Are you a recent college grad or in search of a new career path in digital marketing? Landing your first entry-level digital marketing job with no experience can seem challenging, especially during a pandemic.
With the consumption of digital media on the rise, companies are opening up digital marketing opportunities to keep up with everyday online communication and content creation, changing the way we communicate and do business. It’s time to be opportunistic and creative in these challenging times to take charge of our careers!
Not sure how to get a job in digital marketing or where to begin? Here is a step by step guide in how to start your career in digital marketing from the safety and comfort of your own home.
1. Know Your Desired Role
Do your research on what your ideal digital marketing job or role might be. If you look up, “What kinds of jobs are there in digital marketing?”, you’ll find lots of resources on current digital marketing roles. Start by reading job descriptions and understanding the different roles that are available. Once you get a sense of what’s out there, start narrowing down roles to certain categories that you gravitate to such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM), content marketing, digital marketer, marketing manager, digital marketing specialist, social media marketing, social media ads manager, and more. Once you get a list of the types of digital marketing roles you prefer, expand your search to different industries. Have you ever wanted a career as a digital marketer in the sports industry? What about a social media manager in the fashion space? Get to know the types of digital marketing job opportunities that are available in the industries that interest you most.
2. Know the Latest Trends
Digital marketing is ever-evolving. With new algorithms, features, and platforms emerging, the needs of the industry vary and continue to shift. Keep up with your areas of interest by engaging on the platforms weekly (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Google Ads Manager, Mailchimp). You can also stay current by attending virtual workshops, taking online courses, and subscribing to newsletters that provide up to date announcements on your platforms of interest.
3. Learn the Skills
Getting your start in digital marketing requires your investment of time and resources. There are a ton of free resources online via newsletters, blogs, articles, social media, as well as masterclasses and workshops that companies like Shopify, General Assembly, and Later are offering during this time to enrich our communities and help individuals develop new skill sets. Longer, more in-depth certification courses can help you build, practice, and retain your new skills. Additionally, certification helps you stand out to other digital marketers who may be experienced but not certified.
4. Create an Online Presence
Prepare yourself for your future marketing job and test out your new digital marketing skills on yourself! Create your own social media accounts and showcase your content marketing skills with creative original content, running ads, and linking your accounts to websites you’ve set up or newsletters you’ve started. Hone in on the areas that you’ve expressed interest in when you were doing your career exploration research. Show people what you are capable of in digital marketing within your prospective industry. An online presence will help your prospective employer get to know you as a candidate as well as your passions and interests, which is incredibly helpful to the hiring process.
5. Build Your Experience
By this point, you may have completed certification, honed in on specific skills, and created an online presence. Now it’s time to build your digital marketing experience. Reach out to friends, family, classmates, colleagues or cold email individuals to offer your recently acquired digital marketing skills for their projects. Volunteer your skills to local small businesses or organizations you align with who could use help with creating a digital presence, content marketing, getting started on social media platforms, or keeping up with communication during this particular time of crisis. Build up your confidence as you practice your skills. As you become comfortable, transition to taking on paid clients that can help you build your portfolio as you start applying for a long-term digital marketing role.
6. Create a Network
It’s important to get your name out there online. Do your research on where to find your online community. For instance, if you identify as a woman in digital marketing, find Facebook groups centered around Women in Digital Marketing, join and connect with the members in the group. Be open about your current job search and ask for advice. Members of groups and forums are more than willing to help you in your journey. Get your introduction to the digital marketing world by asking industry professionals for one-on-one career development sessions. This will help build your network while learning about the various possibilities out there for you. Join a variety of virtual meetups, panels, and workshops. Get your name out there, offer your services, gain a list of experts, and connect with them. Have your cover letter, resume, social media handles, and portfolio ready to share.
Get ready to learn, and to be resourceful and entrepreneurial. Don’t be afraid to reach out, cold email, and ask for mentorship and guidance during this time. There’s a warm community of digital marketers out there willing to help you get your start in digital marketing.