Marketing 'a popular career choice'

Marketing and sales is a popular profession, particularly for young graduates, it has been claimed.

According to comments made by Dr William Pedley, the director of education at the Institute of Sales and Marketing Management, an organisation established in 1966, this profession is attractive as it offers significant levels of variety.

The potential to achieve high salary levels was also cited as a benefit.

"It's very well paid - if you're good, you will earn a lot of money. We're talking very quickly into six figures. That's the major attraction," said Dr Pedley.

"There is the variety and there is the travel and the different scenarios, so the variety of it is appealing."

However, Dr Pedley cautioned that the attrition rate for sales and marketing positions is high, which he attributes to a lack of proper training.

In particular, he noted that in the field of financial services, marketing and sales have attrition rates of approximately 90 per cent.