Where to Find Marketing Consulting Jobs

There are two reasons that professionals become marketing consultants:

1. They enjoy assisting multiple companies with marketing solutions, and
2. Marketing consultants are needed in almost every industry, which means that jobs are plentiful.

Most marketing consultants have experience as marketing representatives (field work) and in account management, which gives them an understanding of all aspects of marketing. They know what makes consumers "tick," and they are skilled at pulling together marketing teams to work collaboratively and to achieve very specific goals. Unfortunately, many business owners and upper level management employees aren't aware of how valuable a consultant can be, and often skimp on this type of consulting.

There are three main ways that marketing consultants can find work, and each has pros and cons. A professional must take some time to determine how he or she communicates with others to know how best to proceed with finding consulting work. They have to be aware that consultants are usually contractors, rather than employees, and must have the time management skills to work with multiple companies at once, working outside of non-compete clauses.

Cold Calling

This type of job search can be done over the phone, by e-mail, or through direct mailing, and is extremely effective for outgoing professionals who have sales experience and who know how to "push the buttons" of hiring managers. This works best for people who have obtained a DBA ("doing business as") and who want to work as a freelancer. They market their skills to companies and individuals in the hopes of finding a business owner who will agree to use their skills.

If you plan to go this route, you will need a marketing kit to send to these businesses, advertising your services in the consulting field. This will be a marketing consultant's first impression with prospective employers, and it should be his or her best work. Since you are a marketing consultant, how you market yourself will play a big part in landing future jobs.

My advice is to research the businesses in your area. If you live near a major metro area, then this shouldn't be a problem. Determine what industries you would prefer to work with, and find a main one to be your niche. This is the industry with which you will gain the most experience, thereby securing more jobs.

Contact the business owner via whatever means you are most comfortable with. You can call directly, or just send your marketing kit through the mail. Outline what exactly you can do for his or her company, and where your major skills lie. Always gear your proposal to that particular business, describing exactly how you can assist with their marketing needs. If applicable, supply a list of companies for which you have previously performed consulting work, and let them know that you can help their marketing team become more successful.

This type of job search requires a certain amount of initiative, and will mean that you have to be aggressive in your pursuits. You will have to convince business owners that they need your services in order to expand their business via successful marketing strategy.

The Internet

There are hundreds of Internet websites dedicated to finding jobs in consulting. Employers will advertise when they need consultants, and you can always search these sites for possibilities. This is a great way to go if you are looking for full-time consulting work with one large company, though marketing usually involves a six-to-eight month project, rather than an ongoing basis. Here are some of the top job sites.

www.monster.com

This site isn't solely for consulting, but it is still an excellent resource. Monster attracts employers from all over the world who are searching for the perfect employee, and they have a section just for consulting. You can post your resume, references and cover letter on this website, and reach several employees at once, which is an invaluable time saver.

www.allfreelance.com

This site is a little difficult to navigate, but they do have thousands of consulting jobs all over the United States. They have a list of other freelance and consulting jobs geared toward small business owners, which will probably not attract large corporations. This is more for the marketing consultant who wants to work several small jobs at once.

www.sologig.com

This is a more professional, sophistocated website dedicated to the serious consultant looking for employers. You can create a username and password, and immediately begin looking for jobs. In researching this site, I discovered that there are hundreds of major companies looking for marketing consultants, many of which allow telecommuting as well as quick jobs.

www.thecentralmall.com

This is a bidding site, much like Guru and eLance, that allows consultants to bid on jobs for various employers. Companies post descriptions of what they need in a consultant, and the professional bids how much money they would expect from the job and what skills and assets they would bring to the company. This method works wonderfully for marketing consultants who wish to work for multiple employers, and who prefer fast jobs to long, ongoing projects.

Advertising

If you have a little bit of capital saved up, and you wish to open your services to the public, marketing consultants can often gain jobs by advertising their services. Take out an advertisement in your local newspaper or in a publication such as The GreenSheet, and let employers know that you have "X" amount of experience as a marketing consultant, and that you are now accepting new accounts.

Some business owners don't realize that they need a marketing consultant until it is staring them in the face, literally speaking. Let businesses know that you are out there, in the same community, and that you can help them succeed through proven marketing methods.

Marketing consulting is an exciting, rewarding career with scores of avenues for which to pursue. You can move into any industry, and gain experience through lots of different companies, thereby increasing your chances of making a living in marketing consulting.