Here's why marketing is the career for you

If you’re good at crafting words, like a challenge and enjoy keeping your finger on the pulse, a marketing career could be the perfect choice for you. With the industry growing every year and new jobs being created, now is the perfect time to start a career in marketing. Here are three benefits that a marketing career can offer you. 1. Variety Marketing is an exciting and dynamic field and there’s always a diverse range of jobs you can work in. Jobs in marketing can range from consumer research, social media and direct sales, all the way through to blogs, mobile apps and ecommerce. Marketing also gives you the opportunity to specialise in a specific field or job you enjoy, such as in toy sales or to branch out into other neighbouring fields like advertising, communications or public relations. 2. Job progression opportunities With marketing industry continuing to experience growth and innovation, there are lots of opportunities for you to also work your way up the ladder and work in a managerial or consultancy capacity. Considering the strategic importance of these higher-level jobs, such senior positions are highly prestigious in larger companies and often come with a lucrative salary. In Sydney, salaries for management and executive positions start from around $90,000 and go up to $180,000. 3.Creativity Marketing is one of the most creative industries you can be in and requires you to think outside the box. It gives you the freedom and opportunity to use your imagination and try out new ideas. With all businesses in need of marketing, the vast majority of industries and sectors you can work in will encourage you to be innovative and pursue new ways of doing things. At the end of the day, marketing comes down to understanding what makes people tick. Through research and your role, you’ll meet a wide variety of people and learn to understand human behaviour at a deeper level. Keen on a creative career? Check out our range of online marketing and advertising courses.

MBA Vs Masters. Which One to Choose?

If you are wondering what is the difference between an MBA, and Masters look no further. In this article, we will summarise what an MBA is and what a Masters is. Then, we will help you to clarify the differences, and choose between the two. MBA Vs Masters – The Showdown Before we get into the details and begin to compare the two qualifications, let's first clarify what each one is: Technically an MBA is, in fact, a Masters. The full name for the program is Master of Business Administration. The course typically helps people who are already experienced in business deepen their skill set and knowledge. Whereas a Masters could be any other course available at the appropriate level. For the purpose of this article, and the most relevant comparison, we will focus on business-related Masters. For example, you could enrol on a Masters in management, business, finance or Economics. In fact, the options are endless. Within all those options you can find specialised and more generalised courses. The Overarching Differences At the initial glance, we can see how you can tailor a Masters to your specific interests or industry. For many people wanting to embark on a career or those people who want to focus on attaining a particular job role, a Masters could make the best choice. The MBA contains modules to give a core set of more generalist business skills. Then, the MBA follows up by including modules within the course structure which enables their students to specialise. Herein lies the attraction of the MBA. Actually, the course prepares students for high-level management positions. The providers achieve this by teaching broad in-depth business knowledge. Students can then apply this knowledge to their industry. This is instead of preparing students for a skill-based role. In short, managers don’t necessarily need to be experts in a particular skill or subject. Rather, they need to be experts in business itself and have enough knowledge in the other areas to guide and lead employees. Quick Comparison Now, let's compare some of the attributes of both the MBA and Masters. MBA MBA stands for Masters of Administration. The course intakes experienced professionals and helps them to deepen their knowledge and skill set. Moreover, they include the possibility to tailor the content towards the student's interests. For example, an MBA could offer optional modules on consulting, finance, HR or for entrepreneurs. What Industries Best Suit an MBA? Traditionally, the most popular industries for graduates to target is consulting, finance, engineering, government/public sector, and technology. However, 2018 graduates also show considerable interest in starting their own company. MBA's have a good reputation for preparing their graduates well for entrepreneurship. In the 2018 Qs Top MBA survey, they discovered female applicants consider a wider range of opportunities. They lean more towards HR, Media/ Advertising, recruitment, and training as well as the traditional fields. Where can an MBA lead? Generally speaking, an MBA can lead to mid-level and high-level management positions. Opportunities usually present across a wide range of industries. Yet the common theme shows graduates are aiming for plum management positions. Often, they are aiming to become a CEO or director. Masters You can choose a Masters from a wide range of subjects. Each Masters will then prepare their students in a very specific way particular to the course. For example, a Masters in Consulting will focus on consulting, while overlooking other topics like finance or HR. What Industries Best Suit a Masters? Every industry has a Masters suited to it. However, within the business world, you may find recruiters give preference to MBA graduates. For example, in consultancy, many agencies will prefer graduates with an MBA. Where can a Masters lead? A Masters can lead in a huge variety of directions but notably in the direction of the Masters you choose. Therefore, Finance will lead to finance, consulting to consulting, HR to HR, and so on. In short, the subject of the Masters can limit your opportunities. MBA or Masters – The Conclusion Lastly, an important factor to consider is the value employers give to graduates of MBA programs. In the GMAC corporate recruiters report for 2018, they state 4 in 5 employers plan to hire MBA graduates in 2018. The report also brings good news for us Aussies. In the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), the trend for companies planning to hire MBA graduates in 2018 is at 90%. This is higher than any other world region. The MBA gives you in-depth learning focused on providing a overarching training for high-level management jobs. In addition, you have the opportunity to study focus topics of your own choosing. Finally, the recognition and value placed on the MBA might just tip the balance in favour of an MBA. However, if your passion is for a particular industry or role, then choosing a Masters for that subject can still be a good move. The Winner Lastly, in the MBA Vs Masters contest, the winner has to be the MBA. But of course, there are always exceptions! It is always worthwhile spending some time to research a Masters specific to your area of interest. Then go ahead and directly compare the syllabus with an MBA before you make your final decision. Good luck to you all!

Six things all managers should know about leadership

Management roles can be challenging, but with the right mix of skills, working in a managerial position can be highly rewarding and extremely lucrative. It may seems obvious, but managers often forget that their role is to manage people, and being people-focused, is often the key to great leadership. After all, evidence shows that people will work harder for a boss they respect, rather then one they don’t. We take you through six top tips to help you improve your managerial style and show you what great leadership really looks like.  1. Be honest and back yourself It’s hard to admit when you’re wrong, but experts say that being able to apologise when you make a mistake makes you more relatable and respectable to your staff. Failure is unavoidable. So embrace it and learn from it. Do not hesitate to apologise and do not justify your mistake. Instead, admit your at fault – such a gesture goes a long way. But that doesn’t mean you should doubt yourself or question your decisions. Before you make a decision, make sure you’ve taken everything into consideration and carefully analysed the situation and then be firm in your judgment. In times of uncertainty, staff will turn to you for guidance so be confident that your knowledge, experience and vision means you’ve made the right decision.. Making an informed decision is the best way to show your competence, so minimise any doubts you have by researching or consulting before calling any shots. 2. Pick your team wisely Your success relies largely on those around you and the competence of your team, so make sure you pick the right people for the job. Also consider the personalities you work best with. It is good to surround yourself with people who will gel with the company culture. On the flip side, hiring people who challenge who also has the advantage of ensuring you’re always looking for ways to innovate, and that you’re benefiting from a different perspective and take on things. 3. Be quick to praise and careful to criticise If your team respects you, rewarding them quickly with gratitude is a great way to build their motivation. Take note of how your staff like to be praised. Some like to be acknowledged publically and others don’t, so ensure you praise each individual in the way that best resonates with them. In the fast-moving and dynamic workplace, staff are often under immense pressure, so be careful when and how you criticise others. Consider the longer-term effects of criticsm, and what sort of result you want from such feedback. On the other hand, if someone is openly incompetent, don’t beat around the bush when it comes to eliminating them from your team, as they will often drag down the rest of your staff with them. 4. Communicate, communicate, communicate Although this term is over-used in the corporate world, it does not diminish its importance. Leadership is all about communication. While the goals and objectives you are trying to achieve might seem straight forward and clear to you, you may not have effectively communicated this to your team. So make sure everyone is on the same page, and be open to people asking questions. By doing so you avoid miscommunications and minimise any possibilities of your team not being able to meet your expectations. 5. Be approachable and professional Being approachable is important for your staff, but at the same time it can be a fine line to walk between being overly familiar or too distant. It is important that you learn what situations are appropriate for familiarity, and which require a professional front. Again, you are managing people, and showing empathy and kindness will make you more approachable and make it easier for your staff to come to you if they have queries or issues with their tasks, rather than being too afraid too ask – at the risk of doing a task completely wrong. Get to know your staff and don’t be afraid to ask some personal questions in the right settings. Set aside time for them and remember personal facts like what their spouse’s name is, any recent holidays they’ve been on and what their aspirations are. Share your own personal moments where appropriate– you are human after all! 6. Be the calm in the storm Disasters come and go and staff will remember how you react in times of high-stress, so be conscious of your behaviour in high pressure situations. As a team leader or manager, it’s your job to weather the storm when things go south. If you’re agitated and frustrated, there’s a high chance these feelings will trickle down to your team too, making it harder for everyone to cope in stressful patches. It is important you don’t take it all too seriously and can manage moments of crisis with a calm, rational mind-set. Remaining calm will also help your decision-making skills, allowing you to make quick, rational decisions on the fly. Want to improve your managerial qualifications? Check out our range of online business and management courses.