Maybe I’m biased, but after nearly a decade of volunteering and working for the marketing industry, I believe that we’re in the middle of a marketing golden age. Here are 3 reasons why I believe now is the best time ever to be a marketer.
3 Reasons Why Now is the Best Time to Be a Marketer
1. Supply and Demand are in job seekers’ favor.
There are more job opportunities than there are qualified Digital Marketers. Because marketing technology has advanced so rapidly to make automation, personalization, and targeting accessible, we’re in a bit of a catch-up period educationally. The fact is, many educational institutions aren’t keeping pace, and new marketers have a learning curve to surmount, causing a talent gap.
Also, as businesses catch on to the opportunities to leverage these technologies, the need for qualified marketers has never been higher. Between 2009 and 2015, the number of Indeed job listings that mention “digital marketing” or “inbound marketing” grew by about 867%.
And the number of job listings on Indeed containing “content marketing” or “content strategy” grew by nearly 350% between 2011 and 2015.
And while the trends are positive. Employers are having trouble filling these positions. A recent (July 2015) survey by The Creative Group found that 42% of executives report it’s hard to find professionals with the skills they seek, up from 24% from a year prior. That same survey revealed that over a quarter of companies are expanding their staff to include more content marketers and more interactive (digital) marketers in 2016.
2. The job and the tools to do the job have never been better.
With the rise of Inbound Marketing, the industry has shifted from a “selling” to a “helping” mindset. Rather than creating interruptive content that annoys people, we’re now armed with the tools to reach the right people, at the right time, who need the help we’re offering. It’s a much more positive and fulfilling job for that very reason, and the people the industry is attracting are highly-intelligent, empathetic and kind. Speaking from my experience here at Tytanium Ideas, the best marketers are people who have your back, truly care about helping others and who you definitely want on your team.
3. The Golden Age of Training. We can sharpen our skills online for free.
Especially if you’re interested in Inbound or Digital Marketing, there are free guides and certification programs to help you learn the important skills and concepts you’ll need to know to rock your new marketing job. Few careers offer so many free training resources!
However, speaking from experience, while the linked resources are fantastic, they really pale in comparison to on-the-job, real-world expertise. So how do aspiring marketers get the experience they need to hone their skills?
We have two solutions for you.
If you’re a college student or a recent graduate, we have an outstanding internship program you can apply to by clicking the link below: