So you’re interested in marketing? If you love creating content and trying to gain followers on Instagram or TikTok, then marketing is probably a great field for you to go into. While you can probably get an internship without experience, getting a full-time position is more difficult without some experience. However, it is still possible and here are a few things that can give you a better chance of landing a marketing job with no experience.
Get Certifications (Google Analytics, AdWords, Etc.)
If you have no experience, certifications can show potential employers that you have some knowledge and skills to help their business.
Most Valuable Certifications for Marketers
- Google Ads Certification: Google’s ad network is the largest in the world. If you can successfully set up and manage ad campaigns on Google, you can bring a ton of value to a company. This certificate is an accreditation that Google offers to individuals who are proficient in basic and advanced aspects of Google ads.
- Google Analytics IQ Certification: Google Analytics is one of the most valuable tools for decision making for marketers. If you’re able to understand where you’re losing potential sales, you can change your website or your sales funnel to keep people around longer. A Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ) certification can show potential employers that you’re capable of combing through the data in Google’s Analytics platform.
- HubSpot Content Marketing Certification: An impressive portfolio of content can replace a certification like this one, but either way this certification from HubSpot is a good place to start. HubSpot’s Content Marketing course will prepare you for any position that requires content marketing skills.
- Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification: This course from Hootsuite will teach you the fundamentals of social media marketing and how to grow followers, engagement and business results. Hootsuite is a well-known name in the marketing industry and employers will be happy to see this certification on your resume.
- Facebook BluePrint Certification: Facebook’s BluePrint Certification is for individuals who want to demonstrate advanced-level proficiency in digital marketing and advertising with Facebook’s products. Google and Facebook are the two most-used platforms for digital advertisers.
Put Together a Writing Portfolio
The best marketing requires strong writing skills. If you can at least have a couple examples of your writing, employers will be more willing to take a chance on you despite your lack of experience. I recommend having a few solid examples of blog posts, ad copy, or social media posts that you’ve written.
If you don’t have a personal website or an existing blog to post on, I recommend using Medium as your portfolio site. It is an easy-to-use blogging site that allows anyone to post and it presents your stories in a clean and professional package.
Show That You Can Deliver Results
The great thing about marketing is that you can create your own experience, even if you aren’t getting paid for it. Here are a few steps you can take to illustrate your effectiveness.
Grow an Instagram Account
One strategy that I took to show my social media skills was starting a couple “niche” Instagram accounts and building them to over 10k followers. The accounts didn’t make me any money or anything, but I figure the best way to show that you are versed in social media growth strategies is to grow social media accounts.
Create a Personal Blog or Website
Many of the job listings I looked at after college would have a list of skills that applicants should have. I noticed that many of them also said “knowledge of HTML/CSS is a plus.” The best way I’ve found to develop these skills is to create a website of your own. You can make tweaks and adjustments without worrying about breaking your company’s website.
A website can be a great place to show off any portfolio you may have, as well as showcasing your web design skills.
Do Some Freelance Work
If you don’t have experience, you can still find some ways to get a portfolio together and gain valuable experience quickly. One thing I recommend to young marketers is to do some freelance work, even if you have to work for free.
I did a bit of this when I was in college and after I graduated. I would find friends and family with businesses and see if I could do some social media, web development, or branding work for them. The work wasn’t lucrative, but it gave me a portfolio of work to present on my website.
If you’re looking for a career in marketing, connect with me on LinkedIn and I’d love to connect you with someone in the industry.
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