Overview of Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations (PR)
Marketing, Advertising, and PR are careers that raise awareness of a product, person, or service through branding and promotional strategies.
Get details on the salary and job security of these Marketing, Advertising, and PR careers:
Get Career Ready for Marketing, Advertising, and PR
Find out what it takes to land a career in Marketing, Advertising, and PR
Earn a Degree
To work in the field of Marketing, Advertising, and PR, it is recommended to have a strong background in communications, marketing, journalism, media production, audience research, or graphic design. Check the Mason Catalog for degree requirements.
In addition to your degree, certifications can increase your employment options in the fields of Marketing, Advertising, and PR. Here are a few:
- HubSpot Academy Certificates:
- Social Media Marketing
- Digital Advertising
- Content Marketing
- American Marketing Association Digital Marketing Certificate
- Google Certificates (Digital Marketing & E-Commerce, UX Design)
- Accreditation in Public Relations
- LinkedIn Learning Certifications and Badges (get instructions on how to log in with your Mason credentials)
Gain Experiences
Employers are expecting candidates to have at least six to twelve months of related experience to be competitive for full-time positions. Gain experience while you are a student at Mason.
Here are the types of experiences most valued by Marketing, Advertising, and PR employers, and where to find them:
Jobs/Internships
Projects
- Academic projects: Consult your academic advisor about capstone or design projects in your department.
- Freelance projects:
Market Your Skills
It is important for you to be able to clearly communicate the knowledge, skills, and experiences you have gained in and outside of the classroom.
Your resume is often the first impression you’ll make with employers in this industry. Below are sample resumes you can download and edit, emphasizing coursework, experiences, and skills that reflect the industry’s focus areas.
Resume
Portfolio
A portfolio gives you the opportunity to show your skills and body of work (e.g., collateral, promotional materials, graphic design, writing samples). Here are a few platforms where you can build your portfolio:
Interviews
Interviewing well is key to standing out with employers in this field—and the best way to build confidence is through practice. Use InterviewPrep, Mason’s free virtual mock interview tool, to explore industry-specific interview questions and sharpen your responses at your own pace.
- Register for an account at InterviewPrep using your Mason email.
- Once you're logged in, use the following code to access a curated interview set for this career area: [YR5cT7XO4sVW]
Career Ready
Career ready Mason grads have gone on to work in Marketing, Advertising, and PR roles for employers such as:
Arts Fairfax |
ECU Communications |
NBC4/Telemundo |
C&EN Media Group |
Focused Image |
Volkswagen Group of America |
Consumer Technology Association |
Gryphon Technologies |
Van Metre Companies |
Dell EMC |
Privia Health |
Military Officers Association of America |
Join the Marketing, Advertising, and PR community
Get involved with academic and professional societies to grow your network while you're a student.