How to get hired for that marketing job you really want: 6 tips for job seekers

The jobs market, while improving, still isn’t everything you want it to be. That’s a fact. However, things are starting to get better, little by little.

Whether you’re between jobs right now or ready to find something new, trying to get found by hiring managers or already have the interview lined up, here are 6 tips that can help you land the marketing job you really want.

1. Show that you care about the company’s products or services. Take some time to look at the websites, Twitter feeds, Facebook pages or Pinterest boards of the companies you’re interviewing with. And of their competitors’. If they’re a public company, take a look at their latest annual report. If they’re a private company, check out their reviews on Yelp, Angie’s List, TripAdvisor and the like (you can do it for public companies, too). Doing a little homework before the interview and asking insightful questions shows you’re interested and prepared for the job on Day 1.
2. Showcase your results. Even if you worked for the very best companies, followed the most charismatic leaders, or graduated from the most exclusive universities, most hiring managers want to hear more about what you did to create results than who you did it for. Even more so, they want to understand how you’ll create those results for them. Keep the focus on how you improved things for your past employers to show future companies how you can do it for them, too.
3. Admit what you don’t know… if they ask about it. There are lots of snake-oil salesmen in social media and search engine optimization already. Don’t add yourself to that group. If you’re talking to a hiring manager and you don’t have experience in a given area, admit it and explain how you’d close the gap. Or demonstrate how your related experience applies. Nobody knows everything. And it’s likely you’ve had to pick up some new skills in the past. Just show that you’ve done it before and that you have a plan for how to get there in the future. They’ll get the message. And what if they don’t ask? Then it’s time to do your homework, talk to friends and colleagues with that experience, read a book, etc. Which leads to the next point…
4. Learn something new. Online marketing changes every day. Who knew a year ago that Pinterest was going to be anything? Who saw Facebook buying Instagram? in truth, very few people. But watch at how innovative companies are using tools like Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google and the rest. Or take a class (if I can be bold, I highly recommend the Mini MBA programs taught by people like Mike Moran and me). Then share that information with your potential employers. They’re likely to remember you.
5. Choose the right company. Now, for many people, this is difficult advice to live with right now. But, if you can afford to, don’t just jump at the first opportunity. You’ll do the best work for the people you like the most and who best represent your values. I certainly wouldn’t suggest you hold out for something better if the alternative is to stop feeding your kids. At the same time, try to find opportunities that let you do what you love. That almost always leads to greater success in both the short term and the long term.
6. Don’t give up. There may be no better advice I can give you than this: Don’t give up. Times are tough. And success rarely happens all at once. But, there are no failures; there are only setbacks. If you’ve been looking for a job for a while, no matter how hard it is, keep looking. It’s awfully trite to say tough times never last. But the fact is, they don’t. You can outlast tough times. Just keep plugging away.

While there are no guarantees in life, it’s unlikely you’ll never again find a company that you like and that likes you back. It’s a fact. Your success depends on working to improve and making the most of opportunities that come your way. Try putting these tips to use. You’re not likely to improve the overall job market. But you’re very likely to improve the market for you.

Interested in learning more about the future of marketing? Register to receive a free copy of my new special report, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World,” produced in conjunction with Vizergy, here. While it’s targeted to the hospitality industry specifically, most of the lessons apply across verticals. And, if that’s not enough, you might also enjoy some of our past coverage of marketing as a profession, including:

• How to get hired: 7 truths you must know before that interview.
• Forget Your Industry. How Safe is Your Job from Amazon?
• SEO Yourself (Small Business E-commerce Link Digest – April 27, 2012)
• E-commerce Still Has Lots of Room to Grow (Small Business E-commerce Link Digest)
• Would You Let Your Friends Work Here?