What do you do first?
I’ve never seen so many people attempting to break into a digital marketing career. As the demand for eCommerce rises, the epidemic has resulted in a continual stream of layoffs and a considerable increase in job seekers who have identified digital marketing as “THE” industry to join.
It’s worth noting that finding a job in digital marketing has become more difficult this year. Because it’s more competitive, only those who are willing to put 100 percent into their job hunt will stand out. It’s not just about having a terrific CV (which we can always assist you with), but about the entire process.
Our industry is appealing for a variety of reasons. Early professional accomplishments are typical; people in their 20s might be in leadership positions or be the founders of successful firms. It’s also a field where ‘non-academics’ can flourish. According to Rand Fishkin’s recent survey of marketing experts, 40% of those polled don’t have a degree… and neither does he!
I’ve seen a variety of entry points into digital marketing careers, ranging from traditional to absolutely unusual! If you’re seeking to start a career in digital marketing, consider the following points:
- Education at a higher level
- Personal development/training via the internet
- Create your own chance.
- Education at the University Level
Let’s talk about the ‘traditional routes.’ This year, I saw 28 UK universities offering BA Hons degrees in digital marketing for the first time. As well as the more well-known MA or MSc programmes at places like Kings College London, Manchester University, and others. It’s encouraging to see education to adopt a digital marketing institute as a more formally recognised professional path.
Prior to the introduction of these digital marketing degrees, I’d noticed an undeniable pattern in which traditional degrees comfortably fed into a variety of digital marketing positions. Media Studies, Marketing, Journalism, and Computer Science are all obvious examples. Other degrees, such as English, math, economics, and psychology, can also lead to technical or creative positions in digital marketing.
Personal Development on the Internet
Higher education is great, but not everyone has the opportunity to attend university. As I previously stated, approximately half of the marketers polled by Rand Fishkin do not have a college diploma. So, where did they get their information? The majority of learning comes from hands-on experience, but there are also a plethora of online training courses available, ranging from generalist to specialised skillsets. Everything you need to know about digital marketing can be found on the internet. Just look it up on Google.
Google’s Academy certificates of digital marketing, which include Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, and more, are all free at the time of writing. You also have Google’s Digital Garage for newcomers, which covers a wide range of topics from the fundamentals to the intermediate level.
There’s also the Google Squared Online accreditation, which is well-known. This one has a cost, but it can be covered by the company or self-funded.
There are numerous conferences (both online and in person prior to COVID-19, of course! ), webinars, slack channels, and groups to join as you go through the profession. Some industry tools have established academies, such as SEMrush Academy, which offers courses in their research area that cover various digital marketing abilities (all content is free, and can be uploaded without registration)
If you’re unsure where to begin your personal growth, Areej AbuAli, Founder of Women In Tech SEO, recommends determining what you enjoy doing the most and where you’d like to improve your talents. Is it a technological issue?
Make It Your Own Chance
Returning to the idea of a non-degree holder succeeding in a technical marketing field, we know there are a slew of successful digital marketers who grew up fiddling with computers, coding, and creating websites. They’re naturally sponges, absorbing up information from their friends, reading extensively, and experimenting online. They’re motivated by their achievements and use self-directed learning to explore the digital marketing world.
This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. ‘Getting your hands filthy’ is a phrase you’ll hear a lot.
It’s all very well to have the theory in this situation. Employers, on the other hand, want to see that you’ve put your theory and enthusiasm into practice.
I chatted with a number of seasoned digital marketers who interview and hire candidates for digital marketing positions on a regular basis. We’re all on the same page, it turns out. Whether you have a degree or not, the most valuable thing you can do is show an employer examples of your work. The greatest approach to start a career in digital, according to Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro, is to “get some experience, if possible, by launching your own website.”
It doesn’t matter what you sell/promote/write/amplify; the idea is to turn it into a project you’re happy of and would show off to potential employers or clients.’
Here are some real-life examples from great Digital Marketers on how you may create your own opportunities and earn experience:
Create a blog
By maintaining your own blog, you’re demonstrating to an employer that you’re dedicated enough to put in the effort. It also demonstrates your writing style, marketing approaches understanding, blog experience, relationship building, and how far you’ve progressed.
For example, a blog that was written three years ago and has never been updated is not a good example. A weekly update, on the other hand, with high-quality writing, visuals, and audience participation, might pique a hiring manager’s interest.
‘Begin by working on a personal project. A website, blog, podcast, or even a basic social media account dedicated to a cause that is important to you. You’ll learn a lot, it’ll keep you motivated, and your initiative will stand out in job interviews,’ says Scott Colenutt, SiteVisibility’s Managing Director.
Create a Website… Then Make Money With It!
Maybe based on a personal passion or pastime? Your website could serve as a creative outlet, a money generator, or even a charitable organization.
It’s a fantastic method to show off your digital marketing expertise and excitement.
‘The most important thing is to get your hands dirty and make money on the Internet!’ Personal projects demonstrate entrepreneurship and teach you more than anything else… I feel quite enthusiastic when someone I interview has developed their own abilities and generated money from nothing.’ -Geoff Griffiths, Builtvisible’s Managing Director
You’ll be able to discuss the techniques you’ve used and the skills you’ve developed on the site, just like you would on a blog. You can try paid advertising, create a WordPress site, grow your social media audience, improve your creative software abilities, write optimized copy, and so much more.
‘I believe that getting hands-on experience in digital marketing is the greatest way to get started; my choice would be to earn an internship or executive post at an agency, as well as doing things on your own time.’ -Connective3’s CEO, Tim Grice
‘My first job out of university was as an affiliate marketing executive, and I’m pretty sure the only reason I got it was because I experimented with and built my own affiliate websites during my time there.’
This not only demonstrates your want to learn, but it also demonstrates that you know how to get things done and helps you stand out from the crowd.’
There’s no doubt that landing your first job in the sector is difficult. Creating your own opportunity to gain experience and practice your craft, as Mark did, is unquestionably the way to go. There are virtually no limitations, and you can do it for a very little cost. Instead of looking blankly when asked,’so what experience do you have?’ you can talk about what you’ve been up to throughout an interview.
‘We always like it when people take the initiative to develop their own website or blog, have a social media presence, and are clearly interested in learning more.’ -Dan Sharp, Screaming Frog’s Co-Founder
Volunteer
If you’re tired of being told you don’t have any experience, consider volunteering at a family member’s, friend’s, or small local business. They’re likely to take advantage of any offer of free marketing assistance. However, it provides you with the opportunity to earn valuable skills and experience that you may mention in an interview. Being able to explain an employer how you came up with the idea to donate your skills also looks great on your resume.
‘Put yourself out there and do your own practice.’ As a method to get experience after graduation, I asked a small business owner if I could establish and operate a Facebook page for him for free. This turned into a paid freelance job, and I ended up redesigning the company’s website!’ -Emma Lambert, clockworkTalent’s Senior Digital Marketing Executive
Emma is a Digital Marketer
who works for me in-house. She had, on the other hand, volunteered to be a digital marketing adviser for a local chiropodist.
Emma was thrown into the deep end as a result of this. In an unusual move, the firm owner provided her his logins before handing over control of all of his digital assets and saying, “Go for it!” She completely redesigned the website, wrote for their blog, and built their social media platforms from the ground up. Yes, it was initially unpaid, but it provided her something to talk about at the interview and demonstrated to me that she was serious about her career. And, of course, it was extremely beneficial to the business owner, who praised her passion and efforts. So, while volunteering is unpaid, it can pay off big time!
There is no such thing as a bad moment to start your own enterprise, so do it now. Allowing imposter syndrome to hold you back or waiting for a sign is a waste of time. ‘Start your first project as soon as you can,’ says Ksenia Mikheeva, the Founder and Product Owner of SEMrush Academy. Do it right now! The greatest way to study Digital Marketing is to put it into practise. If you don’t have any clients or are seeking for work, start with a free project or design your website. This first project might be a fantastic addition to your portfolio and resume.’
You can utilise your work as examples on your CV or when questioned at interviews, like Ksenia mentioned. You may now discuss what you’ve been doing, the strategies you’ve employed, and the results you’ve produced, when an employer earlier said you had no experience. Even seasoned digital marketers do it on the side as a side hustle!
Knowledge Sharing & Networking
The networking options have changed as a result of COVID-19. Many conferences, large and small, as well as more local meetups, have temporarily transitioned to being online.
Slack groups, Twitter chats, Whatsapp groups, Zoom webinars, and other tools are also available. All of these things are alive and thriving in both formally organised and unofficial industry-friendly clusters.
‘Join a popular online community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, for example. You’ll find industry news and popular issues in these groups, but most importantly. You’ll be able to ask questions and put your ideas to the test. Ksenia Mikheeva, SEMrush Academy’s Founder and Product Owner
A word of caution: only join networking groups with which you can identify. Because you will only get what you put into it. Make sure you’re in the correct forums. Because involvement is the best way to go.
Women In Tech SEO, for example, is a really helpful and informed Facebook group for SEO enthusiasts who identify as female. Following respected Digital Marketers on social media is another technique to obtain expertise. Our industry excels at sharing information. You might also subscribe to periodic newsletters that provide you with industry news roundups.
Giving someone a chance based on their excitement is something I strongly believe in. However, in today’s tight employment market, following the above recommendations will offer you an advantage. Every new position receives a large amount of applications. Making it difficult to locate a company willing to take a chance on hiring someone with no experience.
