How can you land a digital marketing internship or entry-level job?

One of the most effective ways to land a digital marketing internship or entry-level job is by gaining hands-on experience. Employers often look for candidates who have practical knowledge and skills in areas such as social media management, content creation, SEO, and data analysis. To acquire these skills, consider taking on freelancing projects or starting your own personal website or blog where you can showcase your work. This not only demonstrates your passion and dedication but also allows you to build a portfolio that sets you apart from other applicants.

To land an entry level digital marketing role, I’ll say, be sure that the industry is the best fit for you and you for it. Afterwards, work on building an attractive personal brand. Next, you want to work on your LinkedIn. Build an engaging presence and establish yourself as a thought leader. Finally, apply with intention and not carelessly. Interact with the recruiter before or after applying, this will give you a competitive edge.

Research Different Roles, Look into different digital marketing roles to figure out which ones resonate with you the most. Research what each role entails, the skills required, and the responsibilities involved. This will help you tailor your application and demonstrate your genuine interest during interviews.

If you are looking for an internship or an entry-level job, most probably you have some digital marketing experience, but not enough to know what kind of digital marketing role would be a fit for you. Go to LinkedIn and browse for jobs in digital marketing. Read as many job descriptions and try to understand what kind of skills you need. Ask around with your friends and do a project or two for them. This projects could act as your case-studies when you apply for an entry-level job.

I really do not think that taking courses will help. Get down to practicals. Start with writing content. Land a job/internship as a content writer. Learn the bts of writing while slowly gaining perspective of how canva works and how to enter social media management. With 2 years you can be a content or social media marketer. Slowly keep learning. After 1.5 years it's the best time to invest in your upskilling. Connect with more people on Linkedin and explore different job roles as a marketer. What I have offered above is a practical advice on how I entered marketing 7 years back. If you need more help, you can connect me anytime!

To secure a digital marketing internship or entry-level job, focus on building your skills. ????????????????????????????: Complete courses in Google Ads, Analytics, or HubSpot to demonstrate your expertise. ??????????-???? ????????????????????: Work on personal projects or intern for small businesses to gain practical experience. ?????????????? ????????????????: Create an online portfolio and showcase your skills on platforms like LinkedIn. ???????? ??????????????:Keep up with industry trends and changes to remain competitive. Building your skills not only makes you more marketable but also prepares you for real-world challenges in the digital marketing field.

The best way to build your skills is to actually start your own website or social media account and grow it. Your portfolio and hands-on skills are more important than your degree and resume.

Network with professionals in the field, attend webinars, and participate in relevant online communities to gain insights and connections. Implement data-driven strategies in your projects to showcase your analytical skills, emphasizing the impact of your decisions. Highlight your adaptability by staying informed about emerging technologies and incorporating them into your personal projects.

Learn by doing. There are a lot of brand marketers working in the digital space right now who haven’t built their own website, created a email drip campaign, or understand technical SEO, or gone deep into Google Analytics. Why? Because the landscape is constantly changing so fast that you rarely see books on marketing technology anymore. The best thing new marketers can do is create a personal brand or even a fake/dummy brand and wear the hat of the bootstrapped entrepreneur. Learning by doing means you can save on expense and you can speak multiple languages. You might not grow as fast as you’d like, but you gotten your hands dirty to show you get the bigger picture. Schooling is great, but it is mostly theory. Get dirty. ??

One thing I've learned from my own journey is the need to keep record of your achievements. I didn't start early. A lot of great stuff I did, I didn't document. If I were to start over, I would do that differently.

In my personal experience, talking to people about what you do and showing them through a portfolio or project is a great way to win requests for your services. What you want is a chance to prove that you have the skills needed. There are multiple ways to showcase what you do; from WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X, Tik Tok, and more. A great strategy would be to start working with people from your closest social circle and slowly expand outside it. An important tip to remember - and certainly one I wish I knew earlier - is to learn how to charge for the work you do. That will change how financially valuable the time you spend on digital marketing projects at each level of expertise.

Attend industry events, webinars, and online communities related to digital marketing. Networking can provide valuable insights, introduce you to professionals in the field, and open doors to potential opportunities. Connect with professionals on LinkedIn and engage in meaningful conversations.

Industry events are great but I find being passionate about your job and engaging with people in your everyday life has worked extremely well for me. I had dinner with friends once and struck up a conversation with the server. I gave some actionable tips and touched base with them on Instagram to follow up. They ended up hiring me for a project and by word of mouth I got 2 more jobs from the same project.

Every country has groups of free workshops, networking events and even online groups talking about digital marketing. Join subreddits or discords that discuss and reach out on LinkedIn and just talk to people. You'll get a lot of nos, but some will say yes. this is also your first foray into leads and cold calling. Practicing it on yourself boosts confidence and may end up giving you an opportunity you didn't know existed.

It's never too early to seek mentorship and network with others. Be transparent about your goals and look for people who have the jobs you'd love to have. What skills do they have? If they create content, what can you learn from them? Give before you take. Spend time commenting and liking content from people you follow before you immediately DM with a favor. Show that you are paying attention and genuinely want to learn from them.

Consider creating a unique resume in addition to a traditional version. A video and personal website will help showcase your personality and strengths in a way that will help set you apart.

Here's the resume structure I have given mentees for many years: Job Title: Relevant to the role. Use a dash for clarity, e.g., "Intern - Social Media". Approved by recruiters for clarity. Bullet 1: Highlight a major achievement or duty, e.g., "Managed all social accounts" or "Achieved 100M impressions in a year". Bullet 2: Industry-specific accomplishment, e.g., "Revised campaign materials for better attribution models". Bullet 3: Align with job requirements, e.g., "Filmed and edited 20% of content to aid content team". These are imperfect examples but I hope this structure helps! This was my own approach in my early career and I did social for UCLA, CBS, Olympics, you get the idea. :)

Have a few different variations of your resume and cover letter, but don't go overboard. Include accomplishments and make sure you use relevant keywords for the industry. Don't oversell, especially at the entry level, you may be passed up for the ridiculous 'overqualified' reason or no one will believe you. It's ok to massage some truths, but you need to backup any claim you make on paper.

Do not be afraid of presenting yourself in your own way! You are the best person to estimate your skills. The fact that you, for instance, finished several courses, and achieved a bachelor's or master's degree – is not accidental. You’ve created your own path, and gained skills and experience – and it's your time to share all of them with the world.

Once, I applied for a role I was passionate about but used a generic resume and cover letter. Weeks passed with no response. Curious, I reached out to a contact in the company. Most HR Softwares track keywords in a resume. Writing a generic resume with good keywords wins you the game. For the next role, I meticulously researched the company and tailored my resume, infusing it with keywords from their mission statement and emphasizing projects that mirrored their goals. I also crafted a cover letter that showcased my genuine enthusiasm for their work. The result? I was called for an interview within days. This taught me that personalization isn't just a strategy; it's a reflection of genuine interest.

Be modest and humble about what you know. No one expects you to be an expert in digital marketing. Instead focus on positioning yourself as someone who is ambitious in whatever you tackle.

For me, the key point in this regard was creating a script that evolved with each interview I conducted. I faced a challenge as I was transitioning from the Brazilian to the European job market—besides the language difference, the interview process itself was completely distinct. I also paid close attention to the interviewers' facial expressions, which helped me adjust my script. In the end, my script was completely different from the initial one. I managed to explain my experience in a way that resonated with the interviewers. And it worked!

Research the place you are interviewing it, look up the person on LinkedIn, and most importantly, ask your own questions. Follow up is essential, most, if not many companies don't reply, even with a rejection. Be prepared to be ignored.

To standout in the interview process, meticulously research the company and role. You want to align your skills with internship description and requirements – reflect on your previous experience and focus on the impact you made. Prepare for the interview by practicing in the mirror, with a friend, or your college career center.

Landing an entry-level position in digital marketing is all about showcasing your inner charisma ninja. Sure, you've got the skills, but you're not just a walking resume; you're a walking party waiting to happen. Flash that killer smile, sprinkle some wit into your answers, and let them know you're not just there to talk SEO and PPC. You're the digital marketing maven with a side of charisma, the secret sauce they didn't even know they needed. So, go ahead, be your charismatic self – because in the world of digital marketing, personality isn't just a bonus; it's the golden ticket to success. Time to dazzle them with charm and leave that interview room with a swagger that says, "I came, I charmed, I conquered."

Securing your first internship or entry-level job is all about preparation. Gain hands-on experience through volunteering or personal projects is important so that you can come into the role and make an impact. A strong digital presence is important to showcase your skills and demonstrate that you are up-to-date on the latest. Every experience counts towards building your story, making you stand out when being considered.

Find what kind of value you can create for the business/project you want to get an internship/get employed. Everybody is saying to build your skills and showcase them. That's an awesome truth. My tip would be to build on the skills that are trendy at the particular moment. For example, a lot of businesses are currently looking for user-generated content creators. All you need is a smartphone and a bit of storytelling skills (I am hyperbolising obviously, but the start can be easy). Start from making such videos, proposing them for barter exchange (you get a product, you give a UGC video/review/post). You'll learn a ton by getting involved in such activity - from negotiation to storytelling and understanding different businesses. Good luck

Self-Assessment: Reflect on your strengths, skills, and passions. Do you excel in content creation, or managing social media platforms? Knowing your strengths will help you narrow down your options and focus on the roles that suit you best. Online Courses: Consider taking online courses or certifications in areas relevant to digital marketing. This not only enhances your skills but also shows potential employers your dedication to learn and improve in the field. Research Companies: Research the companies you're applying to. Understand their values, culture, and the type of work they do. Mentioning specific aspects of the company in your resume can demonstrate your genuine interest and enthusiasm.

**Be persistent and patient. Keep applying to suitable positions even if you face rejections. Persistence pays off. Also, if it's feasible for you, consider freelancing or offering your services for small projects. This can help you gain practical experience.

While it is valuable to showcase skills, knowledge and past experience you possess related to listed roles, employers are not looking for the next top digital marketer to fill internships and entry-level roles. Instead, most teams are looking for individuals with an open mind ready to adapt and learn on the job, people who understand the role of marketing in business. In my hiring experience at a boutique marketing agency, applicants show up having made up their minds on what they expect to do and will do, pigeonholing themselves into specialisations — especially social media content creation, which most are familiar with. This lowers their chances of getting hired as social media plays just one part in most organisations' marketing mix.