How To Get Into Marketing when You Have no Idea
The marketing industry is a powerhouse, projected to reach trillions (!) globally by 2025. And it doesn’t stop there! Social media marketing alone, a subsector of this field, is expected to explode to a value of $1.5 trillion by 2030.
Are you looking for a career change? And… Do you like money? If that’s a yes, then maybe marketing is just the right industry for you. It lets you tap into your creativity and potentially make you rich—even if you have no idea how to get into marketing.
Our today’s guide will equip you with everything you need to launch your marketing career in 2024. We’ll explore the different sub-niches, the various jobs that are there, and show you how to get them.
So, if you are wondering how to get into marketing when you have no idea, you are in the right place: Let us show you the ropes!
Ok, what is Marketing?
Marketing might seem complex, but at its core, it’s all about connecting with people and influencing their decisions. Here’s what it’s all about:
The Meaning of Marketing:
1. Creating Value:
Marketing starts with understanding your target audience’s needs and wants. The goal is to create products or services that solve their problems or improve their lives.
2. Delivering Messages:
Once you understand your audience and the value you offer, it’s time to communicate that message effectively using various channels, like advertising, social media, or content creation.
3. Influencing Decisions:
Marketing is about getting your target audience to take a desired action. This could be anything from visiting your website to purchasing a product or subscribing to a service.
But marketing isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The specific strategies and channels used will vary depending on the industry, target audience, and overall marketing goals. Here’s a breakdown of some different areas of marketing:
What Are the Areas of Marketing?
1. Digital Marketing:
This broad field encompasses any marketing activity conducted online. It can include social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, content marketing, and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising.
2. Social Media Marketing (SMM):
Making use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to connect with your audience, build brand awareness, promote your products or services, and foster community engagement.
3. Content Marketing:
In this niche, you are creating and sharing valuable content (like blog posts, infographics, or videos) that attracts and engages your target audience. This type of marketing focuses on building trust and establishing your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO is the art and science of optimizing websites and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for relevant keywords. That’s how you get more website traffic and more visibility for your brand.
5. Search Engine Marketing (SEM):
SEM involves paid advertising strategies like pay-per-click (PPC) ads to appear at the top of search engine results for specific keywords.
6. Email Marketing:
This area of marketing uses email as a communication channel to nurture leads, build customer relationships, and promote products or services.
Btw., if you are not very familiar with the marketing lingo in this guide, take a look at our article “Marketing Lingo for Beginners”, and get a quick overview of the most important marketing terms.
Marketing Jobs for You: from Beginner to Pro
The marketing industry is very versatile and also offers numerous exciting career paths, catering to various skill sets and interests. Now we’ll show you the key marketing roles categorized by experience level:
Beginner (No Prior Experience):
Marketing Assistant: This entry-level role provides a solid foundation for launching your marketing career. You’ll assist senior marketing professionals with administrative tasks, social media management, content creation (basic level), and research.
Marketing Intern: Internships offer invaluable hands-on experience in a real-world marketing setting. You’ll gain exposure to different marketing functions, develop relevant skills, and build your network within the industry.
Content Marketing Associate: If you have a knack for writing and enjoy creating engaging content, this could be your perfect entry point. This role involves creating blog posts, social media captions, or email newsletters.
Social Media Coordinator: In this role, you’ll be responsible for managing a company’s social media presence. This includes creating and scheduling content, engaging with followers, running social media ads, and monitoring social media analytics.
Mid-Level (2-5 Years of Experience):
Content Marketing Specialist: Here, you’ll develop content strategies, manage content calendars, and collaborate with other teams to create high-quality content that attracts and engages your target audience.
SEO Specialist: This role involves optimizing websites and content to improve search engine ranking and drive organic website traffic, utilizing various tactics like keyword research, on-page optimization, and link building.
Email Marketing Specialist: This requires an understanding of email marketing best practices, copywriting skills, and data analysis to track and optimize email campaigns.
Social Media Manager: Building upon your experience as a coordinator, you’ll now lead the social media strategy for a brand or campaign, managing budgets, analyzing data, and reporting on social media performance.
Professional (5+ Years of Experience):
Marketing Manager: Leading a team of marketing professionals, you’ll be responsible for developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies to achieve specific business goals.
Brand Manager: As a brand manager, you’ll oversee the overall brand strategy, ensuring consistency across all marketing channels. This role involves managing brand image, developing brand messaging, and driving brand awareness.
Director of Marketing: This senior-level position is in charge of leading the entire marketing department and developing high-level marketing strategies to achieve the company’s overall business goals.
But again, this is not a full list of all the career paths and opportunities out there. New marketing roles will emerge as the industry evolves. And if you are looking at how to get into marketing when you have no idea, the most important thing is to consider your interests and skill set.
Saying this, don’t be discouraged if you don’t have direct experience. Many marketing roles value transferable skills like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
How to Get Your First Marketing Job
After our overview, it’s time to take some action. Let us now guide you through the exciting process of finding your first marketing job, even if you have no prior experience.
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Create a wooing Resume and Cover Letter:
Craft a CV and resume that highlights your transferable skills (communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving) and any relevant marketing experience you might have, such as volunteer work or personal projects.
And for some tips and inspiration, check out our article, “How To Write A Resume That Will Get You Your Dream Job”. With this step-by-step guide, write a resume that will stand out from the crowd.
2. Go Online:
Numerous online job boards specialize in marketing positions. Utilize platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor to search for marketing jobs that align with your interests and skillset.
Additionally, don’t underestimate the power of company websites. Many companies advertise open positions directly on their careers page, like us: Jobs at Blinkist
3. Network:
Also, building connections within the marketing industry can be a game-changer. Here’s some inspiration on how to network and get some useful contacts: Networking Tips for Beginners.
How to Land a Marketing Job When You Are an Absolute Beginner:
- Start with Entry-Level Positions: Positions like marketing assistant, content marketing associate, or social media coordinator are excellent starting points for building your marketing experience.
- Consider Internships: Gain exposure to different marketing functions, develop relevant skills, and build connections within the industry.
- Highlight Transferable Skills: Even if you lack direct marketing experience, focus on transferable skills that are valuable in any marketing role.
- Showcase Your Passion: In your job applications and interviews, demonstrate your willingness to learn and showcase your passion for marketing.
Need some inspiration to ignite this inner fire? Check out our Blinkist summary of “The Passion Paradox” by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. Packed with six explosive ideas, this self-development book is designed to set your path ablaze while keeping your feet firmly on the ground.
The Passion Paradox
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
Remember at the beginning of this guide, when we mentioned you could tap into your creativity and potentially even make a good living in the marketing industry – well, those weren’t empty promises!
The figures speak for themselves – trillions of dollars are flowing through this industry, and with dedication and a passion for connecting with people, you’ll be well on your way to claiming your piece of this trillion-dollar marketing pie.
And you know what?
We at Blinkist are cheering for you, and want to be your trusted source of knowledge on your path to greatness. With over 7,000 top titles in our library and hundreds of marketing and business topics, we’re the perfect travel buddy for your knowledge journey.
And with our seven-day free trial, we can even help you get a quick start on your marketing career, as all the book summaries you see in this article about how to get into marketing are absolutely free and cost you nothing.
Why? Because we believe in you!
