With the rise of digital marketing and social media, there are now more opportunities than ever for creative individuals - if you're interested in a career in marketing, advertising or PR, there are many paths you can take

Advertising account executive

As the bridge between advertising agencies and their clients, advertising account executives play a crucial role in ensuring successful campaigns. They must possess exceptional communication skills to understand client needs, articulate campaign objectives, and negotiate effectively.

While a degree is not mandatory, having a relevant degree in marketing, communications, or a related field can significantly enhance your employability in this competitive sector. Additionally, gaining work experience through internships or entry-level positions can provide valuable insights into the industry and demonstrate your commitment to the profession.

Starting salaries for advertising account executives typically range from £19,000 to £24,000 per year. With experience and a proven track record of success, you can expect to earn upwards of £40,000.

 he role of an advertising account executive.

Advertising account planner

Planning and creating advertising campaigns takes creativity, communication skills, and the ability to analyse and act on data. A large part of your job as an advertising account executive will be liaising with clients to understand their needs and develop effective campaigns.

Graduates from all disciplines are welcome to apply for this role, but candidates with degrees that require applied research skills and a wide knowledge, such as psychology and economics, may be looked upon favourably.

Salaries for advertising account executives start between £18,000 and £22,000 and can rise to between £30,000 and £45,000 with a few years of experience.

Gain an insight into the role of an advertising account planner.

Advertising art director

These team members play a crucial role in the development and execution of advertising campaigns. They work closely with other teams, such as copywriters and account executives, to create visually appealing and effective campaigns that resonate with target audiences.

This role is open to all graduates, but degrees in advertising, art, or related fields could be especially useful. Advertising art directors must have a strong understanding of visual design principles, as well as the ability to think creatively and strategically.

A typical starting salary is between £20,000 and £25,000, but some experience and proof of successful campaigns could take you up to £45,000.

Take a look at the advertising art director job profile.

Advertising copywriter

Copywriters play a crucial role in advertising, developing persuasive and engaging text for a variety of campaigns, including TV commercials, print ads, and digital content. They work closely with other teams, such as art directors and account executives, to create campaigns that resonate with target audiences and achieve the client's desired outcomes.

While a degree in journalism or a related field can be helpful, employers are primarily interested in your writing skills and creativity. To strengthen your application, you can gain work experience in the advertising industry or choose a degree with a vocational element, such as advertising or marketing.

Starting salaries for junior copywriters are around £20,000 to £25,000, with the potential of reaching up to £50,000 with a few years' experience.

To find out more about salary expectations, see advertising copywriter.

Creative director

As an advertising campaign manager, you will oversee multiple campaigns and provide strategic guidance to the marketing department. You will need to have a strong understanding of the big picture and be able to juggle multiple priorities.

Typically, candidates for these roles have several years of experience in the advertising industry and a humanities degree. This background provides them with the necessary skills in communication, critical thinking, and problem solving.

Salaries for advertising creatives start at £20,000 to £28,000, with the potential to reach £40,000 to £60,000 with experience.

See more about being a creative director.

Digital copywriter

Responsible for writing persuasive and informative text that appears on websites and other digital platforms, a web copywriter's goal is to convince visitors to take a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter, making a purchase, or downloading a white paper.

Web copywriters can be employed by companies or work freelance. While a specific degree is not required, having a portfolio that demonstrates your writing skills and creativity will be essential for landing a job.

Starting salaries for junior copywriters range between £22,000 and £30,000 a year. However, in three or four years, you could be earning up to £40,000.

Take a look at skills you'll need to become a digital copywriter.

Digital marketer

Digital marketing specialists are responsible for developing and executing digital marketing campaigns to promote products and services online. They use a variety of channels, including search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media, and email marketing. Digital marketers also use data analytics to track the performance of campaigns and identify areas for improvement.

Graduate marketing schemes typically require a 2:1 degree, along with an online portfolio or website that demonstrates your interest in the sector and your digital marketing skills.

Entry-level salaries for digital marketing positions range from £22,000 to £25,000 per year. With a few years of experience, you could earn up to £28,000.

Find out more about being a digital marketer.

Market researcher

Specialising in conducting quantitative and qualitative research to understand target audiences and inform business decisions, market researchers use a variety of research methods, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and social media analysis. Market researchers also use data analytics to interpret and present their findings.

Effective communication and analytical skills are essential for market researchers. A relevant degree in mathematics or statistics is also typically required.

Market researchers typically earn between £20,000 and £25,000 per year for entry-level positions. With some experience, salaries can reach up to £35,000.

Learn more about being a market researcher.

Marketing executive

Executives play a vital role in helping businesses connect with their customers and promote their products and services. They work as part of large teams to develop and execute marketing campaigns, liaising with many departments on a daily basis. Excellent communication skills are essential for success in this role.

The role is open to all graduates, but a degree and relevant experience will strengthen your application. If you don't have much experience, you can start as a marketing assistant or apprentice.

Marketing assistants typically earn between £18,000 and £22,000 a year. Marketing executives can earn between £20,000 and £30,000 per year, with the potential to reach up to £45,000 after five years of experience.

Discover more about the role of a marketing executive.

Media buyer

A media buyer is someone who buys advertising space on behalf of their clients. They work with a variety of media channels, including television, radio, print, and digital. Media buyers are responsible for developing and executing media plans that meet their clients' specific goals. This includes identifying the right media channels to reach their target audience, negotiating prices with media owners, and tracking the performance of campaigns.

You will start on a salary of between £18,000 and £25,000 with the potential to reach £26,000 to £35,000 in a few years.

See what skills it takes to be a media buyer.

Media planner

Media planners work within the marketing team to identify the best platforms for advertising and maximising their effectiveness.

A relevant degree in advertising, business, or statistics is typically required, as well as strong spreadsheet and data analysis skills.

Media planners typically start with a salary of £15,000 to £22,000, but this can increase to £40,000 or more with experience.

Check out the media planner job profile.

PPC specialist

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a digital marketing strategy where advertisers pay a fee each time one of their ads is clicked. PPC ads typically appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), making them a highly visible and effective way to reach potential customers.

As a PPC specialist, your job is to create and manage PPC campaigns for your clients. This involves conducting keyword research, setting bids, and creating compelling ad copy. You will also need to track the performance of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed to optimise results.

PPC specialists earn salaries of £18,000 to £25,000 upon entry into the profession. This could increase to £45,000 after five years of experience.

Discover what it takes to be a PPC specialist.

Product manager

In this role, you are responsible for the success of a product from conception to launch and beyond. This involves analysing the market, listening to customer feedback, and developing strategies to improve the product. Product managers also need to be creative and have a strong understanding of business.

A business-related degree along with experience and a good network of contacts will help you to be successful.

The starting salary for a product manager varies, at entry level, you can earn between £25,000 and £40,000. At a senior level, this figure is closer to £60,000.

Read more about being a product manager.

Public affairs consultant

Public affairs consultants advise clients on how to develop and implement strategies to influence public policy and government decision-making. This role requires a strong understanding of politics, government, and current affairs, as well as excellent research, communication, and relationship-building skills.

While a degree in politics, public relations, or journalism can be helpful, employers are more likely to value relevant experience and personal qualities such as strong research and communication skills.

You'll be earning between £18,000 and £25,000 upon graduating, but once you're established you can expect to earn up to £45,000.

Learn about the role of a public affairs consultant.

Public relations officer

Public relations (PR) professionals need to understand how a company is perceived by its target audience and have strong interpersonal and business skills. A business qualification can be helpful in this competitive field, and a postgraduate qualification may give you a competitive edge.

PR officers typically earn a starting salary of £18,000 to £24,000, with salaries rising to £40,000 for more senior roles.

To find out more see the public relations officer job profile.

Sales promotion account executive

Sales promotion executives are responsible for developing and executing creative marketing strategies to gain the attention of target audiences. This may involve using samples, coupons, and competitions, but companies often like to think outside the box.

While a degree is not required f, it is helpful to have some industry knowledge. Recruiters will be looking for enthusiasm and initiative, as well as relevant qualifications.

To start with you'll earn £18,000 to £24,000. Depending on your experience this could rise to £38,000.

Check out the sales promotion account executive profile.

SEO specialist

As an SEO specialist, you will work to organically draw website visitors by learning search engine algorithms and optimising content for high rankings. A great way to build your knowledge and experience in this area is to start your own blog or website.

Many universities offer postgraduate SEO courses, but there are also many high-quality online courses available. You could also enter the field through a graduate scheme.

At entry level, you can earn around £18,000, which increases to £28,000 at an agency. With experience, you can expect up to £36,000.

Discover more about what being an SEO specialist involves.

Social media manager

Social media specialists need to have a broad knowledge of social media platforms and trends. They'll create and share regular content on their company's social media accounts and analyse data and impressions to track the success of their campaigns.

Employers value experience and personal qualities in social media specialists. While there is no formal education requirement, courses and apprenticeships can help you stand out from the competition.

In assistant/junior roles you can expect a salary between £19,000 and £25,000, rising to £30,000 to £40,000 with experience. Freelance rates range from £15 to £25 per hour.

Learn more about the social media manager role.

Web content manager

Web content coordinators are responsible for maintaining an organisation's website, including its structure, usability, and content. Strong IT skills are helpful for this role, but you'll also need an eye for detail and excellent grammar.

English-related degree subjects will put you in good stead for roles that involve writing copy. It could be worth picking up some practical experience beforehand, as it's generally held to a higher regard than qualifications.

Web content manager salaries start between £20,000 and £25,000, but you could earn up to £40,000.

Learn more about how you can become a web content manager.

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