Opportunities to further your career within the Marketing industry

Over the past couple of years, the marketing industry has been constantly evolving, with countless opportunities for those looking for a permanent, temporary or contract position. The digital marketing sector is flourishing, and more and more job opportunities are offered to specialists.

Furthermore, industry experts say that the marketing industry will never be strongly affected by economic downturns as companies usually continue to invest in the acquisition of new customers and retention of old customers via marketing. We also saw this during the COVID-19 pandemic, with marketing still being one of the most sought-after industries for talent.

No matter if you are a generalist marketer or discipline specialist, many employers understand the value of marketing to increase brand awareness, sales and communicate important messages across all industries, including consumer, financial, oil and gas, and the technology sector. There is also a relatively large number of not-for-profit organisations who depend on talented marketers or campaign specialists, such as educational institutions and charities.

Recent Changes

One of the most typical characteristics of the marketing industry is change and being able to adapt. In the past, telemarketing and print adverts were the most effective and used marketing measures. With the growing importance of digital, things have changed: companies replaced most traditional marketing channels with digital ones, such as automation and search marketing. Due to this development, it is important for marketers to adapt with the times and add to their skill set, based on current trends. The need for data to tailor campaigns and understand audiences is even more important than ever, so now many employers are looking for talent with analytical skills to complement their team.

• Salt’s advice for getting a job in Marketing

  Employers’ Requirements

  Whether it is a large enterprise or a start-up, employers expect marketing professionals to be tech-savvy and up-to-date with the latest trends.

  Some core skills of marketing professionals include the ability to plan and implement successful multi-channel marketing and digital campaigns; knowledge of data and analytics and how to draw insights, creating engaging web content, and experience working with a range of different stakeholders.

  If the employing organisation is small, marketers are usually expected to conduct a variety of marketing tasks, while larger companies tend to employ specialists in certain fields.

  CV Requirements

  CV requirements for marketing jobs depend on the area of specialism that you work in. When looking at your CV, Hiring Managers want to clearly see your key skills and software experience, plus quantifiable results instead of listing your job responsibilities. Have you increased revenue year on year? Have you improved conversion? Increased social media followers? What projects have you worked on? How did they perform? Include the most impressive stats on your CV.

  Marketing Job Interview Preparation

  So, how can you prepare for a marketing interview? In no other industry is it so crucial to market yourself in an interview and establish the right chemistry with the interviewer as it is in marketing. Essentially, if you can market yourself, you’re likely to be a good marketer and are proving you’re able to market the products or services in the right way to the target audience. Besides these fundamental principles, you should also be prepared to answer some commonly asked questions, including:

  1. Give an example of a successful marketing campaign that you have run in the past and the results it delivered.
  2. Can you work effectively and efficiently within budgetary constraints?
  3. What value-add could you bring the company?
  4. Have you ever implemented a marketing campaign which did not succeed? If so, please describe what happened.

  Educational Requirements

  There are many different routes into marketing and not all employers look for marketers who have studied a marketing degree. Depending on the industry and role you are applying for, some employers may require a degree in a related subject. However, experience in a similar role and industry is highly beneficial.

  Other skills which can be desired are project management skills or qualifications. However, marketing is an industry which has many routes and it is not uncommon for a marketer to work collaboratively with sales and have key stakeholders in that area. Being multi-lingual can also be a big bonus if you are applying for a global organisation or will be working across campaigns in different regions or markets.

  In order for you to progress in your career, some employers require marketers to have a degree or have a lot of experience in a relevant field. Apart from the degree, marketing specialists should also try to gain as much experience as possible from the beginning (e.g. in the form of internships or apprenticeships) as relevant experience is sometimes valued as much as a university degree.