Redefining the Marketing Career Path
By Logan Wickstone
Figuring out where you want to end up after school can feel confusing and stressful, and if you are interested in marketing, that doesn’t make things any easier. People entering finance or consulting often appear to have their lives figured out. They know the firms they want, the roles they’ll take, and the steps to get there. Marketing doesn’t really work like that. There’s no single ladder to climb or clear path to follow. It can feel uncertain at first, but that’s also what makes it exciting. Marketing sits at the intersection of creativity, psychology, and culture, which means it’s always evolving, and as a result, the people who work in it grow with it too. You might start in brand management and end up in tech. You may start in an agency and later transition into analytics, partnerships, or strategy. No two careers look the same, and that’s what keeps it interesting.
There’s No Single Ladder and That’s the Best Part
That idea is what QMAC is all about. The conference brings together speakers from across the industry, from tech to sports, from consumer goods to creative strategy, to show how different career paths in marketing really are. Each story looks different, but the theme stays the same. When I spoke with Jesse Greenhouse, a Smith School of Business graduate and former QMA executive, he described how much his own path had shifted. He started in consumer packaged goods and now works in tech. He told me, “I’d probably hate what I was doing at the start of my career now that I know what else is out there.” And while you could argue that can be said about any industry, it feels particularly true in marketing. People often picture one version of marketing, but once they’re in it, they realize how many other aspects exist within the broader industry. What feels right at the beginning might not be what fits later, and that’s completely fine. Every experience adds perspective, and each one teaches you something new.
Something that always comes up when you talk to people in the industry is how little their first job title ultimately mattered. The thing that made the difference was the skills they learned, such as thinking strategically, recognizing patterns, and turning ideas into campaigns. In marketing, it’s less about the titles and more about the experiences you have and the projects you take on. These are the things that will help you figure out what you’re good at and the type of marketing you’re drawn to. It’s easy to get caught up in what a title sounds like and decide something isn’t for you because it doesn’t perfectly match what you think you want. But that’s the easiest way to miss opportunities that could teach you something new.
That’s what makes QMAC such a valuable experience for students. It’s not just a few days of panels and networking. It’s a chance to see what marketing looks like beyond the classroom, and to talk to people who’ve built careers that don’t fit into one category. This year’s speakers sum that up perfectly. Selina Wang, who is the Vice President of Marketing Strategy at JPMorgan Chase, works closely with data, finance, and analytics; whereas Phil Haid, on the other hand, built his career around purpose and co-founded Public Inc., where his work revolves around social impact strategy. This goes to show the different directions marketing can lead you. Over the four days, you’ll hear from people in tech, creative agencies, and global brands, painting a full picture of what marketing actually is. The best part of QMAC, though, is the conversations that happen between sessions. You meet other delegates, hear how they see the industry, and start to realize that everyone is figuring it out. And it’s moments like these that can leave the biggest impact on you because they put things into perspective. It’s not about what you think you already know, because chances are, you’ll end up seeing things differently. What matters most, though, is showing up curious.
Curiosity Is the Real Career Strategy
Here are a few ways to make the most of that curiosity this year:
Ask questions that go deeper than job titles. What are people actually working on day to day, and what skills do they use most?
Talk to people outside your circle. Someone from another program or university might have a completely different view of the same topic.
Take notes on what stands out. If something someone says sticks with you, there’s probably a reason.
Follow up quickly. A short, specific message after the conference goes a long way.
Marketing will always attract people who think differently, who move around, and who want to work in creative, unpredictable ways, and QMAC plays into that. It gives students the chance to explore all the directions this industry can take, and to see how others have shaped their own paths. So if you’re heading to QMAC this year, don’t worry about having it all figured out. Listen, ask, and pay attention to what excites you. You might not leave knowing exactly where you want to go, but you’ll leave with a better sense of what’s out there.