Landing a job at a top digital marketing agency is tempting, after all, we’ve all seen the posts on social media – the hip workplaces, unique culture, perks, and cool clients. Yes, that’s what got me hooked, but working at a global agency isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. What you don’t see online is the long days and frustration accompanied by clients tearing down your ideas.
Takes a special type of people to not only work at an agency but also to flourish and be successful. Are you one of those people? Are you serious about being hired by a global agency? I’ve worked with a lot of different regional and global agencies, and they all want go-getters that can distinguish themselves from the rest of the candidates.
Here are some of the few things that talent acquisition managers are usually looking for and the skills/knowledge that will help you set yourself apart and better position yourself in the marketplace.
Be a Self Educator
The world of digital marketing is changing at a rapid pace. To be successful, you must be a self-educator who incorporates self-improvement.
When I interview candidates, I’m often interested in understanding what are you continuously doing to better yourself. Are you depending on your former education, or are you actively seeking to enhance your skills and knowledge?
So, if you’re not sure what to do, here it is. If you’re new to digital marketing, the best thing to do is to start with relevant and free certificate online courses. Focus on specializing depending on what your interests are:
Google Skillshop
Google’s Skillshop offers great digital marketing courses that are free and can be completed at your own pace. Once you’ve completed a few of those, you can move on to more intermediate and advanced digital marketing courses.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics Academy is a great way to learn about Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and Data Studio. The best part? It’s free!
Digital Marketing Courses from Hubspot
HubSpot Academy offers digital marketing courses that are free and cover a variety of topics, such as inbound marketing, email marketing, lead generation, and more.
Different people learn in different ways, and there are literally hundreds of excellent resources available for all sorts of learners. Here’s a list of 5 different blogs that you definitely need to follow to stay up-to-date on industry changes:
- Moz // https://moz.com/blog
- Search Engine Journal // https://www.searchenginejournal.com/
- Social Media Examiner // https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/
- Copyblogger // https://copyblogger.com/blog/
- HubSpot Marketing Blog // https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing
Participate in Your Industry
Want to land a job? Change your way of thinking. Build a portfolio or start a blog that shows your future employer exactly what you’ve been up to. It’s simple to claim you’re doing something, but it’s more impactful if you can actually demonstrate it.
Today’s employers want to see that you have a blog, and they want to know that you’re always updating it. They also want to see that you’re actively participating in digital marketing events, whether it’s a webinar, podcast, or even just reading and commenting on digital marketing articles.
The digital marketing industry is filled with passionate, driven people. To be successful, you must show that you’re not only one of those people but that you’re also willing to put in the extra effort.
When you’re ready to start applying for digital marketing jobs, make sure your resume is up-to-date, and don’t forget to include a link to your blog or digital portfolio.
Hone Your Skills
We previously discussed being a self educator, but when will you get the opportunity to apply all the knowledge that you actually accumulated. After all, experience is what you should aim for, and internships are a great way to start.
Internships are extremely underrated, or at least it is where I’m from. If you’re a fresh graduate, you basically have close to no experience, and there are many companies and small businesses that need help. Get in contact with them and offer your help, stating that you’re looking for an internship.
When you’ve finished, why not create a case study that you can use to demonstrate your understanding and eagerness towards work within the digital marketing field.
The first step is to gain experience. If you don’t have any, don’t wait for it to come your way. Make it a reality.
Brand Yourself
Do you use Twitter? If so, are you really utilizing it? What are you using it for, and is it in line with your career goals? This also applies to other social media accounts, particularly LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool that can help you connect with digital marketing professionals all over the world. It’s important to make sure your profile is up-to-date and that you’re regularly sharing relevant content.
While it’s true that a strong LinkedIn profile is necessary, it has to go beyond that. Not just what you post, but who you follow, insights that you add when posting and reposting links, all of these are things prospective agencies will examine about your social media accounts.
Use social media as a distribution platform for your own material or the stuff you discover. The more robust your social networks become, the more you’ll stand out.
What you’re posting and reposting will reveal how serious you are about entering the world of digital marketing and the agency business, as well as provide insights into how you think.
Stand Out
If you follow the first four steps regularly, you’ll appear favourable on paper, but the harsh fact is that your CV may never reach the right person.
You need to be proactive and reach out to digital marketing agencies directly, whether it’s through their website or social media platforms.
When you do this, make sure you have a polished resume and personal pitch ready. And don’t stop at just one agency—reach out to as many as possible. You never know which one is going to bite.
That being said, if you’re looking for an internship, reach out to us.
