MARKETING IN IT INDUSTRY: AN ANALYSIS OF GRADUATES' COMPETENCIES AND CAREER PATHS

The importance of marketing in the IT industry cannot be overstated, since it helps the identification and fulfilment of customer needs through tailored technological solutions. Well-educated marketing professionals are essential for the IT industry to develop effective communication strategies and foster strong customer relationships for all stakeholders. In order to better prepare graduates for the multidisciplinary problems of the IT industry, this article highlights the need for higher education institutions, particularly those offering business-oriented study programs, to modify their curricula to incorporate both marketing and IT disciplines. Therefore, this study investigates the readiness of marketing graduates for employment in the IT sector by analyzing their employment status, experiences, and skill sets. Through a focus group of the best marketing graduates from the Faculty of Technical Sciences' Engineering Management study program, we evaluate the competencies they possessed upon entering the workforce and identify gaps in their preparation. The results provide insights into the types of roles these graduates occupy, the challenges they encounter, and the additional skills required to succeed in the tech industry. This study provides valuable information for educators and industry professionals to better align business-oriented degree programs that have a marketing module with the demands of the IT industry