Applying for Entry Level Jobs in Marketing

I’ve found that the job market is full of a wide variety of entry level marketing jobs. I personally did not major in marketing and didn’t realize that I wanted to go into marketing until after more than a year out of college and after having worked in business during that time.
I ran into the problem of trying to find a marketing job with no previous experience when all the job ads for entry level marketing jobs wanted someone with at least a year in marketing. So, how do you go about getting experience in marketing when you’re looking for an entry level position?
I ended up gaining experience through part-time marketing internships and paid marketing assistant jobs—which is just another name for “administrative assistant in the marketing department.” It isn’t the perfect long-term way to live, but in the meantime, it seems to be working in my favor. I’ve gained a lot of great experience along the way and it’s good to know I can send my resume out with that solid marketing experience.
Another suggestion that I have for anyone else who hasn’t majored in marketing and is an entry level job applicant searching for a way to qualify for and land a marketing job—take a night class or two while you’ve got the free time to do so. It’s always great to be able to update your resume with that “Relevant Coursework” section. And if you’re serious there, you might even consider getting a certificate in marketing to show your commitment and prove to future employers that you know what you’re doing.