Getting a Job in Digital Marketing without Experience?

It isn’t easy for digital marketers to find their first jobs, whether they are new to the industry or fresh from college.

Today, It looks like most agencies, brands and companies want experienced people.

Surprisingly, the number of years of experience needed is also high these days; we are talking of 4+ years.

So how do you land your first digital marketing job when situations seem this tough?

In an industry with remarkable offerings and tons of opportunities, the applicants are also not few.

Of course, when applying for your first position, you might be competing against buddies who’ve achieved excellent grades, completed internships and need bucks pretty fast.

Here are a few ways to stand out from the rest and increase your chances of getting a digital marketing job.

Get Excellent Advertising Experience up your Sleeve

It might take some time to gain experience in Google Ads and Facebook Advertising, but it is worth it.

If you have a few bucks to spare, you can try practising AdWords for your family members’ businesses or your professional offerings.

Remember that there is a good balance between spending all your bucks learning and being a true Facebook advertising or AdWords expert with on-hand brand experience.

Use online tutorials to learn as much as possible, then practice in whichever ways you can.

Learn, Learn and Keep Learning

The digital marketing industry is rapidly growing, and the only way to set yourself apart from the competition is by expanding your knowledge base.

As a digital marketer, you need to gain expertise in your field while acknowledging the constant changes in marketing best practices.

What works this week might fail next month.

Learn about the disciplines of digital marketing and their best practices.

Offer Free Work or take Low-paying Trainee Positions.

I know this sounds absurd for many novices, mainly because they think they will make a million bucks in their first month after basic training.

If asked, most pro digital marketers will agree that they at least started at the bottom.

Some did projects for free for the longest time they could remember, while others salaried peanuts just to build a portfolio.

You mightn’t have the skills your dream job needs now, and instead of wasting time looking for high-paying jobs and higher positions, structure your finances.

Offer your services for free for a short time, like a month or two.

You can apply for entry-level or internship positions and add to your resume (you get fantastic recommendations if you do the job well.

There are many opportunities to learn from colleagues and network in the digital marketing industry.

You will also work with bigger clients you couldn’t find on your own.

Start your Blog

You can create a website with a blog and build your reputation as an expert digital marketing expert.

Creating a WordPress website today is more straightforward than before with basic technical skills.

A website allows you to practice SEO, design, social media and overall online marketing skills.

You don’t need to be an expert to create one and start writing.

Researching widely on topics offers you good starting points.

Through your research, you will learn from experts, consolidate things you’ve learned, and convert your pointers into punchy blog posts.

It is free to start a blog, and even if you want to buy a domain, it is low cost.

Your website will be available on search engines for clients to find, and you have a solid place to showcase your resume and portfolio if you have no real-life experience with any marketing campaigns.

Once you have the basic skills, experience and expertise required, you now need to improve your online presence.

Cultivating a professional mindset will set you apart.

Here’s how to do it.

Think about your Email Address

Professional connections, recruiters, and potential clients judge you and your work first based on your email.

That is human nature!

Create an account based on your names.

Leave inappropriate references and cutesy out of the email address and avoid using numbers.

Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook are common among most companies and businesses, but you can customize one using your domain name if you are savvy.

LinkedIn is Gold

Optimize your presence on LinkedIn, and it should be your main social media focus.

Ensure you have good recommendations and fill out your profile completely.

If you don’t have much work experience, list as many volunteer projects and community affiliations.

Add academic or professional qualifications and adjust the headline to address your search for a digital marketing position.

Showcase marketing and writing work you have done before in your portfolio.

Also, list if you have graduated recently or received academic honours.

Apply for Jobs Proactively

Apply for relevant jobs even if you aren’t fully fit.

Entry-level digital marketing positions could include marketing coordinator jobs and marketing specialists.

Begin here for excellent results.

Look for jobs through sites like LinkedIn and ensure your resume is on this and other top websites so that potential clients can find you.

Ensure to watch out for marketing intern, specialist and coordinator positions.

Include a personalized message in your cover letter when applying for a job and highlight your qualifications, interests and skills.

Keep Networking

An adage says; it is about who you know and not what you know.

This is 100% true in this scenario.

If you have friends or family in the digital marketing sphere, ask them for an introduction, and if you get one, you are more likely to get a position than you would if you blindly applied and sent in your CV.

Attend community meetups and marketing conferences often since the more buddies you meet, the higher your chances of getting your brand out there.

Further your career in digital marketing by connecting with other local professionals in your area.

Being known by people in such circles keeps you updated when opportunities arise.

Form strong relationships with colleagues you meet and get a mentor to steer you on the right path.

Such mentors can easily refer you to jobs when they hear of any before sharing with other groups or sharing on their socials.

Being around passionate experts drives you to work smart and inspires you to be updated on the current trends.

If digital marketing freelancing opportunities arise, grab them.

Most start-ups always opt for freelance digital marketers because of cost considerations and workspaces if they are still establishing grounds in their business areas.

Know Companies you are interested in

Checking a company’s website won’t give you all the information you need to know about it.

Understand the brand, the products or services it offers and the breadth of work.

Use Glassdoor to check what current staff are saying about the company.

View the business’s social media accounts and read about its marketing leadership to get an idea of the company’s culture.

Companies often won’t hire you if you aren’t a culture fit, which goes hand in hand with being a fan.

You will be asked about the influencers you follow and admire online during most digital marketing interviews.

It is an excellent indicator of your passion and involvement in the industry.

If you sincerely love digital marketing and are interested in pursuing it part-time or full-time, you should know some big names in your country or the world.

Know the Kim Kardashians of this industry, follow them and engage with their content.

It is among the best ways to remain ahead of the game.

The Don’ts

Here are things to avoid if you want to be highly considered for a marketing position.

Never send resumes or cover letters that look and read like those belonging to the masses.

Always proofread everything you put online, or have a second eye for you; simple typos can quickly throw you into the ‘no please’ pile, regardless of your experience and qualifications.

Avoid faking your way into the industry; never announce your passion for a brand or position when you truly know you have no interest.

Never pretend to have expertise if you have none, similar to skills and education, because you will soon be discovered.

Give up stalking recruiters; instead, check in on them weekly if you haven’t received feedback to show you are interested in the job and you are a go-getter.

Conclusion

One good thing about digital marketing is that enterprises and businesses of any size can get into it, meaning there is still high demand for this skill.

As people change their ways of doing business, they are looking for assets to improve their speciality areas, and that could be you if you use the tips above to help you get these jobs.

You might not get a job the next day after completing basic training, but you can start practising on your website’s blog, do free tasks for brands and take low-paying entry-level jobs to build your experience and portfolio.

Once you have feedback and recommendations from various work areas, you can start scouting for high-paying jobs.