I have no marketing quals and need one, not a degree but a cert or dip

[DottyboutDots]

Which would you recommend? I freelance and have landed on my feet somewhat but think it's about time to add a credential to my belt. I stopped education after A levels so don't have a degree and, tbh, don't have the time for a full degree.

Anyone have any ideas?

I did a Marketing Diploma from the Chartered institute of marketing - it wasn't too much work but a good comprehensive grounding.

Great, i'll look them up. Is there a minimum qual for this sort of thing? Has it helped?

Has it helped professionally, I mean?!

CIM Diploma is good but to be honest (as an ex senior marketing manager for a large well known company) all you need are good contacts and solid evidence of your work (create a portfolio of work you have done for clients).

I have been freelance as well as employed and no one has ever been the slightest bit interested in my qualifications. I only have 9 gcses and 3 A levels. I never went to university.

Good luck.

I'm on phone so will reply when I get home. My course was paid for by my employer, so I happily took it, plus it covered a lot that he couldn't teach me (it was an ad agency and a rather limited one at that). I can put letters after my name though

CIM quals are well-respected and a lot of marketing jobs are looking for CIM membership now too. But as always, contacts and networking are going to be your best bet.

Thanks all. Why do I need good contacts to get on the course, will I be asking for references etc? I've only written 14 articles for a couple of mags, done about 50 prls and one website. Very early days but, for some reason it feels right and is easy for me to build on due to accidental contacts really. I just want to talk more knowledgeably and not be found out for the fraud i really am!

Think other posters mean your contacts/networking are the key to securing further freelance work - ie you don't need any quals.

I have the CIM. I would say they are probably the most well respected of the various marketing/comms professional bodies.

From memory (although this could have changed) they have 3 levels and the lowest level only needs GCSEs. The idea being you do them all and end up with a post grad qual. Their website should explain what level you'd need to start at.

They have part-time/distance options.

I am not sure you need it, but if you think it will help then look into it.

Good luck.

Thank you MrsM.

I'm currently a SAHM but it got my foot in the door for at least 2 jobs. I don't know about freelancing though. I wouldn't do it just for the letters, but see if the course will actually be helpful to you. I enjoyed doing it! And as I was at the beginning of my marketing career it was useful to me, in terms of clout on my CV and confidence in interviews.

Yes what I mean is that having good contacts (as opposed to a qualification) will help to secure future work. Those in management tend to network with other managers and will frequently go by recommendation when hiring marketing agencies and freelancers.

I've had clients pass my name onto others and them ring me for quotes and gained work that way.

Also join as many networking events and online buisness forums as you can. Don't obviously tout for work but if you offer sound and good general advice on many different threads people will learn to trust and respect you and come to you for work in time. I have gained many clients like this.

In the end I had enough and decided to be a sahm for a bit.... ! Just got bored but I did marketing for about twenty years... :)

Twunk, I do need it to learn! You're very helpful, thanks for the info. Fairylea, wow! That's inspirational.

Also agree with CIM quals. I have a business degree and the CIM Diploma, and found the latter commercially relevant (whereas the degree I studied was more academic in slant).

It's a respected qualification. I found some employers do ask for min CIM Diploma in job ads for mid-level roles upwards. And, for freelancers, I guess it can give you a slight edge to have the added professional credentials. But, obv things like quals are only part of the overall picture, as others have said.