those in this position have earned at least a bachelor’s degree and have strong communication, management, and critical thinking skills as well as deep knowledge of marketing and communications strategy.

The national average salary for marketing managers is $134,290 per year, which illustrates the extent of the upward progression that is available in the field of marketing.

Top Employers for Marketing Communications Professionals

Since almost every firm requires people with skills in marketing and communications, many of the employers in the Merrimack Valley would present promising opportunities to those with an interest in the field.

Some employers in the Merrimack Valley with the greatest potential include:

These companies are just a few examples of the types of organizations that employ marketing professionals in the area. In general, there are opportunities for marketing professionals at corporations, non-profit organizations, dedicated marketing agencies, and just about everything in between.

Advancing Your Marketing Career

Many marketing roles require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in a communications-focused field of study. While it's certainly not impossible to be hired for one of these roles without a bachelor’s degree, earning your degree certainly makes it easier to break into the field, and comes with a host of benefits for job seekers.

A bachelor’s degree in marketing communications is focused on building the foundational knowledge that you will need to understand your organization’s audience and implement a strategy that meets their needs while also working towards your business objective of increasing leads and sales.

Additionally, pursuing a bachelor’s degree provides you with the opportunity to gain the experience that employers look for through hands-on learning and internships.

Bill Koehler, Dean of the Marshall M. Sloane School of Business and Communication at Regis College, says that “Regis’ BA in Marketing and Communications provides practical, hands-on education in the fastest-growing areas of business.”

“We rely on experiential learning approaches, including internships and real-world projects, guided by seasoned industry professionals, to ensure that our students are prepared to become leaders in the expanding fields of social media marketing, market analysis, data mining, and customer relationship management,” he continues.

If you’re considering completing your degree or converting your associate's degree to a bachelor’s degree, it is clear to see the upward mobility that advancing your education and developing your skills allows you in this field. Completing your degree also widens your horizons in terms of the different types of roles available to you.

Interested in learning how completing your bachelor’s degree can advance your career? See how a BA in Marketing Communications from Regis College can help you get ahead.

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