Starting a career in digital marketing is possibly one of the most challenging jobs within the marketing realm. Because of the way that the internet has changed so dramatically, every single potential employee requires a unique skill set, and in such a crowded space it can be hard to stand out. But, let’s talk about a few unorthodox ways to start preparing for your first job and interview.

Don’t ever stop learning

Okay, not so much a tip for getting a job, but reading about the latest developments in digital marketing is a great way to increase your knowledge. Far too often people in education will learn about the topic and stop progressing because they stop learning.

In my line of work, I’ve interviewed people many a marketer and one of the mistakes that they commonly make during their interviews? Simply not showing enough passion for the topic – stay up to date and it can be a great small talk.

Show passion for marketing

During my days of recruiting for digital marketing positions, some of the best candidates didn’t have a slew of office experience or an incredible education, they were passionate about digital marketing and making money.

Often people think that digital marketing is all about social media and the odd tweet, but it really isn’t. The person that is willing to try things that’ll make a business money, whether this is suggesting or implementing will ultimately progress further in a marketing role. I’m sure if you are reading this article though you are full of passion!

But the point remains, the passionate individual will always prevail in a race to get the job.

Start a side hustle to understand marketing

If you can make a dollar by yourself, then you can make a dollar working for a business. Investing your own capital, whether that be in the medium of time or actual money can be the greatest teacher of all. You could even ask if a local business will let you put into practice what you know.

When interviewing candidates one thing that really stood out was self-initiative. There is nothing like showing your passion for something than having a project that you invested your time into without the promise of a paycheck.

It is one thing to work full-time in the industry, but another to try to make a profit by yourself.

Market yourself like you would a business

There are so many job applicants every day for digital positions and it can be tough to make yourself stand out at those early stages, so approach it with a marketing mindset.

I find that having a personal website with a copy of your resume is a good start, even if it doesn’t have much in the way of content – it showcases you have put in a little effort. Even having a branded email address is going to make you stand out against your peers.

On the flipside, a portfolio is an incredible way to force potential employers into giving you an interview or getting a job offer. Most people won’t ask you for one, but turning up with a printed and bound portfolio you designed yourself? It looks really good.

I guess the point is, don’t be afraid to be a little professional – we’re marketers, so start marketing yourself!

Act with confidence but show willingness to learn

There is no greater compliment to a business than showing you are interested in learning more about their operations. Fixating on yourself is a surefire way to put management on a path to recruiting the next candidate.

Show interest in their business, compliment the things you like and from time to time, show a little constructive criticism – if you are confident enough to point out something you may not like, then do it.

One thing that thoroughly interested me about candidates was a little willingness to showcase their enthusiasm, even if it was wrong.  More than anything, it showcased that they had actually researched the business. Don’t over do it though!

If you get the job, what’s next?

Passing those first few months of probation are possibly going to be the toughest of your life. Most people don’t pass their probation for a multitude of reasons, but one of the best ways to reduce the risk of you not passing your probation is actually a really simple trick.

Results don’t matter all that much during your early days so long as you are showing progress. Thus it is important to constantly question things and try to improve your skillset, which is sometimes easier said than done!

People always love a team player too, so try to integrate with the team as best as possible. You can be the greatest analytical genius in the world, but without people skills the office world can be a challenging one.