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.
Are you thinking about 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 before we get into the steps, here are some motivating factors indicating why a career in digital marketing can be the best choice for you.
The Scope of Digital Marketing After Covid
Since the pandemic, many different kinds of businesses have had to shut down or face the troubles and the wrath of the pandemic. Digital marketing helped most of them to establish themselves and survive the crisis.
Digital marketing enabled companies to reach their target audience who were stuck at home and be available to them. Not only that, companies now started reaching audiences in the global market and catering to them while being situated in a city miles away.
The pandemic also gave rise to multiple online businesses and entrepreneurs who started running small yet successful businesses.
Consequently, this gave a rise in the demand for digital marketers and specialists to carry out these efforts seamlessly. If you search for the number of job openings in the digital marketing field in your city itself, you will be overwhelmed with the number.
And yet somehow, the skill gap in digital marketing is real. The basic principle of anything having high demand and less supply makes digital marketing a very lucrative career option and makes all those learning digital marketing a valuable asset to this industry.
Catch some more statistics and notable data on the scope of digital marketing to understand why switching to a career in digital marketing is the right thing to do.
Are You Ready to Switch Careers to Digital Marketing?
Further, you can ask yourself the below-given questions to assess if you are ready to pursue a career in digital marketing.
Do 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!
Here are five steps to consider if you are changing careers and switching to a career in digital marketing:
1. 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!
2. 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 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.
A recommended option would be IIDE’s 11-month MBA-Level Post Graduation Program in Digital Marketing if you’re completely sure. This course also offers guaranteed placements at the mid-senior managerial level and thus, will make it easy for you to start your career in digital marketing.
But if you want a fast-track option and wish to learn from home, their online digital marketing course is worth a shot that prepares you in under 3 months and offers placement assistance too!
3. Intern – However Old You May Be!
It’s the best way to understand whether a digital marketing career is a right fit for you. Most companies nowadays offer three-month internships, and age is usually no barrier.
Internships allow you to put your foot in various digital marketing skills which is beneficial as you will be practically trained in each. This also helps you figure your liking and niche.
And many times these internships convert into full-time jobs if the company is satisfied with your work and skill-base.
4. 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. You can also read some digital marketing interview questions and answers before you appear so that you’re updated with the latest demands.
5. Consider Freelancing as an Option
One of the many benefits of digital marketing careers is that you can freelance. This means you can provide your services to a company you like and who is situated anywhere in the world by working from home/space where you’re comfortable.
You don’t even have to commit as an employee to this company. Thus, if you want to start slow, then you can consider freelancing as a kick-start to your career in digital marketing.
In fact, you can also continue in the field you are currently in while also freelancing in digital marketing. So you have a chance to experience the best of both worlds.
These are some basic steps when you are planning to switch your career.
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.
