Good CIM Marketing course (Chartered Institute of Marketing)?

[dylantombides]

Hi, the company I work for gives us a fairly large budget to spend on courses. Since I work in marketing but don't have a marketing degree or haven't done any marketing courses (I've learnt on the job), I feel an official qualification would be useful for my CV. Of course, I'd want the course to be useful too and not just showing to make me more employable.

Since the Chartered Institute of Marketing is well known, I was keen to do a course through them. However, I was wondering what the best courses to do are? I.e what's the most in-demand skills I could learn through these courses, and what specific things would pay the most in marketing so I can ensure I do a course in this area?

 

[AllUpHere]

Having qualifications in marketing is a bit of a paradox. Marketing is all about doing something different. Qualifications are all about learning exactly the same as everyone else. Employers may be impressed by qualifications but if you ever want to be a consultant or run your own business they are a lot less valuable.

When I did some of their quals, I was thoroughly unimpressed. I can't remember if it was the Professional Certificate or the Diploma, but for one of those I had a tutor who had only ever worked in academia and had no real world experience at all. She was fine reading out the syllabus, but that was her limit. The fact I did them when I was in my thirties, after owning and selling several businesses meant I already knew a lot more than any of the tutors.

 

[AstEver]

In my opinion, diplomas from universities are better perceived than those of bodies like CIM. They also are more broadly recognizable and acceptable, if you decided to, for example, continue your education - you just have more options, particularly when some of the university courses offer CIM accreditation.

I think it is a false dichotomy to contrast the academic with the practitioner because their perspectives are not only complementary but they should be integrated - something that you have an opportunity to benefit from without your paying for it out of pocket.

As for choosing a marketing area, you can also think about which areas of your knowledge and skills you need to improve as opposed to thinking about 'in-demand skills'. Do you want to be a marketing specialist or generalist? Another way to think about it is to divide marketing into soft and hard areas (soft: consumer behaviour, communications, brand, etc.; hard: research, pricing, strategy, etc.).

Unfortunately, most people go for the fluffy stuff

 

[Deleted member 335660]

Hi, the company I work for gives us a fairly large budget to spend on courses. Since I work in marketing but don't have a marketing degree or haven't done any marketing courses (I've learnt on the job), I feel an official qualification would be useful for my CV. Of course, I'd want the course to be useful too and not just showing to make me more employable.

Since the Chartered Institute of Marketing is well known, I was keen to do a course through them. However, I was wondering what the best courses to do are? I.e what's the most in-demand skills I could learn through these courses, and what specific things would pay the most in marketing so I can ensure I do a course in this area?

Hi, I was a Chartered Marketer and have Masters degree in Marketing. I started with a CIM correspondence Course, then I did Evening -Saturday classes for the rest.
There are lots of CIM courses run by companies and universities so I would first work out which format is best for your current situation.
I did the Correspondence course because I was serving in the RAF on a fighter squadron and so weekly classes were impossible, also the RAF paid for it.
If they are CIM approved then most should be alright.