[Introduction] Marketing is a crucial segment in any large organization: large companies use marketing to improve corporate brand image, recruit talents, and increase company performance; the government uses marketing to promote some policies that affect public opinion; and non-profit organizations use marketing to attract more fundraising. Moreover, almost all medium-sized companies need to understand marketing and media operations before they can eventually grow into large companies. Today, I will explain the Canadian marketing profession in detail.
加拿大市场营销专业 Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Introduction

Canadian Marketing Major

Marketing focuses on the identification and evaluation of target consumer and commercial market needs, as well as developing effective marketing plans for these needs. In the course of studying marketing, you will be familiar with contemporary marketing theories and the necessary execution skills to help you enter the marketing industry.
Because marketing and business operations are closely tied, students in marketing majors also learn this knowledge. In order to give you a basic understanding of traditional business operations and related processes, marketing courses usually include basic courses such as accounting, management, economics and law. Of course, the content of this major also includes product management, advertising and communication, market research and consumer behaviour.
The teaching methods used are also flexible, such as with classroom lectures, case studies, simulations and internship programs. Such diverse learning methods allow students to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge in many ways.

Business related articles: Canadian Human Resource Management Program Rankings and Employment Prospects | What are the jobs like?

Course Content

What do students learn in Canadian marketing majors?

By studying marketing at the higher education level, the professional knowledge and skills you can gain can provide a good foundation for many professions. This major is designed to innovate and lead you to the field by providing you with a unique set of employable skills when entering the labour market.
It is gratifying that these skills are highly valued by employers in every industry.

  • Ability to analyze customer needs and demands
  • Ability to develop and maintain customer relationships
  • Understanding of how to identify, research and understand competition
  • Ability to formulate strategic marketing plans and execute them correctly
  • Ability to thoroughly analyze and interpret marketing data
  • Ability to develop innovative marketing strategies
  • Understanding of contemporary marketing issues, techniques and methods
  • Strong communication and presentation skills
  • Ability to formulate strategic marketing plans
  • Ability to formulate pricing strategies

》Three types of marketing qualifications: college diploma, undergraduate degree, graduate degree

Like most majors, there are three main educational levels of marketing programs in Canada:

  • Marketing specialist: Usually takes 2 years to complete, and some colleges require 3 years
  • Bachelor's degree in Marketing: generally takes 4 years to complete
  • Master’s degree in Marketing: generally takes 2 years to complete

School

The Best Schools for Marketing

Marketing is a business major. According tolatest ranking of Canadian majors published by MacLean’s, here are the Top 10 schools in business:
1、University of Toronto（&nbspToronto Universities）Rotman School of Business
2、 UBC（UBC) Sauder School Of Business
3、York University（York University）Schulich School Of Business
4、University of Alberta（University of Alberta） Alberta School of Business
5、Western University（Western University） Ivey Business School
6、Queen’s University（Queens University）Smith School of Business
7、McGill University（McGill University）Desautels Faculty of Management
8、University of Waterloo（Department of Finance, University of Waterloo）Faculty of Mathematics
9、Simon Fraser University（Simon Fraser University） Beedie School of Business
10、Ryerson University（Ryerson University)

Employment Prospects

Employment prospects of marketing graduates in Canada

In any large organization, marketing is a very critical step: large companies use marketing to improve corporate brand image, recruit talents, and increase company performance; the government uses marketing to promote some policies and influence public opinion; non-profit organizations use marketing to attract fundraising. Moreover, almost all medium-sized companies need to understand marketing and media operations before they can eventually grow into large companies.
As a result, employers are very willing to spend money on hiring qualified and experienced marketers. They even tend to offer company shares, options, and dividends to retain talent. Having a marketing degree, combined with experience, can provide you with a large number of career options. Depending on your interests and career ambitions, you can work in almost any industry that can range from entertainment, public services to non-profit.

》Salary of marketing graduates: How much money can be earned annually? Determining factors of income

As a marketing graduate entering the workplace for the first time, the salaries that can be obtained may vary greatly and depend heavily on the following factors (not limited to this list):

  • Your education level (i.e. undergraduate and graduate degrees, etc.);
  • Years of experience in related fields;
  • The industry in which you are employed (such as oil and gas, entertainment, etc.);
  • The type of job and position;
  • Where you work
  • Whether you specialize in a certain field (e.g. market research)
  • Other skills you may have: such as English proficiency

》A practical example of a marketing graduate’s income

Let’s look at some real numbers.
Marketing graduate salaries in Ontario:
According toPayScale reports,junior marketers in Toronto, Canada can get a starting salary of $41,000 CAD/year.
加拿大多伦多初级营销者能到一年起薪41000加币

》Jobs for marketing graduates

Below, we have selected some occupations related to the marketing major, because the skills required for these positions are more compatible with marketing degree courses:

  • Advertising Manager
  • Advertising Agent
  • Advertising Consultant
  • Promotional Manager
  • Billboard Designer
  • Brand Manager
  • Copywriter
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Marketing Analyst
  • Marketing Consultant
  • Marketing Coordinator
  • Marketing Director
  • Media Analyst
  • Media Buyer
  • Media Coordinator
  • Media Manager
  • Online Marketing
  • Packaging Designer
  • Promotion Manager
  • Proposal Writer
  • PR Specialist
  • Propagandist

*Please note that there are more possible jobs for marketing graduates than what is on the list. In addition, some of the occupations listed above require additional education, training and/or experience. For example, the online marketing position mentioned above is actually a general term for a variety of segments, such assearch engine optimization, search engine marketing (SEM), social media marketing (SMM), email marketing, and so on. Entering any subdivided field actually requires additional training.

Summary: UtoCanada's views on the marketing major

Our writer has studied digital marketing in Toronto for just three years and has also met many professional marketers. We want to provide some professional experience, which may be able to answer your questions: 1. Should I choose this major? 2. How can I enter the marketing industry successfully after choosing this major?

》Marketing ability doesn’t just come from your“classes”

If you only study in the classroom, you will not get a qualitative leap in marketing skills. Successful marketers can do their job because they can understand the needs of customers by combining the experience of actual marketing with the knowledge learned in the classroom.

》The marketing work of each industry is different

Each industry is different, its target market is different, and the marketing methods are also going to be different. It is useful to learn the basic knowledge by studying marketing. With the principles of consumer behaviour and psychology, you can better analyze the consumption habits of potential customers, thereby formulating effective marketing strategies.

》Performance and effectiveness is important for a career marketing

Similar to sales work, you must show good performance in marketing. If your grades decline for several months in a row, you will feel as if you are trembling on thin ice. Many marketers lost their jobs because the company's performance declined. Your marketing skills can be quickly demonstrated. This is an industry that does not allow for dawdling. If you want to pursue a comfortable and stress-free career, this industry may not be for you.

》English skills and work experience are the biggest obstacles for international students to work in marketing

From the available data and income potential, marketing graduates in Canada have very good employment prospects. However, many international students in marketing majors are disappointed to find that even though they have a degree and had sent their resumes to marketing companies, they have not heard back. Some international students were invited to interviews, but none of them were accepted. Why? Because, likeaccounting，Computers，human resource managementand other popular majors, the two biggest obstacles for international students to find a job are their English skills and work experience. So, what are the solutions? We will give detailed suggestions at the end of the article.
Besides measures to deal with these two major difficulties, in order for international students to find their first marketing position as soon as possible after graduation, there are actually many things they can do before graduation:

》Before you graduate, you should start accumulating marketing work experience

Other graduates with the same academic qualifications gain significant relevant work experience in the competition for employment. Marketing graduates with relevant work experience will be in a competitive position because employers will be eager to invest in employees who can conduct business.
It may be difficult to find a job without experience after graduation.

  • Co-op paid internships: Generally arranged by the school, mostly paid positions. Co-op is the best way to get marketing experience as a student.Doing co-op is the best way to get some experience when you are a student. So when you apply for a major, you must choose a school with co-op programs. Here are someHere are some schools with co-op opportunities （find out which schools have co-op opportunities now).They provide the most updated and reliable resources. What is more worth mentioning is that Maclean’s has subdivided rankings and that list undergraduate and doctoral universities. Their student satisfaction surveys are also worth reading.
  • Internship and Volunteering: Generally, if you find this type of work online, you may not be compensated. Try going to the school's employment centre or related department. Please note that some employers offer internships without subsidies and salary, which is actually a "gray zone." They use students as free labor to perform repetitive and monotonous work.

No matter what kind of job is mentioned above, you have at least one chance to prove yourself. If you impress your employer, the employer may hire you after graduation. If they do not choose to hire you, they will at least write you a reference letter for your good performance.

》Meet more people in the marketing industry and others who have the same professional interests

Try to meet more people who are already working in the finance and marketing industries. After all, they are more experienced. Even if you they do not help you get a job, they can give you a lot of practical advice in finding one. In my experience, I met some Canadian locals who also majored in marketing. By expanding the network of contacts in marketing early on, you will be able to stay updated with current information, and also practice your English.
Suggestions: Through EventBrite, Meetup, Facebook Group, and similar interest groups, it is not difficult to build connections in your area.

》 Take time to improve your English

Whether you are returning to China or staying in Canada, you can greatly increase your chances of success during job interviews if you practice English well. Before going abroad, many people may naively think that they will acquire a high level of English after studying abroad. The fact is, no matter how long you have lived in Canada, or where you are in the world, you will realize that the Chinese have "occupied" the surface of the earth. Especially when you arrive in Toronto where there is a dense population of Chinese people, you will not need to speak any English to survive. Therefore, there is still much room for improvement in the overall English level of international students.
Suggestions: Through many methods such as living in a homestay, making friends with native speakers, participating in English clubs, etc., you canstudy abroad in Canada, and improve your English efficiently.。

Reference article: