Entering into a Brand Marketing Career [Interview]

If you know me, you know I can't stand requests to "pick my brain."

These are usually accompanied by apologies for bothering me, hopes that the message finds me well and thinly veiled requests for verification support (No, God, Please, No).

I do, however, really appreciate well-researched questions from students and peers like Sarah Kim, a Content Strategist at NewsCred. After I spoke at Everygirls Rise Career Conference in Chicago, she reached out to me to ask about launching a career in marketing and branding yourself to meet opportunity. Sharing our convo below:

SK: How do you market yourself through your writing? Are there specific topics you try to write about in order to engage readers in your blog, or do you write whatever interests you and find that people relate to that type of branding better?

JO: I started by writing about what was most interesting to me, which was mostly the Entertainment industry. As I continued writing, I realized that each time I was expressing my thought or thought leadership on a topic, it was serving as a portfolio example. If you want to go into a field (marketing, editorial, content strategy) in which you will be asked to write, it’s pertinent to have a few industry-specific examples on hand.

You can set yourself up really well by starting to write about where you want to go. When I wanted to switch into film, I started attending more screenings and writing about directors, interviewing producers, etc. Use your pen as a compass.

SK: You mentioned that passion is really key in [your work]; can you tell me how to have enough passion without burning out?

JO: I’m really glad that you brought up burnout, because I used to burnout all the time. It was a steady cycle of about 3 months between every horrible crash and burn. I think throughout most of college, I was generally unhealthy (lack of sleep, lack of proper diet). It really took a toll on my physical and mental well-being. I recommend listening to your body to know when enough is enough. Don’t ever compromise on your sleep, on your diet, or on your hygiene. Eat balanced meals.

If you’re used to saying yes to everything, start deliberately saying no. If you can’t do it yourself, present all of your to do's to someone you trust, and have them help you say no. I would basically take a list of all of my engagements to my boss, who was also a friend, and he would just cross sh-- out! You have to say no and start doing a few things really well as opposed to 1 million things poorly. 

SK: I personally have struggled to have a brand that encompasses everything I am. Any tips for finding the right approach to branding yourself?

JO: Focus on a few key things. There’s no appropriate venue for every waking thought you have, save Twitter. You shouldn’t try to tackle too much, or communicate to many different facets of yourself. The human brain remembers things in groups of 5-7. Anything beyond that is excess. I try to stick to three: photographer, marketer, speaker. 

Also, your brand execution can come from a series of objectives, strategies, and tactics. What’s your overall objective, which strategies will you employ to accomplish it, and which tactics lie under each strategy?

SK: When looking at your career from Lucasfilm to Instagram, how do you pivot from one vertical to another? I currently work in the finance vertical but would eventually like to shift to the social media/tech world.

JO: If you’re a marketer, you should be able to hop verticals fairly easily. Hit that personal branding shift online, use your keywords and hashtags, and just start interviewing. If necessary, gain experience at a start up before shooting for a bigger brand like Twitter or LinkedIn or Facebook. The Valley trusts Valley experience, but it also values experiences outside of the Silicon Valley. Position yourself as someone who has a unique perspective to contribute, due to where you’ve been.

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And that's what happens when two kids of immigrant parents connect on LinkedIn and get real about their careers, with really good questions. If this interview was helpful, let us know in the comments below!

More of Joy | More of Sarah

#brandmarketing #contentstrategy #blogging #personalbranding #careeradvice