The people who work in marketing are always hungry for information and want to learn about the newest strategies and trends. Because of this constant demand, often the content material is made in a hurry, as the experts are sharing heir knowledge very quickly. But this desire for instant gratification makes me worry about quality and meaning. The real value comes from a mix of up-to-date information and hands-on experience. For example, marketers become experts by building practical experience on top of fundamental knowledge and learning from their mistakes. With other words – If you combine ideas with experience, you get real value.

For many people who want to be marketers, the traditional road starts with college. Ivaylo decided to get his Bachelor’s degree in marketing at a well-known economics university. Ivaylo began to understand a lot about marketing at university because it was a structured setting where he could learn about everything from customer behaviour to market research and branding.

The problem, though, is that there may not be a connection between academia and the world’s swiftly of business. Getting through homework and tests while showing that you understand the material can sometimes feel like a robotic practice. The real value is in being able to use what you’ve learned in creative ways and in real life, which may not be fully covered by a standard college education.

Ivaylo was at a crossroads because he knew that his academic path had its limits. He could look for an entry-level job that doesn’t pay much to get experience and close the gap between theory and practice. He could also go deeper into academia and work toward a Ph.D. and a job in research and teaching. But most of the time, the truth is found by finding a middle ground—a way to get both academic knowledge and real-world experience. So, what might the middle path look like for Ivaylo and other people who want to be marketers with competitive advantage on the labor market?

Ivaylo understood that creating and transferring value is what marketing is all about. To do well in his job, he had to find ways to make things better than his coworkers, giving him an early edge over them. So he did some research and found that there were two good sources right at the university.

It looked like the first source was a game: joining a student marketing club. Ivaylo, on the other hand, handled it with the mind of a seasoned professional. He gave every project his full attention and strategic purpose. He wasn’t just there to make friends or add something to his resume; he wanted to get real-world experience and improve his skills in a group setting. Studies have shown that these kinds of student clubs are important for building future leaders because they help people develop soft skills like conversation, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are highly valued in the professional world.

Ivaylo took advantage of the second opportunity by helping professors with their study projects and cases for real-life businesses. It was very helpful to get hands-on practice with projects that had to get results and to learn more about how institutions work. He saw for himself how clear structures, social interactions, and people’s own goals all work together to shape a company’s culture and, eventually, its success.

Taking an academic approach to business projects, especially when it comes to go-to-market methods, has been shown to greatly improve results. This means carefully identifying, studying, and categorising the possible, target, and ideal markets. This leads to a more data-driven and planned approach to marketing.

For instance, research has shown that companies that do a lot of market research are more likely to make goods that sell well and get a bigger share of the market. In the same way, knowing your target group and what they want makes your messaging and positioning more effective. Setting clear goals and keeping track of progress toward them is another way to make sure that marketing efforts are in line with general business goals.

Ivaylo used strategy and a focus on variety to take advantage of these chances. For his part, he looked for projects that were doable but had different goals and leaders with different styles. This gave him a chance to experience different ways of managing people and learn how to change the way he talks to people and works with others to fit those styles.

It’s not a surprise that Ivaylo didn’t always get perfect grades on exams. He wasn’t just concerned with doing well in school; he also wanted to find a good mix between schoolwork, initiatives of the marketing club, and living the normal student life. He knew how important it was to get a well-rounded education. He knew that soft skills, real-world experience, and personal growth were just as important as academic information.

Ivaylo’s story shows a very important truth for people who want to become marketers: academic achievements is not the only thing that defines success. It is important to have a strong theoretical background, but it is also important to be able to use what you know in unique ways, get real-world experience, and improve your soft skills.

Later in his career, when Ivaylo found himself in management positions, he actively sought out candidates who demonstrated a similar proactive approach. He valued those who had gone beyond the classroom to gain practical experience, recognising the inherent value of initiative and a hunger for real-world learning. This criterion proved to be a reliable indicator of future success, further validating the importance of a well-rounded education for aspiring marketers.