If you are interested in advancing your career within the field of marketing, you may have wondered what it takes to become a chief marketing officer. Wise steps in your educational and vocational paths could you lead to this desired position.
The Chief Marketing Officer-A Brief Overview
Although broadly defined, the term chief marketing officer (CMO) is a job title that generally references an individual who is responsible for ensuring the smooth function of an organization’s marketing activities. The CMO is a corporate executive, and she or he will typically report to the chief executive officer of the company.
Educational Options
Although there is no single “best” path for an individual to pursue to become a CMO, it is important to note that most people who hold the position have a bachelor’s degree in marketing as well as extensive experience within the field. Although many have degrees in the field of marketing, some CMO’s have degrees in similar fields such as advertising, communications, public relations, or journalism. In some cases, CMO’s have a master’s degree in marketing. If you opt to obtain the master’s degree, you can choose to earn a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a concentration or specialization in marketing. This will allow you to learn about marketing strategies and theories while attaining the business skills to help facilitate the process of marketing management.
Additional Reading: The Top 10 Best Online MBA in Marketing Programs
Career Path
While there is no perfect vocational path to pursue in order to become a CMO, it is oftentimes advantageous to begin in an entry-level marketing position. An example of such a position would be that of a marketing coordinator. Individuals who hold this position work by assisting the marketing director with activities such as the development and implementation of marketing campaigns. Additionally, the marketing coordinator will help track marketing data, plan meetings and trade shows, prepare reports, maintain databases, and optimize the organization’s social media presence.
An event marketing assistant is another entry-level position that an individual seeking to become a CMO could pursue. These individuals are generally responsible for executing operational and merchandising functions, facilitating product knowledge training, delivering merchandise presentations, and assisting clients with questions or concerns they may have regarding products.
Career Development
After people have worked in an entry-level marketing position for a substantive amount of time, they can continue moving up the corporate ladder and into positions such as a marketing manager. In discussing this position, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that these individuals are responsible for generating interest in a service or product. On average, they make about $115,750 annually.
Conclusion
If you are thinking about pursuing a career as a CMO, you should note that there are a plethora of educational and vocational paths you can follow to accomplish your objective. Now that you have a basic understanding of what some of them are, you can make an informed decision regarding which one would be most appropriate and advantageous for you.
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