Marketing?

[MissyA369]

Hi, I'm in a difficult situation, I just got my AS results recently and have decided to change my degree from psychology to management and then have a career in marketing. However, I got a D in economics and I feel universities will not accept me for not doing well in it and also the fact that i am dropping it. I could retake but i know that it would be unlikely to improve my grade. I

I don't know whether i should still apply for a management course or if i should just go to work after a-levels and work my way up the career ladder . I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks

[january_bug]

First of all - thank goodness you're actually thinking properly and not rushing into anything!  Second - that change is certainly VERY sensible! Third - my advice is to look around for the sort of companies you'd love to work for.  Then, write a nice letter to their head of marketing.  Show that you have knowledge about their firm, and about their own work personally (just google their name and see what comes up!!).  Then tell them that you really want to go into marketing as a career and that you'd appreciate any opportunity to meet them to learn more about their job.  When you get to meet with them, you can ask them what route they think would be best.  Into the bargain, you've started developing a skill that's very important in any career in the private sector (poss in public sector too) and almost certainly vital in marketing... networking!

People are suckers for a compliment, so flatter people and then get their advice!

Good luck! :-)

[esquire_19]

Hi missy,

nice to think your thinking so far ahead however you need to think about a few things first:

a) the status of university you are applying to, will they really be bothered about you dropping business or more bothered about the �1500 sign on your head and this might sound brash but that is a realisation!

b) depending on the length of the course its the whole, �9,000 to �15,000 worth of debt and a piece of paper VS at least �12,000 pa average and 3/4 years on the ladder!

c) management is a pretty broad course and a popular one, are you deadly interested in it or are you after a decent wage after uni? because believe me the latter does not justify the degree!

all this is from someone that completed a four year business degree and hated every moment of it, ive just finished and despite all the hassle am applying for the police so it has all seemed totally inappropriate but youve got to follow your gut instinct, think long term and what your ideal job will be!

ps sorry for the life story!

[january_bug]

To add to what esquire said, seeing the words "status of the university" reminded me that you HAVE to go to the best one you can, where you think you will like the life.  If you're a fairly adaptable person, you will get on anywhere, jsut think broadly... countryside/campus like Exeter, or big city like Manchester/Liverpool etc.  After that, just get into the best one you can... there would be nothing worse than getting into all that debt only to find that your 2.i/first isn't worth much because employers don't rate the university very highly.  So if the required grades are lower than what you know you can achieve for your A levels, then my advice is.. don't apply.  Set your sights higher and start achieving your potential! :-)

[morg_monster]

I'd agree with january_bug.  In a perverse way, if you find an university that will accept you with an AS level D in economics, then it probably isn't the kind of place you will get a degree worth having and that will propel you up the ladder once you finish.  If you can't find a really good uni to accept you then grit your teeth and go straight into a job.  It will be worth it in the long run, definitely.  Marketing graduates from second or third rate universities are two a penny (or so a marketing graduate from a first rate university told me, and he is having problems getting a job still 2 years after graduating).

[Miss Zippy]

It sounds corny, but cream always rises to the top.  Irrespective of whether you have a degree, if you are intelligent and talented at what you do, you will go far in just about any organisation.  A degree can open up the door for you if it is the right subject and from the right university (as already pointed out, not all universities are the same). If you want to go to university, choose your subject well; it does not have to be job related (unless you want to be a doctor, dentist or vet). Employers at the higher end of the graduate spectrum prefer candidates to have good degrees from good universities in subjects such as, for instance, Classics, languages, english or law. Employers have wised up to the fact that management/business studies/media etc etc courses churned out by so many 'battery hen' universities simply do not produce graduates of exceptional intellectual ability because these degrees are geared towards getting students to simply remember and recite as much information as possible, rather than offer the mental training that degrees should offer. If you would like a career in management, possibly the better route for you to take would be to secure a place on a management training scheme at a company/organisation that interests you or secure a job that has management prospects and work your way up the career ladder. You could study at the same time for an industry recognised management qualification or even for a degree and the bonus is your employer would fund this training so you wouldn't be saddled with student debt!

[MissyA369]

Thankyou so much for all the advice you all gave, I've taken it all into account and I really appreciate it. At least I can now relax somewhat before the start of Year 13. Thanks again!