Graduating with a Marketing degree in 2026 (or being part of Gen Z born in 2004 and having just graduated), many young people are facing a harsh reality. Holding a bachelor's degree in their hands, they still feel uncertain and directionless. Should they persist in finding a job in their field, accept a Shopee operations position with a salary of 7 million VND, or dive into “full-stack marketing” positions that consume all their time from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for a salary below 10 million VND?

Question what can you do after studying marketing is becoming a major concern on young people's forums. To find a sustainable path amid a saturated labor market, we need to face the realities of the job market and seek tools to break through income barriers instead of simply changing jobs based on emotions.

The 9-million-VND “Full-stack Marketing” reality: Exploitation or a natural selection rule?

Browsing career experience-sharing groups, it is not difficult to come across tearful accounts from young marketers who have just graduated. One person who graduated in 2015 shared that their friend worked in marketing for a large financial corporation: running a page, building a TikTok channel, designing marketing materials, organizing offline events, and preparing promotional gifts to be sent to 400 branches nationwide. The workload was enormous, working from Monday to Saturday, yet the salary was only 9 million VND gross. Another person worked “full-stack” for a water purifier brand, handling ads, video editing, filming, photography, and web management for a gross salary of 17 million VND, but had to work until 10 p.m. every day.

Many young people are surprised to see social media portray a future of effortlessly earning 30–50 million VND. But the harsh reality at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam today is that the common salary for employees with less than 2 years of experience ranges from 8 to 12 million VND. As the market becomes saturated, businesses tend to hire versatile (full-stack) employees to optimize costs. If you only know how to perform manual execution tasks such as basic SEO writing, planning fanpage posts from ready-made templates, or managing gifts, you can easily fall into the trap of low income and burnout.

Studying marketing and working in ecommerce: A temporary detour or a long-term opportunity?

Many people born in 2004 study marketing but end up working in operations after graduation E-commerce (eCommerce) with a starting salary of around 7 million VND/month. After a while, a sense of uncertainty emerges as the work becomes repetitive and there is no clear career progression. However, according to professionals with more than 5 years of experience working on major platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, eCommerce is actually an extremely important and hands-on branch of modern marketing.

Platform operations are not simply about responding to chats or packing orders. To survive and achieve a salary above 20 million VND in this field, employees need to perform well and master the following three core skills:

• Short-form video editing: Build your own scripts, film, and edit engaging product videos that attract organic views on TikTok Shop or Shopee Video.
• System operations (VHS): Understand display algorithms, set up promotional programs, run on-platform advertising, and optimize the store's conversion rate.
• KOC/KOL booking: Build relationships, negotiate affiliate commission rates, and develop sales-driving campaigns with content creators.

Therefore, working in eCommerce does not mean giving up marketing; it is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with real revenue data. Foundational marketing knowledge about customer behavior, product positioning, and sales content writing is the springboard that helps you optimize stores more effectively than people entering the field without relevant expertise.

AI automation: A way out for Marketing professionals from the “Full-stack” trap”

How can you escape the cycle of working until 10 p.m. while still earning a meager salary? The answer is not to work harder, but to work smarter by applying technology. The emergence of AI-powered automation solutions is reshaping the entire marketing industry's workflow.

At DPS.MEDIA's Marketing services and AI solutions, we have accompanied numerous SMEs and young marketers in integrating workflow automation systems through n8n Workflows and optimized AI tools. Instead of spending an entire morning writing fanpage posts or manually designing images, an automated AI workflow can help you process 80% of the raw workload:

• Automate keyword research and generate SEO-standard article outlines.
• Generate scripts, create demo videos, and convert text into natural-sounding voiceovers (AI Voiceover) within minutes.
• Automatically synchronize order data from Shopee to the internal management portal to track revenue in real time.

Consider the real-world case of the brand Nhã Kỳ Cosmetics. Previously, their marketing staff had to spend 4 hours every day just writing content and preparing images for publication across 3 different platforms. After implementing a Content AI system and setting up an automated workflow, the conversion rate of campaigns targeting existing customers increased to 12.4% just 3 days after deployment, successfully reaching 4,200 potential customers without hiring additional staff. The marketer operating this system was freed from manual labor, allowing them to shift to optimizing growth strategies and receive a well-deserved sales bonus.

Career guidance for young people who feel lost

If you were born in 2004, have just graduated, and are feeling uncertain about your future, keep these 3 important career-orientation principles in mind:

First, do not rush to conclude that you are not suited to the industry: Many young people change jobs repeatedly simply because they encounter difficulties in the early stages. List in detail the things you dislike about your current job. Is it because you hate marketing, or because the manual workflow is too exhausting, your manager does not provide enough support, or the benefits are not commensurate? Understanding the root cause will help you find your next destination more accurately.

Second, invest in foreign languages as a tool to double your income: If you learn languages quickly, consider learning Chinese or Japanese. A foreign language combined with marketing/eCommerce expertise is a golden key. Many FDI companies in industrial parks or multinational corporations are always looking for marketing professionals who speak Chinese to work directly with suppliers or native-speaking managers, with income potentially 2 to 3 times higher than that of ordinary employees.

Third, focus on positions directly tied to revenue: Instead of only receiving a fixed base salary (net), aim for jobs with sales-based bonuses (KPI/KOC Booking/Affiliate). These rewards are the leverage that can help your income break through the usual 10-million-VND ceiling.

A saturated marketing market does not mean opportunities have disappeared. Opportunities are simply shifting from people who work manually to those who know how to leverage technology and automation systems. If your business needs to optimize operations, build an SEO-standard WordPress website, or integrate comprehensive AI solutions to accelerate growth, contact us now DPS.MEDIA via Hotline/Zalo 0961545445 or visit our office at 56 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City to receive the most practical solution consultation.