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Marketing is a diverse, challenging and rewarding industry. There are a wide range of roles you can take on and many people have the skills to be a successful marketer.
Practical skills are perhaps overlooked by some people but they’re some of the most important qualities you need in marketing. You have to be a great communicator, work creatively to a brief and stay strong under pressure.
We’ve highlighted three practical jobs that use these skills and make people working in them ideal candidates for transitioning into a career in marketing.
While there’s no doubt police officers have to deal with more paperwork than ever today, what’s also certain is that they need incredible practical skills to do their jobs.
They need to be:
And that’s without getting into the physical aspects of the job, of which there are many.
Communication is at the core of great policing and it’s also one of the essential skills for marketers. Indeed, you could make a cold case for it being the most invaluable quality of marketing because you need to be able to communicate with clients and customers.
Making a career change is a big step and it’s one you may need guidance to make. Organisations like PoliceCareUK and CompTIA provide a range of support and guidance to police officers, including helping officers who want to make a career transition.
If you’re thinking of moving from the police force to a marketing role, we recommend reviewing the resources at PoliceCareUK and CompTIA or speaking to one of their representatives to get some tips on how to do it.
Is there a more practical job than labouring? Maybe, but chances are it’s one of the first roles that springs to mind when you think about practical jobs.
It’s working on construction sites. Building the houses we live in and the offices we (used to) work from. You need to be able to operate heavy equipment and often require a brick-like constitution to work at neck bleeding heights.
Labourers also possess valuable skills that could make you perfect for a marketing role, such as:
The most important ones are being able to be creative while working to a brief. We’re talking here about using your ability to create and enhance buildings but to deliver a finished product that looks as the client wants it to.
This is the mentality copywriters need when working on product pages or developing marketing content that uses a client’s brand voice.
If you’re a labourer who wants to take on a marketing role but needs to get some additional qualifications, then you can get support from the government. And you can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to get help paying the cost of a college course.
You need to be incredibly fit to serve in the armed forces. You’re frequently on your feet and have to take responsibility for a lot of physically challenging activities to keep you and your unit alive.
To succeed in the army you need these practical skills (and more):
These are all skills that are transferable for a role in marketing. However, we’ve not mentioned the standout one yet — being able to make difficult decisions quickly, while you’re under pressure.
Marketing roles require you to stay strong under pressure from clients and defend the value of your approach. This is particularly true if you’re adopting a strategy that brings long-term rewards but doesn't provide an immediate uplift, like using SEO tactics to increase the ranking of client web pages.
Veterans are often attractive candidates for employers but making the transition from the forces into civilian roles can be stressful. Sites such as Veteran's Employment Transition Support and VA Claim Pros have teams of specialists who are skilled at supporting veterans who want to make a career change.
If you’re in the forces and are considering taking a marketing job, it might be a good idea to check out the resources at Veteran's Employment Transition Support and VA Claim Pros or have a chat with one of their team members and get some advice from them.
Police officers, labourers and members of the armed forces all have a range of practical skills that make them ideally suited to transitioning into a marketing role.
There’s support available to people from these careers who want to make a transition, so if you want to move into marketing then get in touch with these organisations.
Stevie Nicks is Digital Editor at Just Another Magazine — a website that covers the topics you care about. You’ll find articles about lifestyle, travel, fashion, trends and relationships on our site – each of which is written in our unique style.
If you want to learn practical and theoretical skills and knowledge in marketing or digital marketing to help you to break into the industry, Professional Academy's accredited qualifications can help. The CIM Level 3 Foundation Certificate in Marketing or Digital Marketing is the perfect stepping stone for those looking to transition into marketing.
If you'd like more information on our marketing courses, please download a prospectus or get in touch with a qualifications adviser today!