Is a career in marketing for you? To be successful in a marketing career, an individual must have good communication, critical thinking, and people skills. In addition to these skills, a majority of individuals employed in marketing-related occupations possess excellent time-management skills, the ability to work with a wide variety of people, and a capacity for self-motivation. These individuals must be able to establish timelines, goals, and objectives—and adhere to them.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of individuals who earn a living in marketing-related careers—advertising, sales, or public relations—is projected to increase rapidly between the turn of the century and the year 2005 (Levine and Salmon, 1999). Currently, almost a third of all Americans are employed in marketing-related positions, and marketing principles are being applied to more and more business and nonbusiness organizations—service firms, nonprofit institutions...