I keep thinking about making a total complete career change to marketing

[Anonymous]

Should I? Anyone in marketing - would you recommend it?

And also, any ideas for (completely) starting over and breaking into this field?

[Anonymous]

Do you have any education or experience? Why are you interested and what do you envision liking about it?

Signed,
Marketing VP with 25 years experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you have any education or experience? Why are you interested and what do you envision liking about it?

Signed,
Marketing VP with 25 years experience

I have a BA in English and a law degree; I have some (unrelated, legal) work experience but not a ton - about 3 years (I'm 30). I love writing and particularly the creative side of it, and I like the idea of working on a team. Thanks for responding - feedback/criticism/advice welcome

[Anonymous]

If you’re already 30 with a law degree, interested in creating content, you’d better prepare yourself for a major pay cut. Like, down to about $50k to start. You’ll be fighting for positions against 22 year olds who had internships and relevant writing samples.

My advice to you, is find something else to do with your creative desires.

- Director of Marketing with 15 years of experience

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you’re already 30 with a law degree, interested in creating content, you’d better prepare yourself for a major pay cut. Like, down to about $50k to start. You’ll be fighting for positions against 22 year olds who had internships and relevant writing samples.

My advice to you, is find something else to do with your creative desires.

- Director of Marketing with 15 years of experience

I appreciate the feedback. I am not opposed to taking a temporary pay cut, but it sounds like you're saying it would take quite some time to move up from there - is that right?

And re your second paragraph, (addressing this generally / to anyone): any ideas? I find the thought of staying in law for the next 30 years completely depressing, and although I'm obviously behind here I also still feel young enough to start over somewhere else in something I find (at least somewhat, sometimes) interesting

[Anonymous]

VP here again. Agree with the other PP. If you're lucky, $50k for a junior copywriter. But you need a portfolio. Do some volunteer work, start a blog, and take some courses.

Funny, I'm hiring two copywriters right now. And account coordinators, but those are more like $45k for people 1-2 years out of college.

[Anonymous]

Truly creative writing in marketing is hard to come by and very competitive. Mostly, it's writing copy for contests and other promotions for things like toilet paper, pet food, and consumer electronics. Yes, there are some agencies full of geniuses but mostly you'll be surrounded by people who binge-watch The Bachelor and spend time in tanning salons.

Signed,
Got out of there after three months, many, many years ago

[Anonymous]

What is the long-term prospect of a job in marketing? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the long-term prospect of a job in marketing? Just curious.

Well, I’ve been doing it for 25+ years and make $160k. My mom always told me to have a job that makes money for the company. And pretty much every company needs marketing, so if you have a good foundation, your skills are pretty transferable.

[Anonymous]

Op you could learn about content marketing there are millions of companies small and large that need writers to develop compelling copy to drive customers to their products and websites. It is creative but your success can be measured by analytics. You could do this on your own. Check out websites like Sidehustlenation that has lots of information about content marketing. There are also online courses on it as well. If I were starting out now I'd go that route instead of working for a firm.

[Anonymous]

There is such thing as legal marketing. I’d look at jobs like those, and maybe get a graduate certificate in PR or something to show you are really interested in marketing

[Anonymous]

In your situation OP I’d set up my own shop. You’ve got a great base of knowledge and you have the interest. If you’re looking at such a big paycut anyway-if going down to 50K-you could easily pick up work that would equal that being self employed (beauty of write offs.) If you get insurance from a spouse-all the better.

Marketing for legal entities or any sub-griup would probably be a better idea tgan presenting yourself as a do any kind: become known for expertise in that area.

I recently started a second business as an offshoot ofmy primary focus. Its not quite marketing but similar and I was kind of fake it to you make it as I don’t have ‘degrees’ or even clear experience in but because people know I dostrong work and know me I sold them on this new venture.

[Anonymous]

Do not shoot off on your own if you have no idea what you're doing and no network to hire you. There are lots of shades of marketing. Find one that makes sense with your professional background otherwise you will be competing with young grads who hiring managers will assume will be cheaper and more willing to do grunt work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not shoot off on your own if you have no idea what you're doing and no network to hire you. There are lots of shades of marketing. Find one that makes sense with your professional background otherwise you will be competing with young grads who hiring managers will assume will be cheaper and more willing to do grunt work.

And after doing this, network like crazy with graduates of your schools who are in this field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is such thing as legal marketing. I’d look at jobs like those, and maybe get a graduate certificate in PR or something to show you are really interested in marketing

As a former legal marketer, this is where I would start. At least half of the people on my team were lawyers with no marketing background. I actually think a legal degree is more helpful than a marketing degree. And I have my masters in marketing.

There are tons of legal marketing jobs in DC. Look at the Legal Marketing Association website.