In March 2019, Reflect Digital, a digital marketing agency released a survey that they did with students across the United Kingdom in order to gain insight on their perception of careers in the digital space. Well, according to the survey, 63% of 1000 13 to 21-year-olds said that more should be done at schools and colleges to educate them regarding available jobs.
Well, in this read, we are going to give our two cents when it comes to building a career in digital marketing.
Harness Your Network
This usually relates to the people you go for advice or support, the people you look up to as well as your peers. If you wish to work in social media, do have an individual in your network you can meet and gain insight on what digital marketing is all about and even get to learn a new thing?
Are you constantly socializing with individuals who have similar aspirations as you? Do you allocate time in networking so that you can meet new people and learn more about the industry?
If you want to excel in digital marketing and work in an organization like CSME Marketing then having a robust network is vital to the growth of almost any career and digital marketing is no different. Reach out to individuals and businesses that you come across on your career journey. If they have the time, they will listen to you, give advice and support as well. However, you should not take it personally if they are unable. It may not be the right time or even fit.
Also, it is advisable to connect with individuals who are not in your niche. It is not always about connecting with those who might offer you a job or refer business to you. It is a two-way knowledge street sharing. You never know what you can from those not in your niche. If you need more advice then this post from Irene McConnell explains how to impress recruiters. She’s an expert in the area and that post is a great help, full of tips and tricks.
Take The Experience You Can
Before we dive into this point, we are not suggesting that you work for free, in fact, we don’t advocate for free internships that leave you in a state where you can’t pay rent after attending work on a daily basis. However, if you ever want to freelance in the digital world, then you need to know your worth.
What this means is that in a paid job, you may not be given projects that cover areas where you need more experience. For instance, you might be working in print media, but wish to learn web design. The first thing to do is to consult your employer and tell them about your aspirations. Next, you need to find opportunities out there where you can grow. Do you wish to design your own website? Then do it as a hobby or for yourself. If you do not know where to start, you can always consult your mentors or network.
Maximize Your Time
It is imperative to consider your goals and then, how much time you can dedicate to them. Do you commute to work? Then this is an excellent time to expand your knowledge with a podcast or write a blog.
What is the first thing that you do when you get to the workplace? Well, if you can get in a few minutes early, then this would be the best time to catch up on the latest marketing trends online or network on LinkedIn and similar sites.Â
Learn To Grow
All career paths are not prescriptive or linear and what works for another person may not be the best route for you. If you are unable to absorb information via reading, do not force yourself to read. Try other means such as listening to podcasts, watching videos or even tackling things in a practical manner.
Be Relentless
Always be relentless as your career grows. The journey is not a walk in the park but eventually, it will all fall into place. Ideally, know that your career evolves and you should treat it like a marketing strategy that needs to be reassessed every now and then. Go through the points mentioned in this reading and ensure that all your efforts are aligned. With the tips above, you should be able to get to a digital marketing career path that should see you succeed.
