Are you wondering what kinds of careers in education marketing are available? There are a variety of opportunities to put your marketing skills to work in the academic market sector. Many schools hire people to work as admissions representatives, public relations practitioners, alumni relations specialists and career services representatives.
Four Careers in Education Marketing
Just like with other businesses and organizations, marketing is an important aspect of the business plan for any school. Some education marketing professionals focus on recruiting prospective students while others are responsible for publicity, fundraising and helping graduates find jobs.
1. Admissions Representative
Admissions representatives are responsible for promoting the schools they work for to prospective students. Institutions of higher learning and private elementary and secondary schools all employ admissions representatives. They are responsible for meeting with prospective students and their parents about enrolling in school. Those who work for schools with a competitive admissions process also set up admissions tests and screening interviews.
Admissions representatives who work for institutions of higher learning conduct outreach through high school settings, building relationships with guidance counselors and teachers. They also often participate in career fairs and make in-class and in-home presentations. Depending on the type of school they work for, they may travel throughout a geographic territory or concentrate solely on the area where the school is located.
2. Public Relations Practitioner
Many schools have a public relations (PR) department that is responsible for community relations and other marketing activities. People who work as public relations professionals in educational settings are responsible for building relationships with members of the news media, writing and distributing news releases, producing promotional materials, managing special events and other marketing-oriented activities.
Working as a school's PR professional can be very challenging. Educational PR specialists must keep up with what is going on throughout their schools so they can identify events that have the potential to generate positive press. They must also be aware of potential problems PR problems that may need to be handled using crisis management procedures.
3. Alumni Relations Specialist
Colleges, universities and private secondary and elementary schools that rely on donations from graduates typically hire one or more person to handle alumni relations duties. Alumni relations specialists are often referred to as development professionals. They are responsible for building relationships with graduates for fundraising purposes. They encourage graduates to become members of their school's alumni association, oversee alumni magazines and newsletters, manage special events and conduct various types of alumni fundraising drives.
4. Career Services Representative
Individuals who work as career services representatives for colleges, universities and career schools are responsible for helping graduates find employment in their fields of study. Rather than focusing on bringing students or donations directly to the school, they are tasked with marketing the students themselves.
Career services representatives help students write resumes and polish their job interviewing skills while building relationships with employers in the larger community to encourage them to hire graduates. They handle setting up on-campus recruiting events, coordinate on-campus career fairs, notify students of job openings and career events and more.
Want to Work in Education Marketing?
Does one or more of these careers in education marketing appeal to you? While the exact qualification requirements may vary from one school to another, you can expect most educational institutions to give hiring preference to those who have at least a Bachelor's degree in a related field and professional experience in marketing or working in a school setting
Search for open positions on the websites of particular schools where you are interested in working and look for job announcements on industry-specific job boards. A few sites you will want to check when searching for career opportunities in education marketing include:
