Education · 1 of 4

The path

There is no license and no required degree. There is a portfolio of results, and you can start building it at 16.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 10 to 12

   Run something real: a club account, a school team, a small business in your town. Track what happened. That record is worth more than any class.

2. 2

   Degree, usually

   2 to 4 years

   Marketing, communications, journalism or business at a public university, or two years at community college then transfer. Most job postings ask for a bachelor's degree even though the work does not need one.

3. 3

   Internships

   At least one, ideally two. This is the step that decides whether you get a first job, and it is why in-state schools near a city are an advantage.

4. 4

   Coordinator role

   1 to 2 years

   Scheduling, writing captions, replying to comments, pulling reports. Unglamorous and where everyone starts.

5. 5

   Manager and beyond

   3 to 6 years in

   Owning the strategy, the calendar, the ad budget and eventually a team.