Changing careers is never easy, whatever age you may be. It is especially hard if you are deep into your thirties (remember, your twenties are for exploring!) and are already accustomed to a certain lifestyle.
Changing careers to digital marketing? Might be even harder for some. It takes time to adapt to a new way of working, one where you have to be online 24/7! If you are already from a marketing background, this transition will be easier for you. But do not fret if your background is totally unrelated either. Our step-by-step guide has you covered. It will allow you to reach your end-goal, whether it is working in a digital marketing role within a brand, or in an agency.
But first, there are certain things you need to cover!
Here are five steps to consider if you are changing careers to a digital marketing one:
- Analyse Why You Want A Career In Digital Marketing
Ask yourself one simple question: Why digital marketing, and why now?
Is it because you want a fast-paced work life? A chance to work on campaigns for the brands you use and love in everyday life? Or simply because you want to work in an industry where change is the only constant?
If you answered yes to all this, you will enjoy working in digital marketing. But let’s dig a little deeper.
Are you prepared to spend long hours at the office when pitching for a dream brand or working on a dream campaign?
Are you ready to deal with the fact that a digital marketing trend today can be a non-entity tomorrow?
Are you flexible enough to navigate a diverse range of roles and responsibilities, some of which might even change day-to-day?
Now if you answered yes to all this, it’s time to delve even deeper and explore how you can get that digital marketing career started!
- Network With Key People In The Industry
One of the thumb rules for changing careers is this: Before you jump in, ensure that you are not jumping in blindly. Speak to as many people as you can who have been there and done that. Get an inside look into what it actually means to have a digital marketing career. There are a few ways to do this:
- Join a few digital marketing groups on LinkedIn. Interact with professionals there and understand the different facets of digital marketing. Join specialised groups like ‘Search Engine Marketing’ or ‘Paid Advertising’ – the more specific the better
- If you can do this, spend a day shadowing someone who works in a digital marketing agency. No better way to understand the job first-hand!
- Try to approach the authors of your favourite digital marketing blogs for their insights and tips. We recommend the HubSpot blog, Social Media Examiner and the Moz blog
- Seek out mentors through your network. You are bound to know someone who works in this field – don’t hesitate to reach out to them!
- Take A Course/ Receive A Certification
If you want to convert an existing passion into a profession, it’s always a good idea to take a course in and receive a certification for that profession. You will not only meet new people who are passionate about the same thing as you, but you will grow your network, gain job opportunities and master essential skills.
IIDE has just commenced 1-year postgraduate programmes in digital marketing, digital design and coding. So if you’re looking for a digital marketing course that immerses you in the depths of it, involves interactive learning and complex projects and introduces you to inspirational teachers, this is for you.
Receiving a certification will also help you land more specialised roles within the digital marketing industry, help you with changing careers faster and attract a higher salary package.
- Intern – However Old You May Be!
It’s the best way to understand whether a digital marketing career is the right fit for you. Most companies nowadays offer three month internships, and age is usually no barrier.
Moreover, IIDE’s courses offer 100% job and internship assistance. So you will be able to test the waters, understand what makes a digital marketing agency work successfully and assess your capabilities.
Who knows? That internship might eventually lead to a job, which could lead to a full-time career.
- Understand How To Ace Your Interview
Once all these steps are completed and you are standing on the threshold of your new career, it’s time to understand how to ace your interview.
Even if you’ve sailed through tons of interviews before, you’ve never interviewed for a digital marketing company/agency.
Remember that network we talked about earlier? Understand from them what a digital marketing interview is like, what to say and what not to say and how to develop the perfect resume.
Do a few dry-runs with friends, research the company/agency thoroughly and make sure you’re up-to-date on all things digital. Our blog might help with that!
Changing Careers: Is It Doable?
We hope we’ve shown you that changing careers to a digital marketing one is, in fact, doable. Not only that, we hope our guide has shown you exactly how it is doable.
Your dream career in digital marketing could be five steps away. With the right skills, certifications, network and inside information, you can be a part of some of the best brand campaigns that are launched in the country today.
And if you are still wondering what it really is like to work in a digital marketing agency, read this unfiltered blog!