Is marketing a good job for the future?

Would a graduate job in B2B sales be a more worthwhile learning experience compared to marketing, PR, finance etc in learning about how to be an effective future CEO of a start-up?

• I would ultimately like to set up a tech company and have been offered a job in sales for a tech firm. Although sales is not my first choice the recruitment agency tells me that it is the best background for CEO's. Is this true?

• Answer:

  First, a few opinions other than mine: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2011/12/05/the-path-to-becoming-a-fortune-500-ceo/ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/opinion/19brooks.html?_r=1&ref=opinion http://www.linkedin.com/answers/management/organizational-development/MGM_ODV/455621-34358705 https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/What-Is-The-Best-Executive-Career-Experience-For-CEO-Positions.aspx http://www.inc.com/magazine/19810801/5729.html Then, my opinion: As the founder of a marketing agency, I have experience running a company, and I also get to interact with a lot of other company founders and executives and see their strengths and weaknesses. My opinion is that experience in sales and/or marketing is very important for a CEO. A few reasons why: Your company will depend on sales and marketing to bring in revenue. No sales & marketing = no company. Lack of marketing experience/understanding is a primary factor in company failures. Sales and marketing will both give you experience seeing things from the customer's perspective. Experience in sales and marketing will help you create products that customers will want. I see too many business owners who can come up with "great ideas" all day long, but can't come up with ideas that their prospects/customers think are great. If your sales and marketing strategies are working, you'll have enough revenue to hire the right people to handle other aspects of the company. I'd much rather have the problem of being unable to keep up with demand than "we've got an amazing product and great infrastructure, if we could only make sales...". As an early stage startup, sales will probably need to be done by you. Even long term, you may end up closing big deals.