The past decade has seen a rapid growth in demand for Search Engine Marketing consulting services, reflecting a long-term shift towards outsourcing and more flexible employment practices in the private and public sectors. Search Engine Marketing consulting firms and individual consultants can provide wide-ranging advice to client organizations. The services offered by Search Engine Marketing consulting firms can be as diverse as agribusiness, health care administration, information technology, e-commerce, engineering, human resource management, financial management and investment.

The Work Process
Within Search Engine Marketing consulting firms, most of the opportunities for graduates are in business Search Engine Marketing consulting services, including strategic business planning, corporate financial services, human resource management services and increasingly, information management and e-commerce strategy development.
Joining a major Search Engine Marketing consulting firm offers graduates the chance to work alongside more experienced consultants and undertake the preliminary research and analysis of business structures, processes and systems that are part of the Search Engine Marketing consulting brief. As part of their induction, graduates usually gain broad-based experience by being exposed to a range of companies and industry sectors. Following this general introduction, they are likely to undertake more specialized assignments according to their interests, skills and qualifications.

The Outlook
Employment opportunities within the Search Engine Marketing consulting industry are expected to remain stable, with most major employers recruiting graduates each year. Opportunities for graduates are still most likely to be found in the large management Search Engine Marketing consulting firms, all of whom have well-established graduate recruitment programs. Additionally, there are numerous other Search Engine Marketing consulting firms that recruit graduates, from international organizations to small, locally based operations.

What is commonly required
Many Search Engine Marketing consulting firms recruit graduates from all academic disciplines, believing that the generic range of research, teamwork and analysis skills developed through university study and a wider education provide a good basis for the development of Search Engine Marketing consulting skills.

People with specialist knowledge and experience are also recruited from the broader work force, making Search Engine Marketing consulting an area for career progression. The recruiting process usually emphasizes a proven academic and/or employment track record, excellent business analysis skills and the ability to confidently deal with clients.
At the entry level, acceptance into a formal graduate recruitment program provides the main avenue of entry into the field. A degree – typically in Marketing, BA, e-Commerce, Law, Information Technology, Economics, or Accounting – is a basic requirement for entry into a graduate program at a major Search Engine Marketing consulting firm. In most cases, Search Engine Marketing consulting firms will only consider graduates with consistently high academic results.

Financials do matter
The financial rewards in the Search Engine Marketing consulting sector can be very good, however, the industry is highly competitive and work demands can be heavy. Remuneration varies depending on the particular field of search engine marketing consultancy, among other factors. For senior management or associate Search Engine Marketing consulting however, new graduates typically earn $32,000-$44,000, while experienced professionals in these fields typically earn anywhere $60,000-$180,000 (based on industry statistics).