There are a lot of routes into digital marketing, but knowing a few key things will help you to start your journey in the right direction.

Most of the people I’ve known in my career “fell” into marketing. It seems to be one of those careers that few people choose!

However, myself and many others happen to find themselves in digital marketing anyway, love it, then stick around for the long haul.

Whether you’ve chosen the thug life, or the thug life chose you, here’s how to get into digital marketing.

The first steps.

It’s unlikely you’re going to get a job in marketing straight out of school.

Generally, you’re going to need some sort of applicable qualification to get your foot in the door.

This could be an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in marketing, journalism, English etc.

Alternatively, it could be an internship, or a marketing specific qualification like a diploma from the CIM.

Any of the above will grease the wheels to getting your first job in digital marketing.

Experience or education?

I’ve been asked a few times if it’s better to get a qualification in marketing, or just try to get an entry level job.

My answer is that it depends where you are in life.

If you’ve yet to leave college, I would recommend pursuing a degree in marketing. It will give you the foundational stuff to help you get your first job.

Going to university is also a wonderful experience if the opportunity is available to you.

If you’re transitioning from a different career, it’s potentially a better idea to just segue into the industry by moving jobs. Grabbing a CIM qualification or equivalent might help with the move, but not 100% necessary.

Ultimately, after you have a shred of experience (even just an internship), it will hold more weight than most marketing qualifications.

This is because qualifications tend to focus on theory, whereas experience yields tangible skills and results.

Ok, once you feel you have what you need to get a job in marketing, you’re going to be presented with a choice.

In-house or agency?

It’s unusual that a career path can have two vastly different routes. If you’re just getting started in digital marketing, you might not even know this choice exists.

Although your role would likely be doing much of the same things, these two options vastly differ in terms of structure and environment.

For the uninitiated, “in-house” refers to working for a company and marketing their specific products or services. For example, working for a clothing company and running campaigns to sell their clothing.

“Agency” refers to dedicated marketing companies who sell marketing services to other companies. For example, you would work on campaigns for a variety of clients with set hours per month.

Some agencies also have dedicated in-house marketers to advertise their marketing services! Confusing. 🤷

Choosing either of these routes can have wide-reaching implications for your career. Let’s delve into the differences.

In-house

In-house roles usually exist in small businesses who can’t afford a marketing agency or want full autonomy.

Larger companies often outgrow agencies and start to build their own team, so sometimes you’ll find a solo marketer working with a handful of outsourced freelancers.

Many marketers start their careers in-house, as agencies tend to require some degree of specialisation.

Equally, many marketers end their careers in-house, as the pay is usually better, and the workload is less taxing.

You’re now probably wondering “why bother with agencies at all then?”. Fair question, and I’ll answer it shortly!

Pros of working in in-house marketing:

• Become a brand guru. This comes with the comfort of knowing the industry, customers, and company like the back of your hand.

• Enjoy a steady workflow and deeper involvement in long-term strategies. For many businesses, there can be an annual seasonality. The predictability lets you drill down into specific tactics.

• In-house roles are generally less time and resource intensive than agency roles. You’re much more likely to find remote positions, or flexible working arrangements.

• As a general rule, in-house roles pay a lot more than their agency equivalents.

Cons of working in in-house marketing:

• It can get a bit monotonous.

• Although you will likely work with many channels, you will generally be part of a smaller team. Usually, this causes the tendency to drop behind on the most current strategies and tactics, as you have less exposure to varied experts and industries.

• Ex-agency staff are sought after and tend to be the first choice for in-house roles. If you’ve got no agency experience, you may find yourself as a disadvantage when job seeking.

Agencies

Marketing and media agencies are the other route. These companies provide marketing services to other businesses. In essence, they act like an in-house team, but outsourced.

Why? It can often work out cheaper to hire an agency than to pay a full-time employee. Clients also benefit from a wider team, expertise and potentially services (like design, video and web development).

The client businesses will generally pay based on hours worked, or results. As such, you would work as either a generalist or a specialist and be allocated several clients to spend time on each month.

You’ll work with a variety of clients, from startups to giant corporates.

I personally recommend working in agency for a while. The experience you get is unmatched and agency staff are very desirable for job opportunities.

Pros of working in a marketing agency:

• Every day is a new adventure. New clients, new challenges, new channels. This exposure to many different types of business is what makes agency staff desirable for in-house recruiters.

• Agencies are very much the fast-track to expertise. Being exposed to so many different industries, strategies, techniques and other marketers really helps to boost your skillset.

• If a particular aspect of marketing really floats your boat, agencies are a good way to deep dive into it. Many agencies will have specific staff assigned to channels like SEO, PPC, Social Media and content. As such, if you really like a specific channel, you can choose to focus on it.

• Working in an agency is like a superpower for your CV. Agency staff are highly sought after and you will find jobs are easier to come by.

Cons of working in a marketing agency:

• Every client thinks they are the most important. As such, you’re often juggling multiple deadlines, projects and demands from all directions. Organisation is essential. If you don’t work well under pressure, agencies probably aren’t the best choice.

• Sometimes, you’ll barely get to know a brand before it’s time to move on. Clients are generally quite fluid; they come and go regularly. The flipside to this is that more clients = more experience.

• It can be demoralising to only briefly contribute to a client’s success. In-house employees may get more satisfaction from building up the company they work for.

There’s no right or wrong choice here. It comes down to preference and your own working style.

I started my career in-house and learned the ropes. I swiftly moved into agency and that propelled me into management over a few years. I now work in-house again, as it has a better work-life balance and pay scale for my current situation.

Specialist vs generalist.

Nearly all marketers start off as generalists (they work on all channels). This is sensible, as you get to experience most of the channels and strategies on offer.

Many solo and in-house marketers are generalists, as they usually have smaller teams and must pick up the slack.

As you get to know the industry and expand your skillset, you may find one element of marketing resonates with you. You then have the option to specialise and become the expert in that given discipline.

Funnily enough, once you start managing a department, you have to become a generalist again!

Let’s investigate the pros and cons here.

Generalist: The Jack of All Trades

As a generalist, your marketing knowledge spans various disciplines. You’re a bit of a chameleon, adapting and learning on the fly. It’s always good to retain some generalist knowledge, even if you end up specialising.

Pros:

• Like a Swiss Army knife, you’re ready for a variety of situations. This adaptability can be super appealing to certain employers, especially smaller companies.

• You can fit into many roles and industries, making your job hunt a buffet of choices.

Cons:

• The downside of knowing a little about a lot is that you might not be seen as an expert in any one area.

• Generalists might not command the same salary as specialists in high-demand niches. However, you need to have generalist knowledge to command the higher salary brackets in management positions.

Specialist: The Master of One

As a specialist, you choose one marketing area to rule them all. Be it SEO, content marketing, social media, or another field, you dive deep.

Pros:

• You can become the go-to person for this niche.

• Specialised skills can sometimes command higher salaries, especially if you’re in a hot field like Pay-Per-Click Ads.

• As a specialist, you sit within a niche. Niches are small by definition. This isn’t necessarily true of every specialism, but it can put you in better stead for job opportunities and promotions.

Cons:

• Specialising might limit your versatility. If the market for your niche shrinks, you might find yourself with a very fancy but less useful skill set.

• If variety is the spice of your life, specialising might feel like you’re stuck doing the same tasks over and over.

• Specialists are generally overlooked for department head roles, as you need to have generalist knowledge to manage multiple disciplines. Make sure you keep your finger on the pulse of other channels to prevent this.

Making the Choice

Think about what excites you. Do you love diving deep into a topic, or do you prefer a broader view of things? Your passion will be a key driver in your decision.

Whether you choose to be a specialist or a generalist, you will find job roles matching your skillset. As such, don’t be afraid to specialise if it’s what ignites your passion.

Building your marketing toolkit and portfolio

If you want to make a long career out of marketing, you’ll need to hone a few key skills. Truly great marketers are always learning, even decades into their careers. The nature of digital advertising means it’s very fluid. If you don’t make an effort to keep up with the changing tides, you’ll find yourself stagnating.

Here are some of the foundational skills for every marketer:

• Know the ins and outs of digital advertising, including all the individual channels (like SEO and Social Media). Try focusing on one channel a month and read everything you can find online about it. Even if you specialise, do this to keep your generalist knowledge fresh.

• Master the art of storytelling to captivate and engage your audience. Every brand has a story; be the one to tell it compellingly. If you’re weak in this area, try online courses in marketing copywriting on platforms such as Udemy.

• Understand how to interpret data, draw insights, and make data-driven decisions. Even better, learn how to set up analytics and tracking. There are a lot of great videos on YouTube to help you develop these skills.

Building a Stellar Portfolio

In some situations, you may be asked to present a portfolio at interview stage. I’ve found you can usually get by without, but if you love to be prepared…

• Display your most impressive campaigns, designs, or strategies. Try to use tangible results and screenshots for the most impact.

• Include a variety of projects to show your range. From social media campaigns to email marketing and ads.

• Don’t just show what you did; explain how you did it, the challenges, and the results. Show your thought process and decision-making skills.

How to Build Skills

• The marketing world is always evolving. Keep up with trends, tools, and techniques. Think about the skills employed in a marketing agency and see if you can pick some of them up. For example, video editing, photo editing, and coding (especially HTML, CSS and JavaScript). You don’t need to become a guru, but why not learn your way around WordPress, or Photoshop?

• Consider courses from platforms like HubSpot Academy or Google Digital Garage to keep your skills sharp and resume shiny. Udemy is also a great source of courses but be aware that not all of them are high quality.

• Join marketing communities, attend webinars, and network. Sometimes the best lessons come from a chat over coffee (or Zoom).

Your skills and portfolio are never “complete”. They’re always a work in progress, continually evolving as you do. Keep building, keep learning, and soon you’ll find you have your choice of roles.

Nailing the interview

Many people find interviews as nerve-wracking as a first date, but with more at stake.

I’ve found throughout the year that’s I’ve come to enjoy interviews. It’s like a game where you get to showcase all the stuff you’re good at and grill prospective employers. If you’re not at that point, hopefully you’ll get there in the future.

Here’s how to charm your future employer:

Pre-Interview Prep:

• Dive deep into the company’s website, recent news, and social media. Know their products, culture, and recent achievements like they’re your favourite movie plot. Often a company will give an indication of their mission – try to understand it and indicate that in the interview.

• Be clear about what the job entails and how your skills and experiences make you the perfect fit. You’ll be surprised how many people turn up for an interview without understanding the role they’ve applied for.

• Research typical interview questions for the role on search engines. You could even use an AI chat to do a mock interview with you.

During the Interview:

• Be ready to articulate your journey, your successes, and how you’ve overcome challenges. Think of it as storytelling, but don’t dwell too much on stuff that happened years ago. Try to keep it recent and relevant to the role in question.

• Talk about recent trends in marketing, your thoughts on where the industry is heading, and how you can contribute to the future.

Smile. It makes a huge difference to your demeanour, and you look less nervous. 😁

• Have ready answers for the tricky questions like “what are your strengths and weaknesses?”.

• If you have had a coffee or water provided, offer to take it the kitchen at the end of the interview. Basic courtesies are amplified in interviews.

• Remember to shake everyone’s hand (firmly) at the start/end and thank them for their time.

Typical Interview Questions and How to Ace Them

“Tell us about a marketing campaign you’re particularly proud of.”

Choose a campaign where you had a significant role. Discuss the goals, your actions, and the results. Numbers speak louder than words – if you increased engagement by 50%, say it! Also, in typical marketing fashion, take small numbers and convert them into big percentages. Turning 100 into 150 conversions is “a 50% increase”!

“How do you stay updated with marketing trends?”

Mention blogs, podcasts, webinars, or any industry resources you follow. Show them you’re always learning and evolving.

“How do you handle tight deadlines and pressure?”

Provide examples of your time management and stress management techniques. Show them you’re as cool as a cucumber under pressure. An example would be prioritising the work for a looming deadline over less urgent tasks.

Post-Interview:

• A simple email thanking them for their time and reiterating your interest can go a long way.

• If you haven’t heard back within the promised time frame, it’s okay to send a polite follow-up email.

• If you’ve already followed up twice, it’s probably time to accept you didn’t get the role and move onto the next opportunity.

Remember, every interview is a learning experience. Whether you land the job or not, you’re gathering valuable insights and honing your skills. So, suit up and be yourself.

Networking and building your personal brand.

Who you know can be as important as what you know. Here’s how to build a network that opens doors.

The word “networking” usually encourages yawning and immediate disinterest. I think most people think of a bunch of stuffy suits standing around in a conference room.

I think of it more of mingling with like-minded people and uncovering opportunities.

Why Networking Matters

Networking can lead to job opportunities, partnerships, or valuable insights. Many of these opportunities will only come to you because of your connections.

Thanks to a big of work on my LinkedIn presence, I am regularly contacted by recruiters with potential job opportunities. The time you spend here can really pay dividends throughout your career.

Networking also allows you to learn from peers, share experiences, and stay updated with industry trends.

How Does Personal Branding Fit into This?

Personal branding is a hot topic at the moment. It boils down to “marketing” yourself and your skillset, away from your day job.

Once you leave a job, all you have left is your CV and experience. If you’ve spent time on personal branding, jobs can be transient, but your “net worth” as an individual remains.

If you do a good enough job of making people aware of your existence and what you can offer, you may find opportunities come to you, rather than having to hunt for them.

Personal branding is basically a power up for your networking.

Building and Leveraging Your Personal Brand

• Define Your Brand: What do you stand for? What makes you, you? Are you a creative genius, a data-driven marketer, or a social media wizard? Pinpoint your unique value proposition and make it clear on your social bios and posts.

• Consistency is Key: From your LinkedIn profile to your personal blog, ensure your brand message is consistent. The goal is to become synonymous with your core message and purpose. For example, if I think of SEO, I think of Brian Dean.

Utilising LinkedIn and Other Platforms

• Optimise Your LinkedIn Profile: Treat it like your online marketing billboard. Showcase your skills, experiences, and personality. The words you put in your page description are treated as keywords for recruiters when searching for job applicants. As such, make sure you talk about who you are, what you offer (to whom) and why you’re doing it.

• Engage Actively: Comment on posts, share your thoughts, and publish articles. Be more than just a profile – be a voice in the community. Spend up to an hour every day trawling through your feeds and finding posts to comment on. Make sure your comments add value.

• Other Platforms to Consider: Depending on your niche, platforms like Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, or even TikTok can be great for building your brand and network.

Networking Events and Conferences

• Attend Industry Events: Whether online or in-person, these are goldmines for making connections. Think of it as speed dating, but for professional relationships. Attending conferences also keeps you on the cutting edge.

• Be a Speaker or Volunteer: Want to stand out? Get involved beyond just attending. Share your knowledge or help organise events.

Your network can be your most powerful asset. Cultivate it, nurture it, and watch as it transforms your career. Good marketers know how to market themselves.

Go forth and conquer.

You now have the building blocks to get started in digital marketing.

If you feel like you need more guidance, you can book a mentorship session with me.

I also recommend subscribing to my newsletter (because, of course I do 😅). It will give you a lot more actionable stuff to help you drive your career forwards.