Graduates and students who wish to pursue a career in marketing should make use of all available resources to help them determine their professional skills and prepare them for life in the industry.

Marketing major Michael Ng wrote on Inside Media that those considering marketing as a long-term occupation should firstly look at all facets of the industry from brand management to agency work to find an area they would enjoy working in and where they could make the most of their abilities.

Research could include attending information sessions, visiting marketing firms' websites, speaking with professors and making full use of their college careers service, he added.

Useful information can also be obtained from other students and alumni, Mr Ng said, as they often have insights into career development, such as how to get your resume noticed. Some may also have practical experience of working in the sector.

Individuals looking to work in marketing should also define their long-term goals and accept that in such a competitive industry, they may have to work towards these targets from an entry-level position, Mr Ng noted.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing managers held 167,000 jobs in the US in 2006. In May of that year, the profession's average median earnings were $98,720.