Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

Dear cree8vision001

"I've done work related to marketing in that field [graphic
design?] but can't stay employed in it."

Can't stay employed in graphics? Or cant stay employed in marketing? And why might that be?

"Is it possible to get into a Marketing Associate or Marketing Coordinator position without a marketing degree?"

Yes.

But here's the thing: there will ALWAYS be barriers against
you making this move WITHOUT the qualifications you mention because the system places blocks, stops, walls, and moats along the way to ... er, sorry but there's no simple way to say this ...
to weed out what it sees as "the riff-raff".

I know this from first hand experience.

As a fellow graphic designer/marketing person (with a 25
year history in graphics), I have no MBA, I've never attended
a marketing class in my life, but I'm a top-ranked contributor
to this forum.

Know what this does? It gives me vital social proof. If you're
going to break through the wall of perception that one MUST
have a degree in marketing in order to "do" marketing (which,
as a limiting statement is utter nonsense), then you need to
start banging your own drum.

Note, now, and for the record, if you're intent on doing this, if you're intent on tooting your own horn in order to create that
all important social proof, you have a long hard road ahead
of you. Anyone that tells you that creating social proof is easy
and that it can be done over night is either a liar or an idiot.
Probably both.

I won't lie to you and tell you that I got where I am today,
16 months on from having joined this forum, by having things
handed to me on a silver platter. I've answered over 1,600 questions on this forum and it hasn't all been a bowl of cherries.
I've ... er ... "upset" a few folks, but I've always, ALWAYS told people what I thought was best for them.

The problem with many markers (with the exception of the people that contribute here), is that they tell their clients what they think the client wants to hear, which is a huge HUGE mistake.

I tell people what I believe will help and what I KNOW to be true.
If they don't like my opinion well, that's their problem. The role of marketing is to drive desire, desire that creates imagined futures that are stuffed with the benefits of having bought the widget or the service, and it's this that leads to repeat sales.

This isn't about peddling snake oil: it's about telling stories and creating scenarios that show clear benefits.

Marketing that fails to do this isn't marketing, it's visual clutter
and it's a waste of people's time and people's money.

You CAN do it ... you can do anything you set your mind to ...
but you must want it WITH A PASSION, and you must want to become the best at what you do and the best at what you do in
the world you do it in. I recommend you read Seth Godin's book
"The Dip" it's only 80 something pages long but it packs a powerful punch that could really help you see your way through to the other side.

I hope this helps.

Good luck to you.

Gary Bloomer
The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
Wilmington, DE USA

Dear BW,

I really do hope I didn't say or imply that you're no good at what
you do. That was NOT my intention. Just want to be clear on this.

All things are doable. You can do anything you want to. But here's
the thing: you've got to really want to be the best at what you do.
You've got to let your passion drive you, spur you on, kick your
ass, and drive you to despair—and you've got to do all this and
not quit.

Godin's book "The Dip" is all about pushing through when you're
driven by passion. It's also about quitting before you reach the
dip, or while you're in it.

It's also about not being mediocre. Mediocrity is easy, it's
average, it's death. Here's a new life mantra "Thou shalt NOT
be average".

"The Dip" is the lull between the initial start and the climb to the
top. It's the Valley of Death and you've got to get through it, OR,
you've got to be wise enough not to drag your ass into it before
you waste time and energy that you could better invest in other endeavors.

Just my humble two cents' worth. Hope it helps.

Gary Bloomer
The Direct Response Marketing Guy™
Wilmington, DE USA

"... is it possible to get into a Marketing dept. without a degree
in marketing and just a graphic background?"

Probably not.

There are barriers to you doing this, and as I've already mentioned, people's expectations about what they THINK they want will stand in your way.

This is "the dip".

This means if you really, REALLY want this, it's your job to convince them otherwise.