10 Successful Tips On Starting a Career in Marketing

When it comes to Starting a career in marketing as a recent college graduate, imparting valuable advice is crucial. In the competitive world of marketing, there’s one key recommendation that can make all the difference: mastering the art of storytelling. This skill will elevate your marketing endeavors and set you on a path to success.

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Offering Real Solutions When Starting a Career in Marketing

My First Job in Marketing was as a Business Development Executive, focusing on government clients. I got this job through a promotion. I started as a Customer Support Executive, in which I was selected through campus placement, and was good at building relationships with clients and understanding our product. This caught the attention of my bosses, who then promoted me. 

Starting a career in marketing taught me that marketing is not just about selling; it’s about understanding your clients and offering them real solutions.

Ambesh Tiwari, Founder At BDA Technologies Private Limited

Building Connections

I knew I wanted to work in marketing, and I decided that Starting a career in marketing and paid search was the initial marketing channel I wanted to learn. I began by doing the free online certifications in Google Ads that Google offers on their website. I then approached a few family friends who had businesses, and I offered to run a paid search for them for free. This got me my initial wins, and I was able to get some amazing results for my clients.

I then turned to Linkedin and approached some CMOs at companies that I linked. From this, I got a few initial phone calls and landed my first marketing job as a junior PPC exec. I learned so much at my first job managing 7 figure budgets.

Calum Devitt, PPC Freelancer At calumdevitt.com

Marketing Strategy

I started my career as a graphic & web design intern and transitioned to starting a career in marketing at the same small brand marketing firm over my 14-year tenure there.

Being a small firm, we all wore multiple hats. My first marketing job started with business development, which caused me to manage the projects I brought in and those projects needed brand positioning, copywriting, and marketing strategy.

I enjoyed marketing strategy more than design (and was much better at it), so I got engaged in SMPS (Society of Marketing Professional Services), which is focused on my construction industry niche. From there, I got certified as a professional services marketer (CPSM), and that helped me advance internally and move to other marketing leadership roles.

Perryn Olson, CMO At REX.one

Data Analyst

If I were to offer one specific piece of advice to a recent college graduate Starting a career in marketing, my advice would be to focus on getting to know and love data.

In today’s digital age, marketing is no longer just about creating catchy slogans or designing visually appealing advertisements. It’s about understanding consumer behavior, tracking performance metrics, and making informed decisions based on data. By becoming proficient in data analysis, you position yourself to make decisions backed by evidence rather than just intuition.

Embracing data doesn’t mean abandoning creativity. In fact, it can enhance it. By understanding what works and what doesn’t, you can refine your creative ideas to be more effective and impactful. This iterative process of testing, learning, and refining can lead to both personal and professional growth. In conclusion, while the creative aspects of marketing are undeniably important, in today’s competitive landscape, it’s crucial for new marketers to embrace the power of data.

Gavin Duff, Head of Digital At Friday Agency

Market Yourself

Starting a career in marketing, I would never hire a marketer who cannot sell themselves. If they can’t sell themselves, they will unlikely have the skills to be good marketers. Even without substantial marketing experience, you will likely already have the necessary marketing skills through freelancing, internships, and volunteering, or they come naturally. 

With this in mind, approach interviews with confidence and honesty. Do not lie or exaggerate your experience because it is easy to figure out lies. Instead, show a sincere desire to learn and grow as a marketer and contribute meaningfully to the company’s growth. Market yourself by confidently talking about the skills you are honing and developing without giving the impression of a know-it-all when starting a marketing career.

Anna Stella, Founder, Marketing Expert At BBSA

Importance of Teamwork

My first job in marketing was in trade marketing – I used to work as a merchandiser. Starting a career in marketing, I simply wanted a job connected with the field I was preparing for, and I never thought it would be such a challenging one. I get this job by simply applying on the largest jobs board in Romania (ejobs.ro).

After some years, I learned early about work-related responsibilities, the importance of teamwork, and the relevance of people relations in marketing. Years later, in the current omnichannel marketing era, I still have the principles of organizing the products in a store, rules that could be translated for e-commerce.

Teodora Adamache, Account Manager & SEO Team Lead At DWF

Continuous Learning

My first foray into the marketing realm wasn’t just a job. It was a full-blown quest for knowledge. You see, I landed an internship that was my proverbial foot in the door. However, I didn’t treat it as a mere stepping stone; for me, it was a treasure trove of opportunities to delve into the industry’s many facets.

From day one, my mantra was, ‘Curiosity didn’t just kill the cat; it also launched careers.’ I delved into every task with a voracious appetite for learning. I wasn’t just content doing the tasks I was assigned; I went the extra mile—whether it was coming up with a new strategy to improve a campaign or eagerly soaking up any guidance my mentors provided.

By the end of the internship, I’d not only gained an invaluable skill set but also the trust and respect of my colleagues and superiors. I was thrilled when the company decided to transition me from intern to my First Job in Marketing full-time, thereby Starting a career in marketing in a field I’d grown so passionate about. The experience taught me that the best opportunities aren’t just grabbed; they are discovered through relentless curiosity and nurtured through hard work.

Corina-Maria Scheianu, Chief Digital Officer At Digital Star

Advertising on Social Networks

By education, I am a programmer who does not know how to code. It’s funny because now my job is closely connected with the code. After university, I started doing web design. I worked as a freelancer for seven years until I accidentally got into SMM. My ex-girlfriend was selling imported goods through social networks, and I wanted to help her. My design skills came in handy for designing communities, and I began to study algorithms, selling text, and autoworks.

The communities quickly became popular, and some of my friends began to contact me to help them with their projects.

For 4 years, I studied the intricacies of social networks and working with advertising campaigns. The turning point was the decision to move from my hometown, where I got a job in a premium segment advertising agency. The tasks were diverse and required more than just advertising on social networks and posting about how we spend the day in the office.

I have expanded my knowledge of SEO, PPC, media buying, and influencer marketing. At the same time, strategies, media planning, market capacity research, etc., were required. I studied marketing in depth during my year of work at the company. I worked with most of the legal, and there’s no denying it, illegal methods.

Alex White, Chief Marketing Officer At Arctic Wallet

Focus on Growth

Starting a career in marketing, my first job was as a Marketing Officer, with a focus on event organization and running campaigns. I applied over ten times to the same organization. They are all marketing roles but in different functions/ departments, effectively marketing for different offerings. 

Applied for both the assistant officer role and marketing officer role, ended up getting the offer for the junior role, and from there, I worked my way up!

Raine Chang, Marketing Manager At Kobalt.io

Art of Persuasion

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, my first marketing job was the summer between my junior and senior years of college. I was home and answered an ad to work for the WMMW Strike It Rich Lucky Quiz Show.

Once hired, I was given a seat at a long table with phones on it and handed a list of numbers to call. When someone answered, I was supposed to say (in my best radio voice) “Hi, this is Nancy calling from the WMMW Strike It Rich Lucky Quiz Show.” Would you like your question to be from sports, history, or current events.

When the person chose their category and answered the astonishingly easy question, I then launched into a 3-page script of all the things they won, which included discounts at local restaurants, stores, car washes, etc. — all for just $9.99! Yes, they “won” the opportunity to buy a coupon book. And if I could persuade them to accept delivery right away, I earned a 50¢ bonus.

Years later, I realized this summer job involved what behavioral scientists call “hot state decision-making,” when feeling excited could over-rule more rational decisions (hence the 50¢ bonus for getting a “now” delivery before people could cool down and change their minds!). It was only a summer job, but it taught me a lot about what persuades people to buy.

Nancy Harhut, Chief Creative Officer At HBT Marketing

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