Marketing isn’t just pitching ad slogans Mad Men style. From creatives to tech professionals, writers to managers, artists to HR; there’s a greater variety of roles within the marketing industry than you might expect. It can be overwhelming to know where to get your start in the marketing industry if you aren’t familiar with all the options, whether you’re still in college, a recent graduate or looking for a career change.
Our agency is full of great marketing talent with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. We gathered some of our teammates across departments to share their tips and advice for anyone looking to join the industry.
Who are you, what do you do and what did you go to school for?
Kelsey: I am a senior account executive at CONNECTIVE Agency. I studied at the University of Oregon and received a B.S. in journalism and communication with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in business administration.
Keith: I am the senior director of technical development at CONNECTIVE. I originally studied music performance at Northern Kentucky University and got into web development after starting a travel blog in the late 90s.
Kahla: I am the senior design manager for CONNECTIVE and I graduated from Texas Christian University with a degree in graphic design.
Haley: I am the senior copywriter at CONNECTIVE Agency and I got my degree in communication and psychology from Texas A&M University.
What made you pursue a job in marketing?
Kelsey: I love that the marketing space lets me flex my creative muscle while truly connecting the dots for my clients. A career in marketing allows you to be a multi-faceted individual. It’s exciting to work on something new every day, and I’ve always been inspired by the energy of others in this industry.
Keith: After initially getting my start in IT, I began working with a company’s marketing team on developing their website and grew really interested in that side of the field. From there, I freelanced for seven to eight years before joining the team at CONNECTIVE.
Kahla: I don’t think there was any one thing that made me want to work in marketing specifically, I just liked the idea of working at an agency. I think I didn’t fully understand the industry, but I knew I wanted to work with a variety of clients and projects, which an agency allows you to do.
Haley: I’ve always loved to write, but didn’t realize I could make a career of it outside of writing novels. I was interested in the marketing industry in general and started in a public relations role right out of college. I really enjoyed the writing aspect of the job, which allowed me to be creative within the structure of business-specific writing, and pursued a career as a marketing content writer.
What opportunities exist in the marketing industry for your role?
Kelsey: There are many opportunities in marketing! For example, you can work toward an account management role where you are afforded the opportunity to wear multiple hats. At a marketing agency, an account executive (AE) collaborates with a talented creative services team while acting as a link between the agency and its clients. As an AE, you can dip your toes into many different elements of a marketing strategy whether that be PR, social media strategy, research and reporting and more.
Keith: There are a lot of opportunities! Within marketing, you can work in many different web development capacities: front-end development, back-end development, database development and admin and full stack development. Often, you might work in multiple or all of these areas.
Kahla: Designers touch anything that’s visual, so there are tons of opportunities for different skill sets! We work on print design, website design, logos, animation. Every marketing agency and business needs a graphic designer!
Haley: Content and messaging are critical to any brand – you’re establishing and promoting their voice! Content also touches almost every aspect of marketing and communications, so you have the option to explore a lot of different roles based on your interests, from social media management and content strategy, to technical SEO work and public relations.
How can someone put their best foot forward when applying for opportunities in the world of marketing?
Kelsey: It’s important to do your homework. Remain curious and up-to-date on industry trends and best practices. Research and understand the core values of a company ahead of time. It’s great if you can ask your interviewer about tangible, specific work that they do and ask them why they are proud of it! Come in with questions tailored to the company and interviewer.
Keith: Keep up with trends – web and tech is constantly evolving and there’s always something new to learn about, from new security measures to how tech can make the world more accessible. It’s also a good idea to get familiar with UI/UX best practices to help you collaborate better with design teams.
Kahla: Your design portfolio is the most important thing! Make sure your portfolio is professional and showcases your style and capabilities. Also, when you’re applying for jobs, look for a culture that aligns with your values.
Haley: Make sure you have a strong writing portfolio that covers a variety of writing styles and mediums. Include press releases, blogs, social content, video scripts, etc. If you’re still in school and haven’t had the chance to write any of these things professionally, you can make it up – draft a press release for an event you had in college, or a blog on a topic you’re passionate about!
What are some of the most important characteristics for someone looking for a role similar to yours?
Kelsey: Being a lifelong learner, quick on your feet, a strong communicator and a critical thinker.
Keith: Be flexible, learn how to collaborate, learn how to discern what tech trends are actually practical for users and which are just the shiny, new things and be a good communicator – it’s not just about being good at the tech, you also need to be able to talk about it.
Kahla: You’ve got to be detail-oriented, creative, a good researcher and you need to be able to sell your ideas and get people on board with your designs.
Haley: Having a student mindset and a desire to learn are important. Being creative, collaborative, working well within structure and having a thick skin – knowing how to take and learn from criticism – are all important.
To learn more about CONNECTIVE Agency and our team, click here
