How to get a job in marketing after college

Finding a job after college can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. The competition is stiff, and getting in front of the right hiring manager is even more challenging. You’re probably questions what’s the right role title for me, what are all of the companies that need such a role, and maybe even which industries to focus on - there’s tons of opportunity out there. Fortunately, there are ways to stand out from the crowd, stay focused on a target company type and get noticed by hiring managers. With so many jobs available, it can feel like marketing after college isn’t a particularly popular choice. But that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing this career path if that’s something you truly want to pursue. What does that mean for you? It means there are more than enough opportunities for you to find your next job after college as well. Here are some tips on how to get started as a marketing specialist after college.

Get involved in your school’s career services

Your school’s career services department is there to support you on your journey toward a career in marketing. You’ll want to make sure you pick up a copy of their handbook and get in touch with the career services team to learn what they can do for you. You’ll want to get to know your school’s career services team and understand what they can do for you. You’ll want to make sure you are connected with the right people in your school’s career services department. You’ll also want to figure out how you can help out in that department. Depending on your school, you may also have access to special programs and services for marketing majors. Check with your school’s career services team to see what these may be.

If you’ve taken any marketing classes in school also consider talking with your professors. Some might have connections to make introductions for interviews, and some might be able to tell you what roles would be perfect fits for you alongside the career trajectory of those. If you didn’t take marketing courses in college remember that there is nothing stronger in the recruitment process than referrals and Alumni networks therefore still reach out to the marketing professors at your schools and set up a 15 minute meeting. Advise and wisdom in can definitely fast track your search for your first role.

Create a resume specifically for job searching

With every job search comes a new resume, just kidding that’s totally unscalable just make a custom resume for your dream roles (10-20). Making custom resumes is time consuming but for the roles you really want it can be a great tactic. For other roles keep a “generic” winning resume that’s perfect for all marketing roles rather than for one specific job where you’re pulling your resumes inspiration straight from the job description of the role. You’ll want to make sure that your resume is well-organized, easy to read and follows a consistent format. To help you out, you may want to pick up a resume template. As you make changes to your resume, you may also want to keep a notebook nearby so you can make notes as you go. This will help you to avoid making mistakes and ensure that you nail down the key details you want to highlight.

When applying for roles you can also find some companies have early or entry level careers added as a filter, these can be great to isolate the exact title you should be targeting across all sectors and industries. Another point to mention is the title changes from industry to industry. In startups for example you’ll never find a brand marketer until the company is mature, at larger consumer brand companies like Coca-Cola you’ll never find a growth marketer. Each industry has their own names that are unique to them, therefore keep this in mind if you’re targeting a few company sizes and industries in your search.

Network like crazy

Maybe you have a tendency toward introversion, but as a marketing major, you’ll want to learn to “net” like crazy. You’ll want to make sure you are connecting with all of the right people in your industry, especially hiring managers. LinkedIn is one of the most popular networks for professionals, and it’s a great place for you to get started. If you’re hiring manager is shown on the job description consider sending them an intro email. If you’re targeting startups consider emailing their Head of Growth (generally the first marketing hire at a startup) or the CEO (generally the head of marketing until a Head of Growth comes in) with an intro. If you’re not getting seen, reach out!

Don’t overlook career fairs and other recruiting events

You may have already attended career fairs and other recruiting events, but few college students take advantage of this since you’re usually putting off the thought of finding a job until later. Make a conscious effort to incorporate these events into your job search now before you graduate from college to have a few additional options available to you. These events are designed to help you find the career path that best fits your skills and interests. You’ll want to make sure you are taking the time to speak with hiring managers at these events and networking with other professionals in your industry. It’s likely that many of the hiring managers at these events are also hiring for marketing positions. During these events, you may also want to keep an eye out for career opportunities posted online. Depending on the event, you may even be able to speak with hiring managers directly via booths or tables. Take advantage of these opportunities to learn more about companies you like, understand more about the recruitment process, and get your name added to their list of potential hires - after all they are there to hire college students.

Be patient and keep an eye out for career opportunities

It may be tempting to start applying for jobs immediately after college. While it’s important to start looking for jobs right away, you should also keep in mind that marketing jobs often have a lengthy application process. It’s also important to keep in mind that you will often not be the only candidate applying to every job posting. If a posting has a lot of applicants, you may have to wait awhile before being considered for any openings. If you’re looking for a marketing job after college, you’ll want to be patient and keep an eye out for opportunities. It’s likely that there are plenty of marketing jobs available and that only a small percentage of hiring managers have posted openings.

As a general rule you can expect 3-4 steps in the recruitment process at a larger company, with each step taking anywhere between 1-4 weeks in between each interview. That means that it’s totally normal to have a 3-4 month long interview process with a company to only be cut in the final round. Therefore you should never stop applying to roles until you have an offer in hand, even if you have a final round interview booked. This also highlights the need to begin the application process early, ideally before graduating since it can take so long. Some companies with a huge need for team member may move quickly, startups generally move quickly, but a majority of hires for smaller companies can take 2-4 weeks which could be great for those deeper into their job search.

Conclusion

Marketing after college can be a great option for students who want to stay connected to the marketing field and explore different career paths. Those who decide to pursue this path can find plenty of marketing jobs available that can help them develop their skills and expertise. Now that you know what to do, it’s time to get moving. Marketing after college is a unique opportunity, and it isn’t likely to be around for long. Make the most of it by networking with your classmates, looking for career fairs and networking events, and reaching out to companies directly via email and job postings.