The Marketers Forum - UK Marketing Courses CIM, CAM, MRS Qualifications - London and South East England

With our Spring 2012 CIM courses just around the corner, we thought we'd provide some handy information for all those seeking to begin a professional marketing course...

Why do I need a professional marketing qualification?

Unfortunately for job seekers it’s an employers market and those employers can afford to cherry pick the best candidates for their roles. Aside from your experience, your tenacity and your charm(!) it’s your professional development and qualifications that are going to set you aside from your competitors.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing is recognised by employers as furnishing candidates with all the relevant skills they need to be a proficient and successful marketer. As such CIM qualifications are in hot demand. Look at any job spec for a Marketing role and those 3 letters will be omnipresent – generally in the form of “ Candidates should be CIM qualified or working towards a qualification” …

What will a CIM qualification teach me?

Undertaking a CIM qualification is by no means a small feat, be it cost, time or energy. But if you are willing to commit to studying, you will learn invaluable skills to enhance your marketing career. Among those are;

• Marketing best practice
• The language of marketing
• Practical skills that you can apply directly to your organisation
• Contemporary marketing issues

Which CIM level is best for me?

There are 4 CIM qualifications to complete. Thankfully it is not necessary to do all of them – the level you start at is reliant on your degree and/or previous industry experience.

CIM Introductory Certificate in Marketing

This is an entry qualification for all those who have found themselves in a ‘supporting’ marketing role or who simply wish to move into a marketing role.

The typical profiles of people who might take this qualification could include:

• Those in junior marketing, secretarial or administrative roles
• Event management assistants
• Personal assistants
• Customer service assistants/call centre employees
• Modern apprenticeship equivalents
• Owners of small businesses and start-ups

This qualification looks at the importance of marketing in terms of what marketing is and how it is defined. It focuses on the role of marketing, its cross-functional importance and its contribution to business success.

CIM Professional Certificate in Marketing

The next wrung in the ladder of CIM qualifications, the Professional Certificate focuses on tactical marketing and teaches candidates about the importance and role of stakeholders, marketing research, as well as assessing the internal and external marketing environment.

Those who embark on this qualification tend to be in a Marketing Assistant or Executive role.

CIM Professional Diploma in Marketing

Often thought of as the ‘golden ticket’ qualification – this is the award that many employers are looking for when recruiting for marketing management roles.

The course looks at the marketing process at an operational level and moves from the theoretical aspects of marketing towards the many skills needed to manage the function itself - including elements ranging from channel management to communications, along with specialist areas like new product development.

The Professional Diploma in Marketing is ideal for marketers with operational responsibilities and an eye on management including the following:

• Marketing executives
• Business development managers
• Product/ brand managers
• Marketing managers
• Account managers

CIM Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing

The title of this award can be slightly misleading, it’s not designed for those straight out of university, it does in fact rely on candidates having had a fair amount of professional experience within the industry.

The course focuses on the strategic aspects of marketing management and aims to enable marketers to champion the customer experience and exert a strong influence on their organisation to adopt a customer orientation. As well as helping to contribute to the organisational competitive strategy, align activities to the customer, and manage all marketing activities.

For entry onto the CIM Postgraduate Diploma candidates would be expected to either hold a Marketing Degree and have 3-5 years professional experience OR at least 8-10 years industry experience and be operational in a senior marketing role.

If you are unsure which level is suitable for you, help is at hand! Please either download this multiple-choice Online Diagnostic Test or give the TMF office a bell on 0844 272 5837. We’re here to help!