Marketing Major Survival Guide
Wondering how to spend the next few years of your undergraduate life? Have questions about your major but not sure where to go?
The Ryerson Marketing Association (RMA) brings to you our annual event, #Marketing. We curate a panel of staff and students within the Marketing major to talk about their personal experiences in this field to help you make an informed decision.
To give you a sneak peek of the event, Jessica Augurusa, Marketing Associate within the RMA spoke with five marketing students at TRSM to see what they had to say.
1. What is your name, major/minor, and year of study?
Stanley Sik, Marketing Management Major, 3rd year
Christine Ung, Marketing Management Major, Psychology Minor, 2nd year
Justin Ratcliffe, Marketing Management Major, Economics Minor, 3rd year
Christina Polera, Marketing Management Major, Professional Communications Minor, 4th year
Sarah Aziz, Marketing Management Major, Economics Management & Science, and Entrepreneurship & Innovation Minor
2. Why did you choose marketing as your major?
J.R: In my eyes, marketing has a special place in the business world. It, more than any other specialty, focuses on the people: the customers, and the clients. Marketing involves understanding both the motives and behaviours of the people you intend to serve. So, the complexity of ever-changing preferences, new products and services, and different consumption patterns makes Marketing a fun and dynamic area of study.
S.A: I chose marketing as a major because marketing can be applied to all aspects of business. I also know that one day I want to start my own business and learning how to implement marketing strategies to my business will definitely help me be successful. Lastly, there are so many different aspects of marketing that all have essential concepts to know and they are all quite interesting. If you’re someone that is also into psychology, you’ll find that marketing and psychology do relate quite a bit.
3. Can you describe your experience in this program thus far?
S.S:This program has been an incredible journey so far and I have no doubt that it will continue to be an amazing ride as I go into my final year this fall. I learned about consumer behavior and MKT400 has been one of my favorite courses so far along with effective persuasion. The program is versatile so you can plan out your courses in a way that is relevant to you. This program has opened up many doors as this school as a whole is one that pushes you outside the curriculum. The opportunities outside the classroom have helped me get my current job at TouchBistro as a Business Development Representative, with this school providing the opportunities that it does.
J.R: To this point, my experience in the marketing program has been great. The professors are incredibly knowledgeable, and the content is relevant. There are a lot of opportunities at TRSM that help students grow and shape their futures. Case study competitions, guest lecturers, workshops, these are all great opportunities to take advantage of and will help further your skill sets. Our skills are what will ultimately make us attractive to prospective employers who consider our application. The more skills we gather, the better equipped we are for the working world.
4. What are you planning to pursue with your marketing major?
C.U: I’d like to pursue work as a user-experience or user-interface designer. Here I can merge my background as a freelance designer, my Marketing management major, and Psychology minor. I would love to work for a startup where there is a fast-paced environment and more flexibility to make a larger impact. Where marketing trends shift to be more customer-focused, I think there is a lot of opportunities there.
S.A: I like too many aspects of marketing to say that I’m set in one direction. Right now, I want to work in the CPG industry and work towards being a brand manager which includes maintaining as well as innovating a brand and coming up with new/relevant products. I also am interested in market research and marketing analytics. For the latter, I find that it requires more of a math and economics background, so I might get my master’s in data science and analytics.
5. What advice would you give to your first year self in picking majors
S.S: My advice is to and list out all the things you love and the career aspirations you have. This will help you connect the dots by contrasting the 2 alongside the 7 majors available to choose from. Reach out to upper years as well in the majors you’re most interested in, I’m always willing to help out and answer questions to those who are ambitious enough and willing to ask.
C.U: I think it helps to first narrow down what you don’t want to do. From there you can find what you are really strong at, and find an area of study that matches that. You also don’t need to know the end-game right away, the exact job you want, you just need to know that you’re somewhat heading in the right direction. One of my favourite teachers changed career paths in his thirties. He reminded me that it’s okay to change your mind, and you have a lifetime to do it. I think remembering that can take away the pressure of these majors “defining decisions” in our lives.
J.R: My advice in picking a major would be to follow your instincts. There is likely something in one of the introductory courses that caught your attention. Follow this, and you will not go wrong. The problem with following the most lucrative path is that often if the coursework is not meaningful to you, it becomes difficult to maintain your effort. If you enjoy what you are doing, learning becomes a pleasure, not a chore.
C.P: I would say to go with your gut and pick something you are passionate about rather than what will be considered ‘impressive’ as a major. Marketing is something so relatable as we see it in action in our everyday lives! Definitely do research and gather information about different majors before committing to one, as well as talk to upper years to learn more about their experience.
S.A: When choosing your major, look through the required courses of the program. This is definitely what helped me choose the marketing major. In addition, there are many jobs available within this industry since every company out there essentially needs a marketer. The math and statistical portion can be intimidating for some but the course work is always rewarding. I was that student that thought I wanted to be a part of every major and it took me forever to decide, but once I laid everything out and looked at my opportunities, I knew marketing was the one.
To learn more about marketing, hear from other TRSM students, and get an insight on where this major can take you, register now for our #Marketing panel happening on Wednesday, February 13th, from 6:30PM to 9:30PM!
Food, prize, and more also available!
Register here
