How to Become a Marketing Professional

In any type of business, a marketing professional is crucial in the smooth business operations. For the business to survive in the competition, it must rely on the strategic skills of a marketing professional to gather as much information as they can with regards to the needs of the public and how they can fulfill those needs with the limited resources they have. With the growth of many business sectors comes the great demand for marketing professionals who are adept in strategic thinking, has creative brilliance, and the exceptional ability to maintain effective personal and working relationships with co-workers and client firms.


An effective marketing professional must be someone who has the ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing, with his colleagues and the public. He must be a highly motivated person, someone who is resistant to stress, flexible and very decisive. Apart from these characteristics, an efficient marketing professional must have sufficient educational qualifications and training.

Most companies look for the most competitive individuals for a marketing professional. Individuals who possess the right educational qualifications and skills are most likely to land the most coveted position and succeed in this very rewarding career.

In becoming a marketing professional, one must first consider which type of media he is most interested to work in. A lot of opportunities can be found in a wide array of companies and businesses, non-profit organizations, television and radio stations, publications, political parties, schools and governmental entities, as well as online businesses and websites. These organizations need the help of a marketing professional for their daily operations and activities, and an aspiring marketing professional must choose which among them he is inclined to work in.

An aspiring marketing professional can start gaining educational qualifications by taking up a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a major on marketing. Courses such as statistics, mathematics, finance, accounting, economics, management, and business law are also advantageous. Some universities and schools also offer master’s degree in these courses, and taking them will increase one’s chances in landing a marketing position. Additionally, completing an internship while still in school will also be beneficial for an aspiring marketing professional.

After completing their studies, aspiring marketing professionals can then register to a professional body in Nigeria that would most likely help them acquire certifications for marketing and other pertinent and related fields, such as the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN). These certifications offered by these professional organizations are an advantage in landing a marketing position as most companies and business establishments require applicants to have them. Moreover, some marketing professionals who are already working in a company seek to be certified in some relevant certifications to enhance their marketing skills.

All these qualifications are necessary in looking for a marketing position. The marketing career is considered as one of the most rewarding career there is, thus, competition is also very tight. Preparation is, therefore, necessary for someone who aspires to become a marketing professional.