Five reasons why you should choose a career in construction marketing
Author: Clare Harding Vice Chair of Communications CIMCIG
Like many people, I fell into construction marketing. It was a classic example of being in the right place, and at the right time, when I began my first role in the industry as a communications officer for a cement and aggregates manufacturer. I have to admit that when I first donned my full bright orange PPE and pulled up at a quarry site, I did feel a little out of place, but the noise of the crusher and the warm cup of tea bizarrely soon had me settled and intrigued.
For many marketers, construction may not be the first choice of industries when setting out into the world of work. Perhaps this is because of the preconceived notions of it being a dark and dusty world of widgets and wonders, however, it can lead to a fulfilling and varied career path with options to join at all levels of your marketing career.
My top five reasons why you should choose a career in construction marketing:
1. People and places
As cliche as ‘people’ sounds, I’ve been fortunate enough to have met and worked with a wide range of fantastic people with varied and interesting backgrounds from all corners of the world. Although the way things work can vary hugely depending on the country you are in, construction certainly isn’t UK specific, and as a sector can open doors for international marketing experiences too.
2. The variety of products and services
When I was working for a builders merchant the breadth and depth of ranges available was vast. It was vital to learn, and learn fast, which I found exciting and also challenging. Having a general understanding of all product groups was the key for this role, to best serve the needs of the customers, which in this instance were installers and contractors. In comparison, when I was working with a plasterboard manufacturer, this gave me the opportunity to dive further into the product development cycle and gain understanding of more technical aspects of the products. This role required deeper knowledge to devise strategies to influence specification. My point here is you can generalise or specialise depending on your strengths and preference, with so many products and services available, and different businesses in the sector variety is truly available.
3. Construction’s contribution to GDP and impact on society
With construction contributing an estimated 6-9% of UK GDP annually, there is no denying that the sector is vital to the UK economy. This emphasises the importance of the industry, and your role. Along with the financial impact, we spend 80-90% of our lives indoors, so the buildings we live, work and play in and the impact they have on our health, and on our climate is huge.
4. The challenge ahead
Construction has its challenges, with targets to achieve net zero carbon buildings by 2050 and a growing skills gap, it can often feel as an industry we have steep hills to climb. However, understanding the problems that we can influence and solve, or contribute towards is the vital skill needed. To quote Albert Einstein -
“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.”
I think as a marketeer the desire to solve a customer problem or challenge is in our nature. Through solving customer problems we can deliver real value.
5. How stuff works
Having always been slightly intrigued by science and how stuff works, working within construction marketing certainly offers the chance to focus on that from both angles. One day you can be understanding brushless technology in a power tool, the next keeping up to date with the latest Google or Facebook updates!
Many colleagues and clients have told me how they also ‘fell’ into the industry, and also how they have never looked back. What is it that makes you stay? What are your favourite things about working in construction marketing?
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