Marketing Analyst

Marketing Analyst Career Overview

Marketing analysts are the corporate economists responsible for collecting and analyzing sales data to evaluate products, monitor competitors, and identify service markets for large companies around the globe. Other tasks a marketing analyst may be commonly assigned include writing ad hoc reports, compiling operations data, and collaborating with a company's marketing and sales departments to analyze operational goals and find areas for corporate efficiency improvement. In addition, many marketing analysts work as part of a team to provide the necessary figures, charts, and product sheets to their company's sales, advertising, and licensing departments on a daily basis.

Because of the nature of the work, students aspiring to become marketing analysts should have a strong interest in economics and expertise in mathematics, statistics, and complex computations. It is imperative that those hoping for careers in the industry be comfortable juggling multiple tasks within a fast-paced environment and adept at dealing with the many different types of personalities who work within a large corporation.

Marketing Analyst Training and Education

Professionals aspiring to become marketing analysts must have at least a bachelor's degree in economics, business, or a related discipline. Although a master's or professional degree is seen as an added bonus for applicants, it is by no means a job requirement for the majority of marketing analyst positions.

Marketing analysis students should obtain as much technical expertise in computation software such as Microsoft CRM, Excel, and other manipulation systems as possible for the best chances of landing a job in the industry. Programming experience is also seen as a plus, as much of a marketing analyst's time is commonly spent working with a company's IT department, and knowledge of proper terminology can make communication easier.

In addition, many employers require even entry-level marketing analyst candidates to have at least one or two years of experience in the field. For many analysts, this experience is gained through internships either during the summer or immediately after graduation. Through this undergraduate education and real-world working experience, students should hope to gain quantitative and data insight skills, strong oral and written communication skills, and the ability to think on their feet in high-pressure situations, all of which are critical skills for marketing analysts to have prior to entering the industry.

Marketing Analyst Career and Salary Outlook

Overall employment growth for marketing analysts is expected to be slower than average for all occupations through the year 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is due to the high number of professionals entering the field.

Average salaries for marketing analysts, meanwhile, are expected to remain steady in the coming years, as the average earnings of a professional working in marketing analysis ranges from $35,493 and $45,205 per year. Those marketing analysts who choose to become more specialized, such as e-commerce marketing analysts, can expect to be compensated for their efforts, earning an average of $66,645 a year according to a report by salary.com.

Characteristics of Successful Marketing Analysts

Because the career of a marketing analyst is so demanding, those hoping to enter the field should be exceptionally organized, detail oriented, articulate, concise, and prepared to work long, demanding hours. In addition, they should be confident in their business skills and act extremely professional while in the office.

Although formal education is important, a number of employers find it equally important to hire marketing analysts who have demonstrated the ability to multi-task and think on their feet in high-pressure business situations. Increasingly, employers report that they are looking to hire marketing analysts who are comfortable working as part of a large team, which is why it is critical that those entering the field have the ability to work together with a wide range of personality types.

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