Digital Marketing Recruitment FAQs

While a university degree or college education are the traditional entry points to a marketing job, there are other ways, too. Internships, apprenticeships and entry-level roles could all see a novice marketer soon get a grasp on the industry and climb the ranks. To excel, consider taking a course and always be consuming the latest industry news, because keeping ahead of the trends is essential in this kind of career.

Depending on the size of a company, a marketing manager is a relatively senior role that is influential when it comes to decisions related to campaigns and budgets. A marketing manager should be analytical and able to give direction, as they’ll probably have one or more people reporting to them. They could be responsible for conducting market research and audience analysis, developing the marketing strategy, identifying new business opportunities and managing other people.

You might have heard programmatic marketing being described as “the future of digital advertising”, but what does it mean? To put it simply, it describes the automated bidding on advertising space, or inventory – usually in real-time. The purchase of this digital advertising space is carried out by computers, which use data to make decisions about how much to buy and which audiences to target. 

It gets to work while a web page is loading. The systems use data such as an audience sector’s browsing  behaviour and the context of the site. Any available advertising space is quickly auctioned off (this takes a few milliseconds) and the winning advertiser is awarded the space.

You may or may not be expecting a call from a recruiter. If you have a pre-arranged phone interview with them, remember that it is likely to be a relaxed, informal conversations – so don’t stress about it too much! However, it still pays to be prepared and to listen to the recruiter to be sure you get as much as possible out of the call. After all, they could be your entry point to a dream job.

They want to know that you meet the general requirements for a role, so show you’re competent and tell them a little about your relevant experience. Ask about the company, including the culture, and express your strong interest in the role (if you do have a strong interest in it).

In an industry that’s usually creative, it’s important that your marketing CV stands out from the crowd. It needs to be well-structured and clearly demonstrate your skills and experience. This doesn’t mean including “fluffy” skills such as being a good team worker, but tangible benefits such as the tools and technologies you’re proficient in. Don’t forget to include the impact you’ve had on campaigns, using finance-led results and any well-known brands you’ve worked on.

Keep fonts legible and consistent and make it as easy as possible for the reader to pick up on the reasons you’re the right person for the job, remembering that they’ll scan your CV for keywords just like Google does.

If you’re thinking about going freelance, you could enjoy a lucrative career with lots of flexibility and the freedom to choose the kind of projects you work on. Most of the problems arise when it comes to actually finding contract gigs in the first place, but there are some ways you can find work.

There are some good online freelance websites around that connects freelancers with employers looking for contract marketers. However, these sites usually charge a commission for both the freelancer and the employer and could work on a bidding basis – meaning other freelancers that are willing to work for less get most of the jobs. Instead, you could work with a contract marketing recruiter who will become your dedicated partner in finding freelance jobs and won’t charge you for it.

Digital marketing is such a popular sector because of its wide range of sub-industries, fast-growing nature and the fact that digital isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon. It makes sense to grow your skills in digital marketing, because just about every company now operates online. You can choose where you want to specialise; from content marketing to SEO or social media, and could get to work on exciting projects for major brands. If you want a career in a landscape that moves fast, digital marketing is for you.

Network marketing is a type of business structure that requires multiple distributors to sell a product. These distributors are usually self-employed and work part-time or on a flexible basis. Getting involved in network marketing often involves a small, upfront fee or investment to purchase a sample kit and start selling to the public. Network marketers tend to work from home or they visit the homes of potential customers to sell person-to-person.

The decision to leave a job is never an easy one, but sometimes it’s necessary for your own career development. If you’ve made the decision to change jobs, there are some steps you should take to let your current employer know. Before you do resign, be sure you get any new job offers in written form, just to be sure you have somewhere else to go.

1. Give your current employer enough notice. The required notice will vary depending on how long you’ve worked at the company, so check your contract.
2. Speak to your employer face-to-face and hand them a written letter of resignation. In small companies, you might go straight to the director. In larger companies, the process will probably go through HR.
3. Let your employer know you have found a new opportunity elsewhere. Don’t use this meeting to tell them everything you dislike about the job.
4. Consider telling them at the end of the day so they have the evening to digest the news.

Nerves before an interview are normal, but try to remember that you’re already one of the shortlisted candidates – so you’re in with a good shot. To keep nerves to a minimum, ensure you arrive at the premises with plenty of time to spare, and go for a walk to get some fresh air. Take deep breaths to keep your breathing calm; this sends a message to your brain that everything is fine (which it is!). Keep in mind that it’s just a conversation so you and the interviewer can get to know each other more, so relax, smile and show them why you’re the best.

It’s now commonplace for employers to carry out background checks on a candidate’s social media profiles. However, your Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts could negatively impact the outcome by painting you in a bad light. If you’ve posted anything offensive, you’re excessively drinking or are using drugs, are using discriminatory language or you’ve lied in your job application, this will certainly go against you.

Keep your profiles professional or ensure they’re on private if you’re worried they’ll harm your chances of landing a job.

Marketing recruitment is a specialised service in which recruiters match candidates with roles in the digital marketing industry. A marketing recruitment agent usually has an in-depth knowledge of a particular vertical of digital marketing, whether that’s SEO, PPC, social media or something else. They can use this knowledge to ensure they properly prepare suitable candidates for the interview process, to create a good match with a long-term employer that benefits both parties.

Outsourcing marketing services offers businesses flexibility, frees up time and can be cheaper than hiring a full-time employee. Having a freelance marketer on-hand means employers can engage them for ad-hoc projects and work with different individuals depending on the skills they seek.

Every freelance marketer charges their own unique rates. Rates usually depend on how much experience they have, what they specialise in and how long the project is likely to take them. Don’t always hire a freelancer just because their rates are low; you get what you pay for, and ineffective marketing could cost your business more in the long-term.

Everyone in the digital marketing industry is on social media. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram – that’s where your potential employees are hanging out. Use paid social media ads to target the specialists you’re looking for. You can present ads to those that have already searched for similar positions, or build your social profiles to paint a picture of your company brand to appeal to top talent.

More companies are allowing their employees to work from home. Not only does this offer a work-life balance that modern professionals want (and could drastically boost productivity!), it could save companies money on things like:

• Electricity and technology (laptops etc.)
• Perks in the office such as fresh fruit, tea, coffee etc.
• Employee turnover, as staff appreciate the option to work from home

A recruitment agency (headhunters, search agencies, etc.) becomes your dedicated partner for sourcing top talent in the marketing industry. They take a proactive approach to finding the candidates you otherwise would not have had access to, either by consulting their existing contacts or reaching out to passive candidates that could be a good match for your company.

They’ll pre-screen candidates and present a handful of qualified people that are interested in your role, so you can then easily narrow it down to one successful applicant. Your recruiter will help you prepare for the interview by giving you a background on the candidate and ensure you know what it would take to secure the individual you want.

Recruitment agencies work on a contingency basis, which means you don’t pay a fee until a candidate has been successfully placed.

Recruitment agencies only make money when they successfully place a candidate in a position, which is why they’re so driven to deliver the solutions the client wants. Once a candidate is placed, the employer pays a fee (which might be based on a percentage of the candidate’s salary). This contingency-based service offers a peace-of-mind to clients that they won’t have to pay a thing unless the search is successful.

Hiring digital marketing talent starts with knowing where to look. The tricky part about it is that sometimes the best candidates aren’t actively searching for a new job, so they’re not seeing your ads on job boards or internal websites. The most effective way to hire quality candidates is by reaching out to a digital recruitment agency who can become your eyes and ears on the ground, and ensure the right person for the job is placed efficiently.

How do you know if the recruitment agency you’re working with is one of the best? There are a few things to keep in mind that suggests you’re working with an agency you can trust. They are:

• The agency is specialised to your industry, so they understand the qualities needed in an employee
• They take the time to understand your business’ goals and detailed specifications about the role you want to fill
• They provide feedback on an ongoing basis to keep you updated as the process goes on
• They have a strong employer brand; check their social media profiles to see if their culture might fit with yours