Choosing A levels and planning your future can sometimes feel uncertain, especially if you’re considering a career in marketing. To help guide you, we spoke with the Student Recruitment Team at Essex Business School about how students can start preparing now for studying Marketing at university. In this interview, they share practical advice on subject choices, extracurricular activities, and the skills that can help you stand out as a future marketing professional.
When choosing A levels and planning your next steps, it’s easy to feel like you’re navigating in the dark. This interview blog aims to shed light on how aspiring marketing professionals can strengthen their university applications and future career prospects. We sat down with the Student Recruitment Team at Essex Business School (EBS) to discuss preparing to study Marketing at University.
Q: Many students worry about whether they’re choosing college in terms of courses and subjects. What would you say to them?
It’s fantastic when students start thinking ahead early. If you’re already considering a future in marketing, your college choices can absolutely give you a strong foundation, but what really sets applicants apart is how they build on that foundation. For example, if you're doing a general business course, share why the marketing elements stood out to you; if you’re studying economics, discuss the transferable skills and knowledge.
We always encourage students to explore extracurricular activities. These aren’t just CV boosters; they deepen your understanding of the subject and help you feel more confident when you eventually step into a marketing or marketing management degree. An example of this would be an extended project diploma, or any work experience or real-world experience you may have had as part of your college course.
Q: What kinds of extracurricular activities can students look into now?
There’s so much you can explore in marketing, and it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. A great place to start is with short online courses and modules in areas like social media marketing and marketing strategy. Platforms such as UniFrog and LinkedIn offer accessible ways to begin building your knowledge.
We currently have a marketing course available on UniFrog that’s a fantastic introduction to the field. It explores the wide range of careers within marketing, the skills needed to succeed, and how marketing influences consumer behaviour.
Along the way, you’ll also start developing valuable skills such as creativity, communication, independence, listening, and writing, skills that are not only essential in marketing but also useful in many future careers too.
Also, listening to podcasts and reading articles on the rise in social media and influencer marketing shows you’re keeping up to date with an industry that is so heavily affected by trends.
Q: How does Essex Business School help students turn that early interest into real career readiness?
Marketing isn’t something you can just study the theory of; it’s a fast-moving industry that demands creativity, critical thinking, and analytical skills. That’s why our undergraduate marketing degrees blend rigorous academic insight with practical skills.
You’ll put ideas into action through consultancy projects, real-world scenarios and guest speakers. Whether you’re building a campaign or analysing live consumer data, you can be sure you’ll graduate with the practical expertise and confidence today’s marketing employers expect.
We also offer placement years and internships, giving students the chance to gain real-world workplace experience before they graduate. Some examples of recent student placements include Footprint Digital, Essex Startups, BMW, Samsung and Greater Anglia, to name a few.
Q: What would you say to a student who’s just starting to explore Marketing as a potential path?
If you’d like help navigating your next steps or want to learn more about studying marketing at Essex Business School, our team is always happy to chat. You can also join one of our upcoming open events to experience what studying marketing here is really like.
Marketing students at Essex Business School thrive when they treat every project like a real campaign, make full use of industry-standard digital tools, and stay curious about how consumers think and behave. Getting involved in live briefs, building a personal brand, engaging with lecturers, and joining marketing-focused societies all help you sharpen your skills and expand your network.
We’d love to help you on your journey to becoming a marketing professional, so keep in touch!
