How to Get a Marketing Job without a Traditional Experience

Is it possible to get a marketing job without traditional experience?

I remember reading a story by Zig Ziglar in his book “See You at the Top”, about how he went for a marketing Job interview even though he had never had worked as a Marketer before. Needless to say that he was told they would get back to him.

He went home excited thinking he had gotten a new job. After waiting for several weeks he realized that they were never going to get back to him. Eventually, he got the job after following up with the organization consistently.He was put through an in-house marketing class before he was sent to the field to close sales.

So, is it possible to get a marketing job without traditional experience? The answer is yes!

However, there is a way to go about it for it to be possible. That is the focus of this article.However, to ensure we are on the same page, we shall discuss a few concepts mentioned here.

Let’s get going.

What is marketing?

According to Investopedia, Marketing refers to activities a business organization undertakes to promote the buying and selling of a product or service. It includes activities like advertising, selling, and delivering products to consumers or other businesses. Visit https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/marketing.asp, for details.

What is a Marketing Job?

Although defining a marketing job is not the easiest task, we will provide a hint on what we mean here by a marketing job.

A marketing job refers to any job that involves presenting an organization and its products or services in a good light, with a goal to influencing your audience to purchase the goods or services your organization has to offer.

It is no secret that Marketing is a challenging job that requires lots of skills to carry out successfully. That is why organizations are reluctant to hire a person without prior marketing experience.

However, there are ways to land a marketing job if you have never had professional marketing experience in the past. We will be discussing that right away:

Be Specific

Hubspot compiled a list of over 40 types of Marketing! That’s incredible right?

Notable among them are popular types of marketing like Digital Marketing, Traditional Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Content Marketing, etc. Visit https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/marketing-types, for details.

Since there are several types of marketing, if you intend to build a career in marketing you have to get specific on the area you wish to build a career in.

Although some types of marketing are similar, some others are so different that the skills you may require to be successful in one may be totally irrelevant in another.

So get specific on the area you wish to build your career in. That is about the first step to take.

Study about it

After you have decided on the specific field of marketing you wish to build a career in, the next step to take is to learn all you can about that field.

Thankfully, there are very few things you cannot learn by simply studying them, and marketing is not one of those things. In fact, you can learn a whole lot by simply taking the time to seek for and study resources on marketing.

One of the options available for studying Marketing is our traditional books. There are several helpful marketing books that available if you will take the time to search for them. They can be gotten in local bookstores or online.

Interestingly, many of the books available on marketing can be gotten in their electronic format, so you can easily read themon your Smartphone or personal computer.

In addition to books, you can also learn a lot about marketing from online articles available on blogs and websites. In fact, via this source, you can learn about recent developments in your area of interest in marketing.

There are hundreds of top-quality blogs and websites where you can find quality articles that will help you develop in your area of interest.

Furthermore, you can study your area of interest in marketing by simply watching videos online. One very helpful place to find quality videos is YouTube. You can find several great videos that will guide you on how to grow in your chosen field of marketing.

The videos available there includes recorded video classes, webinars, discussions, etc.There are lots of videos available on YouTube for nearly anything you can think of.

Finally, you can take online classes on marketing. This is different from a certification program. It is simply a class tailored at helping people acquire knowledge on a specific subject. Coursera offers several classes on Marketing that you could exploit to help you learn a lot quickly.

There are several other platforms online where you can find helpful online classes. With a little research, you will be amazed at how much you can find.

All of these options for studying your chosen field of marketing can be used simultaneously. You can as well select the ones you prefer and combine them for better results.

Get Certified

Did you know that you can become a Programmer, HR Manager, Accountant, Marketing Executive, etc. today without a degree or experience in any of these areas? Yes, you read that right! All you need is a relevant Certification from a recognized institution, and you are good to go.

Why are Certifications such a big deal?

Unlike degrees, Certifications focus on all relevant skills and knowledge needed to excel in a given career. So while taking a certification program, you will be exposed to all relevant knowledge and skill set needed to excel in that line of career.

In addition, certifications demonstrate that you are knowledgeable in the field you possess certification. When a Recruiter sees your Certificate from a credible institute on your CV, they are more likely to believe that you can fill the position.

This is why the next step to take after spending time studying Marketing is getting certified. It also explains why some big organizations such as Google, Apple, Netflix, etc. employ some people with only certifications and relevant skills.

Like in most fields, there are worthless Marketing Certifications that may not bring any advantage to you. As you prepare to get certified, research for recognized and credible organizations that offer the training you need.

Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Udemy, etc. are a few of the many credible organizations that offer various amazing Marketing Certification programs.

Start Practicing

In Marketing, there is a place for reading and certification, but they can never take the place of practicing the theories learned. Marketing is mostly practical. This makes it important to seek ways to practice what you have learned so far.

So how can you practice when you don’t have a job?

It’s quite straightforward. Identify any Marketing volunteer opportunity around you and offer your services there. Interestingly, volunteer jobs will allow you to try your new ideas without putting you under the usual pressure that comes with a regular paid job.

In addition, you can begin a personal marketing project where you can gain some valuable real-life experience.It could be directed at promoting a project you are involved in or to promote something you are passionate about, etc.

Whichever option you choose to follow in practice, the point is to ensure that you start practicing Marketing! Marketing is a very practical thing, directed at achieving results. It does not end in simply knowing the concepts.

Furthermore,as you practice, you get better at it. So practicing what you have learned helps you understand them better, and even acquire new knowledge.

What’s more, the experience gotten from your personal and or volunteer projects will serve as a good professional experience in marketing. It will serve as a good basis for a Hiring Manager to test your knowledge of practical marketing.

Network with other professionals

I once heard someone say your net worth is only as good as your network! This statement is profound as it conveys a fact frequently taken for granted.

Some persons do not understand that many times, the opportunities you learn about, are often a result of the persons, groups, platforms, etc. you are connected to. The need to network as a fledgling marketer can never be over-emphasized.

As you get involved in marketing projects (whether personal or volunteer projects), start searching for and connecting with other successful marketers in your chosen niche of marketing. Why is this so necessary?

Among other things, associating with these persons will expose you to other marketing tricks that might have taken you years to learn. Furthermore, it will allow you to ask Senior Professionals questions that may be confusing to you.

Your network can also expose you to great marketing jobs that will give you the right opportunity to develop your marketing skills. The advantages of networking go on and on!

So how do you network?

Again it’s quite simple. You can search for marketing groups and seminars in your locality and attend them. You will have the opportunity to meet other marketers in your niche there. This search can be done on the internet.

You can also search for virtual marketing groups and seminars that you can take advantage of to network with other professionals. Several virtual marketing groups can be found on social media.

Apply for Entry-level Positions

If you have followed these steps carefully, the next step is to start applying for entry-level marketing positions.

However, before you start applying for jobs, ensure that you get a resume that highlights your skills, experiences, and achievements. This will make it easier for hiring managers to learn a lot about your marketing career and possibly get interested in inviting you for an interview.

And when you get that first interview opportunity, ensure to prepare very well for it. Give it your best shot and hope for the very best.

To your success as you go ahead to pursue your dreams. Cheers!