Have you ever thought about what it would be like to work in digital marketing? You’re not alone. According to a recent report by Glassdoor, digital marketing jobs are some of the most sought-after by both Gen Z and other generations.
But what if you don’t have a degree in marketing? Does that mean some of the top marketing jobs are out of reach? Not at all. While having a marketing degree is going to help you get a foot in the door with recruiters, it’s not the only way to impress a company enough to want to hire you.
Within this article, we’re going to walk through how you can get a job in digital marketing without having a degree.
What skills are most desirable?
If you’re hoping to break into marketing, the first step is to make sure it’ll be the right fit for you. Most digital marketers have at least some of the following skills.
- Analytical – Digital marketing is all about crunching the numbers and finding ways to improve conversion rates. The goal for any marketing team is to deliver leads and revenue at the lowest possible cost.
- Strategic Thinking – Marketers need to have the ability to think outside the box. This means being able to come up with new, creative ideas that can help drive new customer growth.
- Understanding Social Media – Social media marketing is one of the most desirable jobs in marketing. You get paid to be on Instagram and TikTok all day. Understanding how each platform works and its best practices is crucial.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – Being able to drive organic traffic is a cost- efficient way for businesses to increase traffic and leads. Understanding basic and complex SEO strategies is a great skill to have.
- Paid Media – SEO takes time, but paid media through pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can help deliver traffic instantly. The goal is to understand how to efficiently set up a campaign that maximises the company’s budget.
How to Get a Marketing Job Without a Degree
If you want to get into marketing but don’t have a degree, there are several things you can do to wow potential employers. Here are a few strategies that will help you land your dream job.
Submerse yourself in information
If you haven’t taken any formal marketing classes, one of the best things you can do is read as much information as possible on the topics you enjoy. Should you be passionate about social media marketing, websites like Social Media Examiner have a huge amount of information covering all kinds of social media marketing topics.
Additionally, if you’re interested in SEO, you can look at websites like Search Engine Land. You can explore some popular tools like Semrush. This platform has a lot of great basic and advanced topics on search engine optimisation.
Take a course or get a certificate
If you want to get a deeper understanding of certain areas of digital marketing, consider taking a course or earning a certificate. There are a number of digital marketing courses on Alison.com that cover things like social media marketing, email marketing, affiliate marketing, and more. In addition to taking a course, you can earn certificates through Hubspot Academy. Different tracks include things like Inbound marketing, content marketing, general digital marketing, and more.
What’s great about Hubspot Academy is that when you complete a certification track, you’ll earn a badge that can be added to your LinkedIn profile.
Gain hands-on experience
What’s better than getting real-world, hands-on experience? To do this you could start your own blog or social media channels. If you choose to start your own blog, you can play around with content to learn more about SEO and how to effectively drive traffic with proper on-page SEO and off-page SEO strategies.
Volunteering your time for someone you know could also be a great way to gain valuable experience. “I’ve found that learning new skills through volunteering is one of the best ways to advance your skill set,” said Teresa Pennington, Senior Strategic Partnership Manager at TurboTenant. “I wanted to learn how to build a website, so I offered to redo the website of a local non-profit. This motivated me to dive in and learn platforms like Wix, and also have a finished, impactful result to show off,” Pennington said.
You could also consider looking for an internship that would allow you to get your feet wet with an established company. It’s not uncommon for internships to lead to full-time jobs.
Start networking
Networking is one of the best ways to get your foot in the door with a company. Search LinkedIn for marketing professionals in your area and invite them to coffee. This is a great opportunity to tell them more about you and pick their brain for any advice they might have.
Making these connections can help you build your skills but can also assist you to get an edge when it comes to finding a job. There are also a lot of great LinkedIn groups focused on marketing. By joining these groups, you can interact with other professionals and build relationships.
Final thoughts
If you don’t have a degree, the next best thing is a desire to be successful. If you can show a potential employer that you not only have the knowledge to do the job but also the motivation to succeed and grow each day, finding a great marketing job is possible.
