It’s 1990 and you’re about to graduate high school.
Because you enjoy business, you will likely go for Business Administration. And when you graduate in 1995, your job options will be limited.
“…retail trade, which includes many sales roles, contributed around 4.4 million additional jobs during the decade. Marketing roles also experienced growth, but the available data shows that the U.S. had about 2.5 million marketers in roles such as advertising, promotions, and market analysis.”
There were TWICE as many sales jobs as marketing.
And that makes sense for that world.
There were:
Sales was king.
They didn’t care about the buyer’s journey or customer experience. The 1980s-2000s were ruled by the classic charismatic salesperson. The era was dominated by cold calls, personal relationships, and the hustle of closing deals.
Marketing, though present, played more of a support role—creating collateral, organizing events, and generating leads that sales teams would convert.
Today is vastly different. And I believe the marketer will only increase in relevance.
So, what is stopping them from stepping into this role?
It’s a lonely road for those who know how to think.
They see and are unable to ignore bad marketing principles. They either become increasingly “grumpy,” or they share their truth. And even when they share their truth, it likely won’t be enough. Let’s uncover why:
“The average age of marketing managers is around 40+.”
That means most were born before 1985. Graduating high school in 2003 and entering the workforce around 2007.