Image
Build a career in Marketing and PR
This career guide is designed to help University of Portsmouth students and recent graduates explore job options, key employers, and entry routes into the Marketing and PR sectors.
In this guide:
Across all sectors and in most businesses, marketing, and PR fulfil an important function helping organisations to develop and enhance public interest in their brand, organisation, person or product, and maintain their reputation.
People working in these areas are often regarded as being highly creative, yet the industry cannot depend on creativity alone and would not be able to function without people who are also highly organised, energetic and who have excellent communication skills.
Digital transformation has increased the number of roles and opportunities available to STEM graduates, and new job roles are emerging in agencies where students with degrees in mathematics, physics, computer science, data science, and psychology may have an advantage. Most opportunities in this sector are in the overarching area of marketing, with smaller numbers of jobs available in advertising, PR and event management.
Potential Job Roles
Prospects has a useful list of job profiles, each containing relevant information about key responsibilities, skill requirements, starting salaries, entry requirements, career prospects with links to major employers and current graduate vacancies. Some roles include:
Gaining Experience
Marketing and PR are highly popular career choices for graduates in the UK. Competition for jobs in this sector is fierce and work experience could be the deciding factor to secure a graduate job. Undertaking work experience will help you to develop expertise and the all-important transferable skills, which will help demonstrate your motivation and commitment to this area of work. What's more, work experience can help you to understand the workplace, and to build contacts, plus it can help you decide if a career in this sector is right for you.
Types of opportunites
Placements are a great way to gain substantial experience, help you to build contacts and gain an understanding of an organisation.
On some degrees, work placements are part of the programme, whilst on others you can choose to complete a placement as one of your modules.
To learn more about completing a placement, you can contact the Placements team in the Careers and Employability Service.
A number of large companies and agencies advertise paid summer internships, which may lead to a graduate position for successful recruits. Some employers also offer open days, taster experiences, and short introductory courses to gain work experience.
The examples of large companies and agencies offering and advertising internships in the sector, listed below, will give you an idea of the sorts of opportunities that may be available. You'll need to do thorough research to identify further specific opportunities.
- Barclays
- Tesco
- Unilever
- IBM
- FleishmannHillard Fishburn – one of the UK’s top ten communication specialists agency. Offers ad hoc internship opportunities throughout the year which can provide a grounding for anyone wanting to work in public relations, public affairs, and social and digital communications.
- Hotwire Global – a communications agency advertising internship opportunities in the sector.
- Inspiring Interns – offers listings of internships in the sector, particularly in the South of England.
- Step Recruitment - provider of paid student internships and placements.
It is also well worth considering the voluntary sector for work experience. Think broadly about the sort of volunteering role that might provide the opportunity to develop transferable skills. Perhaps focus initially on voluntary organisations offering roles in event management, marketing or publicity, but don’t dismiss volunteering roles that might give you the chance to use and demonstrate relevant skills, for example, fundraising opportunities within third-sector organisations offer the chance to develop key transferable skills, such as the ability to build and maintain relationships, the capability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, strong project management skills, and a proactive attitude.
Volunteering in a marketing or communications role within the Students’ Union, or a University society or club, for example as the Publicity Officer, Media Secretary, Marketing Manager, or Events Volunteer will similarly enable you to strengthen those all-important key transferable skills.
Our Volunteering Bank provides local opportunities to undertake alongside your studies, listing roles such as:
-
Social Media Coordinator Volunteer with Loaves of Love
-
Marketing Assistant Volunteer with the YOU Trust
-
Marketing and Communications Volunteer with the Hampshire History Trust
-
Collaborative Social Media Volunteer with the Endometriosis Trust
-
Digital Marketing Volunteer with the Gosport Repair Cafe
Digital media and technology is key in this sector for achieving marketing and PR goals, therefore, a strong understanding and use of different forms of social media and web technologies is desirable for someone wanting to work in the sector. This is an area where it’s possible to create your own experience; check out the below for some ideas to get you started!
Develop your own website
Someone who has set up their own website and developed an understanding of some of the tools of the trade such, as SEO (search engine optimisation), web analytics and content management systems, will have an advantage over those who have not – graduate recruiters prize evidence of students using their initiative to prepare for their chosen career. Many of the relevant tools are available online and you can learn them for free, for example Facebook Media, Social Media Examiner, Neil Patel, and Razor Spire. What is more, in creating your own website you can demonstrate your creativity through your written and copywriting skills.
Be active online
Producing your own blog, getting involved in podcasts, and joining in discussion groups on LinkedIn, all serve to demonstrate your skills in communication and digital technology.
Just remember, whatever you are doing online, keep it up to date and professional – it’s important to control your online presence – you want to ensure you are presenting yourself to the outside world, and particularly the business world, as you would wish to be seen.
Where to find opportunities
Some key platforms for finding work experience in all sectors include MyCareer, HigherIn, Bright Network and Targetjobs.
You might also wish to approach marketing/PR agencies, or marketing departments in different organisations, as part of a speculative approach to find work experience.
Getting the most out of work experience
Whether you already have a career path in mind or are still exploring your options, our work experience pages guide you to finding opportunities that match your interests and goals. You'll find advice on choosing an industry, broadening your search, and standing out while building valuable skills and experience.
Finding a job
There are various routes into this highly competitive industry. Employers expect recruits to have an understanding of new media, and they particularly value creative, innovative individuals. Journalistic skills are also highly regarded. Analytics have never been more important in this sector and the increase in social media use has created a huge dataset that marketers can utilise to improve analysis of consumer behaviour. Databases are used to better understand segments of the market and move towards direct marketing, helping to build long-term customer relationships. Graduates with numerical and analytical skills who are able to exploit databases are therefore in high demand.
The industry is broadly divided into those who work for specialist agencies, and those who work in-house for an organisation, the latter of which could be across sectors as diverse as finance, technology, charitable organisations, educational institutions or local government (to name but a few).
We recommend starting your search using our online jobs board, MyCareer. You can also find general online job boards and advice through our Graduate Jobs page.
Sector Specific Job Boards
Recruitment agencies
Recruitment consultants work with individuals to help them find suitable work to match their skills. Agency Central is the UK's leading recruitment agency directory. An advanced search and filter system finds the agencies which match your needs.
Are you looking for a role in Hampshire? Our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy can help!
If you're in the final year of your degree, you can register for support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy. They work with over 3,000 employers in the local area to place our students into fantastic graduate careers.
Speculative applications
Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Keep up-to-date with the industry
It's good to keep up-to-date on sector developments and track any vacancies coming up. Below are some great resources to help you research opportunities available. The knowledge gained through your research may help you to target your applications and will help when preparing for interviews.
- IPA - Comprehensive information for agencies in UK's advertising, media and communications industry
- Chartered Institute of Marketing - Information and advice on the sector, the skills you will need and how to go about getting that first break. It provides an overview of the marketing industry, compares agency and in-house positions, and looks at typical hours and salaries in marketing.
- Chartered Institute of Public Relations - General information about public relations aimed at individuals interested in starting a career in the PR profession
- Institute of Digital Marketing - Training, networking, events and job vacancies within the digital marketing field.
- Campaign - Campaign provides vital, in-depth and up-to-the-minute information on the rapidly changing world of media, marketing and advertising. Useful guide to agencies and to trends.
- Marketing Week - Latest news in the marketing sector and job vacancy listings
- The Advertising Association - The Advertising Association website contains the latest industry news and the latest Advertising Association publications on policies and research
- Catalyst - The magazine of the Chartered Institute of Marketing allows you to explore current issues in the marketing industry, follow the latest trends and gain advice on marketing practice
- PR Week - PR Week UK is a weekly magazine for public relations professionals working in all areas of public life. It is a source of news, analysis and opinion.
- The Drum - Up-to-the minute information on the latest news and trends in the marketing industry
Explore more from Careers and Employability
CV writing toolkit
Check out our CV Writing Toolkit, with 6 key steps to ensure you have a standout CV!
Building work experience
Get hands-on industry experience and showcase your knowledge before you graduate!
Graduate job search guide
Learn about the types of roles you will encounter, and how to search for roles.
Enable University alerts
Turn on notifications for critical updates like closures, safety alerts, and urgent service disruptions.