Marketers of Today - Can You Help Drive Marketers of Tomorrow?

Here at 3Search, we’re constantly exploring what’s going on in the world of marketing, and most recently spotted a great initiative from the UK’s leading marketing magazine, Marketing Week. We loved the idea so much we thought we would do our bit to help spread the word.

Think back – when you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? A doctor, a ballet dancer, maybe even an astronaut? But the word marketer is almost unheard of for your younger self to proclaim. However, the launch of the School of Marketing is planning on flipping that on its head. This pioneering initiative is focused on educating young people on what marketing really is and the rewarding career path this can lead to.

The need for such an initiative surfaced earlier in the year from some disturbing figures found by Unidays. A study concluded that only 3% of students considered marketing to be a good career, with more than half stating that marketing was ‘never’ or ‘hardly mentioned’ at school. This rang alarm bells at Marketing Week, with action needing to be taken sooner rather than later.

The School of Marketing is going to be the newest learning platform for all things marketing, presenting real-life challenges and the evolving dynamics of a marketing career. From online courses to interactive exercises, the programme offers something different to really engage the younger audience. It already has the support of key influential industry figures, from some of the world’s largest and most successful companies - Unilever, Direct Line Group and Google, just to name a few.

But what will make this a success?

The CEO of Unilever and one of the founding members of the School of Marketing advisory board, Paul Polman states that the “Gen Z generation nowadays feel that brands shouldn’t be talking at them but collaborating with them”. And the School of Marketing are offering just that – students have the opportunity to work with real-life brands, just like marketers do day-to-day. For example, the School of Marketing has joined forces with Unilever’s Wall’s brand to create the next ‘big ice cream’, with huge prizes involved. Who wouldn’t want to be in the chance of winning a year’s supply of ice cream?

So how can this get going?

Online courses and some innovative activities aren’t going to be easy to get the ball rolling without getting the word out first. The School of Marketing is looking to find 50 young marketers of today to inspire the next generation and get kids talking about marketing.

The Founding 50 will take the lead in actively spreading the word by going to schools up and down the UK, sharing their stories to promote a career in marketing. As a thank you, The School of Marketing offer the 50 members the opportunity to network with some of the most pioneering market leaders, including those on the School of Marketing’s advisory board.

As a Marketing Recruitment business, we see first-hand the growing demand for marketers in the industry. With that in mind, and despite not fitting the exact brief, we jumped at the chance of getting involved and knew the perfect candidate to put forward. Our Marketing Recruitment Consultant, Jasmin Eastwood, offers a slightly different perspective. Jasmin joined 3Search a year ago, having graduated in 2017, and has become a vital part of our business very quickly. 

We spoke to Jasmin to hear her thoughts on this exciting new venture and why she is passionate about getting involved.

What is it about marketing you love so much?

“I love how diverse it is. Every day brings a new challenge as brands become more and more innovative and therefore constantly looking for something new and different to fit their roles. I suppose the nature of my job allows me to see the way marketing works from all different angles, growing my love for it more.”

What made you want to get involved with the School of Marketing?

“I thought it was a clever way of getting young people talking about marketing. A textbook isn’t going to teach you everything there is to know. By speaking directly with people in the industry, students will get the best possible insight into what a marketing career is really like. I love that so many big brands have got involved, and as a volunteer for charities myself, I’m passionate about helping others in the community.”

If you are young, working in a marketing department and feel you have something interesting to bring, don’t hesitate to apply!

As Editor Russell Parson’s says, “Let’s market Marketing’!

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3Search is an award-winning UK recruitment consultancy, specialising in marketing, digital marketing and tech positions. Whether you’re seeking new talent or looking for your next career move, we can help. Learn more at 3search.co.uk.