Marketing professionals are in demand, as growth in the field is higher than average across the United States. To succeed in a marketing assistant career path, career coaches and HR professionals in the field recommend taking related coursework in college and finding an internship in your junior or senior year of undergraduate studies. Marketing assistant jobs are typically open to new college graduates or those with one or two years’ experience.

What Is Marketing as a Career?

The U.S. Marketing Association defines marketing as the “activity, set of institutions and processes for creating, communicating, delivering and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners and society at large.” Positions within the marketing field vary dramatically — from roles that are heavy on creative elements, such as content creation, graphics or visual storytelling, to more data-focused roles, including consumer research, or data analysis roles for which a background in statistics or business is beneficial. Like other professional careers, expect to start out in an entry-level position where you will learn a wide range of skill across the marketing field. Then advance into more specialized positions, focus on a particular industry or move up to a management role in which you’ll be expected to oversee staff, campaigns and budgets.

How to Be a Marketing Assistant

Most roles in marketing require a college degree. An entry-level position such as marketing assistant typically requires a four-year degree in marketing, business, journalism, public relations or data science. To land a very specific job, take a look at the job description and address each required skill in your resume and cover letter by talking about your past experience (either in college or as part of an internship). Typically, marketing assistant positions support more senior marketing professionals, including marketing managers or directors. In general, the role calls for candidates who can help develop marketing campaigns, work with outside vendors, act as a project or timeline manager, use marketing technology software to pull data, and assist with monthly or quarterly reports.

Marketing Assistant Qualities

In addition to a relevant degree or related internship, those who excel in a marketing career should have several of the following hard and soft skills:

• Attention to detail
• Ability to understand analytics
• Creative thinker
• Communicate effectively
• Work successfully in a team environment
• Goal driven

Are Marketing Jobs in Demand?

Demand is high for those with all levels of experience. The marketing assistant career path is bright, and most who begin post-college careers in entry-level roles go on to more senior positions such as marketing specialist or assistant marketing manager. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2016 to 2026, the average growth rate for marketing managers is about 10 percent, and for more data-focused professionals such as market research analysts, the growth rate is much higher than average, at 23 percent.

What Do Entry-Level Marketing Jobs Pay?

For those with one year to two years’ experience, the average marketing assistant salary is about $42,000, according to June 2019 Salary.com data. Keep in mind that pay varies widely, depending on the region of the country and industry. Those living in large cities, such as New York, San Francisco or Chicago, may earn on the higher end of the scale, or about $47,000. Marketing professionals in smaller cities can expect to make closer to the lower end of the scale, or about $36,000. Industries that require more specialized knowledge, including technology or pharmaceutical companies, often offer compensation packages that fall higher on the pay scale.