Sales and marketing individuals are everywhere. Sales and marketing is a career field that works both in front of the public and behind the scenes. If a company has a product or service to sell, sales and marketing are involved.

Sales and marketing careers are in demand and will be sought by managers or highly experienced professional and technical personnel, resulting in strong competition. College graduates with related experience, a high level of creativity, and excellent communication skills should have the best job opportunities. Those who have new media and interactive marketing skills will also be particularly sought after.

Employment of advertising, marketing, promotions, public relations, and sales managers is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2010.

Persons interested in pursuing careers in sales and marketing should be mature, creative, highly motivated, resistant to stress, flexible, and decisive. The ability to communicate persuasively, both orally and in writing, with other managers, staff, and the public is vital. These individuals also need tact, good judgment, and exceptional ability to establish and maintain effective personal relationships with supervisory and professional staff members and client firms.

A wide range of educational backgrounds are suitable for sales and marketing jobs, but many employers prefer those with experience in related occupations plus a broad liberal arts background.

Careers in sales and marketing often include long hours, plus evening and weekend meetings or appointments. Working under pressure is unavoidable when schedules change and problems arise, but deadlines and goals must still be met. Substantial travel may also be involved.