Why pursue a career in digital advertising and marketing? For one thing, the profession allows you to indulge your creative side while also enjoying a salary that comfortably exceeds the national average – and can significantly exceed it if you’re great at it.
Historically, marketing and advertising have been breeding grounds for young, raw talent: the likes of Dr. Seuss, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Alex Guinness, aka Obi-Wan Kenobi, all began their careers in advertising.
The industry is spending vast amounts of money on digital advertising – £4.78 billion in the first half of 2016 alone – trying to reach the coveted 16-24 demographic.
If you’re a recent graduate, you’re right in the middle of their sweet spot. Where your prospective boss might struggle to grasp the potential of Vine, Instagram or Snapchat, you grew up using these kinds of channels and platforms, and can relate more directly to the needs and desires of their core users.
What’s more, with skills shortages anticipated throughout the rest of 2016 and beyond, demand for young digital marketing and advertising professionals will only increase.
It’s a better time than ever to break into the industry, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy. If you’re looking to make a good impression on potential employers, you’ll want to have the right knowledge and skills in these six key areas.
1. Data
In the age of big data we’ve never been able to collect more information on our customers, and the performance of our campaigns. The success of any marketing department depends on how they collect and use that data.
