Landing A Job In Marketing

Marketing is a highly competitive field. Whilst there are all kinds of niches within marketing from social media to events marketing to video advertising, these roles attract applicants from all backgrounds. Here are just some of the ways in which you can stand out from the crowd when applying to a marketing position.

Get qualified

Higher education isn’t necessary, but many companies look highly upon it. Some employers look for any degree, regardless of the field – it may not have to be a marketing degree. There are also many forms of qualification that don’t require going to a university. Some big companies such as Google offer marketing qualifications. There may also be short courses and online courses to try out.

Network

As with many careers, it’s not always what you know but who you know. If you have any friends in marketing careers see if they can put a good word into their boss for you. You may also be able to meet people by going to networking events such as job fairs, trade fairs and conferences. Connecting with marketing professionals on LinkedIn could also be worthwhile.  

Volunteer

If you’re struggling to get a marketing job because every employer wants experience, you could consider volunteering at a company. Many companies offer work shadowing opportunities which could even lead onto a paid role if you can prove yourself. If anything, it will give you some experience to put on your CV.

Market yourself

The job application process is the perfect opportunity to show off your marketing skills by marketing yourself effectively. More so than any other career, it’s important to pull out all the stops when applying to a marketing role. Use the skills that the employer wants to see. If it’s a copywriting role, show them that you can write in your personal statement. If it’s video advertising role – shoot a engaging video of yourself explaining why you’re the right candidate.

Make sure to also have a USP (a unique selling point). This could be a skill that you can bring from another role that could come in use such as web programming, public speaking, telephone communication, writing or analytics. By showing that you can bring something new to the company, you may get many employers excited at the prospect of a new direction.

Creativity is key to any marketing role, so try to design a CV that isn’t your usual generic word document. You could experiment with infographics or even create an interactive portfolio on line. Alternatively, you could deliver your application by post and add some kind of creative touch – you could create a pop-up CV, or include a CD with your portfolio on. It’s probably one of the few fields where you can be so inventive, so have fun with the application process (don’t just reply to ads – if you can find direct email addresses and postal addresses, use these).

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