Marketing assistant: job description

Marketing assistants support the work of marketing managers and executives on projects directed at maximising company profits and developing sales strategies or marketing campaigns.

What does a marketing assistant do? Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

Marketing assistants are responsible for:

compiling and distributing financial and statistical information such as budget spreadsheets
analysing questionnaires
writing reports, company brochures and similar documents
organising and hosting presentations and customer visits
assisting with promotional activities
visiting customers/external agencies
helping to organise market research.

They work closely with employees in other functions, such as advertising, market research, production, sales and distribution.

Typical employers of marketing assistants

Public and private sector organisations
Local authorities
Charities
Consultancies
Legal firms
Manufacturers
Retailers

Vacancies are advertised online on TARGETjobs, by careers services and recruitment agencies, in newspapers and in publications such as Campaign , Marketing and Marketing Week and their respective websites. The Chartered Institute of Marketing also produces lists of vacancies.

It is worth making speculative applications to marketing companies or departments – directories such as The Marketing and Creative Handbook contains useful contact information.

Qualifications and training required

There are routes into marketing for both university graduates and school leavers.

Graduates with any degree discipline can become marketing assistants. But degree subjects such as marketing, business or statistics can be advantageous. Some jobs, particularly those in industrial marketing, may require a scientific or technical background.

Relevant paid or voluntary work experience is useful – this can be gained in any commercial area that requires contact with customers or the general public (particularly sales and marketing). Placements and work shadowing may be available with larger employers.

To find out how you can get into a career in this area via a school leaver route, visit the business section of TARGETcareers , our website aimed at school leavers.