The unemployment rate for fresh graduates has been steadily increasing each year. According to Statista, 14.8% of people aged 16-24 were unemployed, the highest rate among all the other age groups. This means it's more important than ever for graduates to ensure they find the right career.
London is one of the biggest commercial hubs in the world, many marketing companies operate in the city and are constantly on the lookout for top marketing talent. This means the opportunities are endless and as a fresh marketing graduate, it is the best place to start your career journey.
In this blog, we will give you tips to help you kick-start your career in marketing.
1. Look into the marketing areas you would like to go into
Specialisations: Digital marketing, SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), SEM (Search Engine Marketing), content creation, social media, etc.
Tip: Ensure you do research, look at the different requirements and figure out what sector within marketing you would be interested in whether it's finance, insurance, sales etc. Connecting with a marketing recruitment agency in London like Get Recruited would be useful when trying to navigate the marketing route you're looking to take.
2. Build an online presence
Why It’s Important: The Marketing sector is very competitive, according to Statista in Q2 of 2024 there were 903,00 marketing, sales and other related professionals compared to 916,700 in Q1 which shows how rapidly the industry is growing. Creating an online presence will help you stand out when trying to secure a marketing role in London.
Tip: Create a LinkedIn profile, post consistently and connect with others in the industry. Share any marketing projects or blog content you have worked on.
3. Familiarise yourself with key marketing tools
Key Tools: SEO tools, social media management tools, content creation & design, email marketing, AI tools, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and more.
Tip: Register for free sites and familiarise yourself with the different platforms. Take free courses online, for example, HubSpot has a free SEO course and many other free courses that would be a good place to start in deepening your SEO knowledge and digital marketing skills in general.
4. Network with other marketing professionals
Why It’s Important: Networking is important when trying to break into an industry, having connections within the marketing field will give you access to exclusive job opportunities and events.
Tip: Connect with marketing professionals on LinkedIn and attend marketing events.
5. Revamp your CV
Why It’s Important: You need to ensure your CV is marketing-specific when looking for a marketing role in London.
Tip: Highlight all the skills and projects you picked up even if it was just during university. Reach out to recruitment agencies in London like Get Recruited who will not only help you tailor your CV but will connect you with some of the top marketing roles in London.
It’s important throughout this process you stay consistent and proactive. The job market can be difficult to navigate once you leave university and the competition within marketing is consistently growing. Make sure you’re always learning and keeping up to date with trends and changes within marketing. The Marketing world is constantly evolving and ensuring you keep up is a key indicator of what will make you stand out from the rest.