Megan Potts
Hey I’m Megan :) I’m an MSc Marketing Graduate - I graduated from UEA last year and I currently work as a Display Planning Executive in London.
A step-by-step guide to working in Marketing
Hey, I’m Meg! In 2019 I graduated from UEA with a BA (Hons) degree in Media Studies. I continued my journey in education by enrolling onto a master’s degree, in MSc Marketing. Throughout the duration of my university experience, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in marketing. However, I was always daunted by the prospect of job searching. It is a long, tough, competitive process (I applied for over thirty job roles and only received six interviews!). This was due to a combination of me not being the right candidate for the role, as well as the fact that I was one of the unlucky people applying for jobs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic; this meant many of the jobs and graduate schemes I had applied for had been postponed, or cancelled entirely. In June 2020, I got my lucky break and began working as a marketing professional at a start-up cyber security firm, alongside my master’s degree.
Working as a marketing professional for a start-up company, I had the incredible opportunity to explore various areas of marketing. Some of my tasks included (but were not limited to) website design, search engine optimisation, pay-per-click advertising, and content creation. I was able to hone my existing capabilities that I had been taught throughout my degree, as well as utilise new skills. The most satisfying part of my role was tracking conversions and delivering marketing campaigns which drove positive results for the company. I have now moved onto a new role as a Display Planning Executive at a larger organisation in London. The role focuses on display advertising and working closely with external stakeholders to deliver top quality marketing campaigns - fast paced AND exciting!
Do You Want to Work in Marketing?
Below I have compiled a short list of hard and soft skills required if you want to pursue a career in marketing. It is important to bear in mind that some hard skills are taught on the job, such as SEO and Google Ads, so don’t panic!
Hard Skills:
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Microsoft Applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
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Adobe Applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc).
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Numerical (Ability to Understand Basic Math).
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Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).
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Google Ads.
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Google Analytics.
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Copywriting.
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Social Media Marketing.
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Email Marketing.
Soft Skills:
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Emotional Intelligence.
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Critical Thinking.
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Creative Mindset.
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Strong Communication (Written and Verbal).
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Adaptable.
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Innovative.
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Curious.
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Problem Solving.
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Collaboration.
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Time Management.
Work Experience:
Work experience allows you to explore your options and see if you want to pursue a particular area of marketing. In my second year of university, I carried out work experience at a public relations agency, and this is something that really seemed to jump out at employers on my CV. It’s a great talking point in an interview. Be sure to include all work experience to your LinkedIn profile! LinkedIn is an awesome way to network with professionals relevant to your industry.
Online Courses:
Online courses are an incredible way to expand your knowledge in all areas of marketing, and many are free of charge which is fab for students. Here are some of my favourite courses listed below which I think are beneficial if you want to pursue a marketing career:
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Google Digital Garage: The Fundamentals of Digital Marketing.
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Google Digital Garage: Google Analytics for Beginners.
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Skillshop: Google Ads Certifications (Shopping Ads, Google Ads Display, Google Ads Search, Google Ads Measurement, Google Ads Video, etc).
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HubSpot Academy: Excel for Marketers.
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HubSpot Academy: Growth-Driven Design.
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HubSpot Academy: Inbound Marketing.
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HubSpot Academy: Social Media.
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HubSpot Academy: Instagram Marketing Strategy.
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Coursera: Influencer Marketing Strategy.
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Coursera: An Introduction to Consumer Neuroscience & Neuromarketing.
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Moz: The Beginner’s Guide to SEO.
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SEMrush: Digital Agencies Certification.
I also recommend utilising online resources such as YouTube videos and blogs to gain further insight on a particular area of marketing. Believe it or not, there are also some great marketing accounts on TikTok you can follow, and keep up to date with the industry. Type in the search bar ‘marketingtiktok’ and you can explore tonnes of marketing content. Additionally, Marketing Week is a business magazine/website who debate about the biggest questions in marketing. Their topics are relevant to contemporary life as well as extremely interesting, so I’d definitely recommend taking a look. It will also impress prospective employers if you raise a current marketing news story during an interview, showing you’ve done your research and that you’re truly passionate about the industry.