Marketing is one of the best jobs you can get, but many of us can attest to the trials and tribulations when first starting a career in marketing. If you are someone who is interested in getting started in marketing, here are the top ten tips I have learned while trying to land my first job in marketing. If you are already a successful marketer, then please share your wisdom with young marketers on how to get into the best career on earth.
1. Get informational interviews. So few people do it, but a lot of successful marketers are willing to spend 15 minutes to share their insights on how they got where they are.
2. Network like mad. I believe this is by far the most effective way to get a job. Join the American Marketing Association, join local organizations, volunteer. Do whatever it takes to meet as many people as you can, and make sure to follow up!
3. Don’t give up. Keep your passion for marketing. If you have the passion for it, you will eventually make it.
4. The walls aren’t there to keep you out. The walls are there so you can show how much you want it. They are there to keep those other people out (courtesy of Professor Randy Pausch of Carnigie Mellon).
5. The really good jobs aren’t going to come to you. You’re going to have to go out and get them. Surfing Monster.com all day doesn’t work. Believe me, I’ve tried.
6. Be a sponge. Work to get better at marketing every day. Try to make yourself into a better all around person, and you will make yourself more valuable to an organization.
7. When conducting an informational interview. Don’t forget your pen so you can take notes. I learned this the hard way.
8. Get an internship or volunteer for free. One person I met got a great marketing job at Microsoft because she was able to show a portfolio of work she had done as the VP of marketing for a charity. Often non-profits can give you important responsibilities since you are volunteering. One of the most difficult challenges is that every marketing position requires experience. Internships and volunteer projects can provide you with that experience.
9. Reach out to your alumni network. Alumni are almost always very happy to help new grads. They will go to great lengths to help you. Take advantage of people willing to help.
10. Talk to everyone you can. You never know if the person you meet knows someone who knows a hiring manager at one of your target companies.
If you are a new grad, please contact me at csipe84@gmail.com with any questions and good luck!
Please add your own insights and tips on how to get started in marketing!
I started in marketing when I was hired by A Foreign Affair organization. By then I just wrote and designed, now they wanted me to work on some SEO too. I had to learn a lot in very short time, I remember; but the important thing is that I had to improve a lot to stand out.