How to Get into Marketing, PR or Communications

In most businesses, one of the most important job roles is that of marketing, PR or communications, whether it is good times or bad. The simple reason is that these three roles are key to ensuring the company’s brand, message, products and services are consistently out there.

Without these three jobs, it’s hard to build sales and growth. The company could have the best product or most competitive service on the market but if consumers don’t know about the company, they won’t buy from them.

Marketing, PR and communications are still some of the most sought-after jobs in recruitment, across all industries. However, getting your foot on the ladder in these disciplines can be daunting, particularly if you don’t have a relevant degree or sufficient experience. But the good news is it’s not impossible.

Is there a demand?

Lockdowns changed the face of marketing, PR and communications roles significantly as the need for SEO (search engine optimisation) and digitalisation became a priority. Businesses needed to be online fast; but not just online, they needed to be as high up the search engine results pages as possible, too.

The result is that businesses are targeting much more of their budget towards marketing departments. Indeed, a January 2022 survey revealed that digital marketing spend was expected to go up 29% this year alone. This increase in demand is not just limited to specific industries either. Just about every industry – finance, manufacturing, technology, entertainment, arts and fashion – is experiencing competition in the digital landscape.

So, whether you’re fresh out of university, higher up the career ladder or even looking for a change of direction into a new job role, how do you get into marketing, PR or communications?

Getting a step on the marketing, PR or communications ladder

These three roles are inter-linked. In fact, some companies will combine the three into one role. There are a variety of different functions which are encompassed under one marketing umbrella, such as brand managers, communications and PR professionals, content marketing, digital marketing, event marketing, agency account management, social media, advertising, search engine optimisation/marketing and email marketing to name but a few. There are also the dedicated marketing communications and public relations roles to consider, too.

So, rather than looking at how you can get into marketing, PR or communications, it’s better to be more specific and decide on your specialisation before you start looking for a job. Here are our top tips.

• Do your research – marketing, PR and communications covers a vast range of different roles so, research the types of jobs on offer, look at the skills the employer requires and select a specialisation that matches your skills, and interests.
• Build your portfolio – this can be the hardest part if you are just starting out in your career but it can be done. Include all the work you’ve done whilst studying but also offer to do some free work for friends, family, contacts and even local businesses or charities. Ask some larger companies in your local area for some work experience, too. This all helps towards building your portfolio.
• Further your knowledge – don’t sit back and think that just because you’ve done your qualifications you know it all. In your free time, read books and news articles (sign up to publications like Marketing Week, Campaign, The Grocer and PR Week), enrol on free online courses and watch YouTube tutorials. This demonstrates to an employer that you want to learn about the industry and are keen to expand your skills.
• Tailor your CV – make sure you tailor your CV to the role you are applying for. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an entry level position or a more senior position, look at what the employer is requesting in the job description and ensure to highlight your skills that match their requirements.
• Network – sometimes it’s not what you know but who you know. Talk to friends and family that work for companies with marketing departments and ask then to keep an eye out for any available roles.
• Brush up on your interview skills – a great CV and cover letter gets you the interview but what gets you the job is the way you impress your interviewer. Be confident, but not overconfident. Be smart and professional. Be articulate and demonstrate good communication skills. Back up your CV by presenting your skills and experience well. But above all, be yourself and show that you are capable of doing the job.
• Get experience – when starting out in marketing, PR or communications, gaining the necessary experience employers are looking for can be tough. So, volunteer for charities and seek out work experience with companies. Get onto LinkedIn, research the companies you’d like to work for and ask them for work experience – it may lead to a full time job. Also think about apprenticeships, internships and placements.
• Upskill, if required – you might find that a particular marketing specialisation requires more focused skills, such as social media marketing or PR. Therefore, consider doing a certificated course – there are many that you can do online and in your own time – that not only boosts your skills and knowledge, but also gives you a certificate.
• Be prepared to ‘get your hands dirty’ – most people starting out in marketing, PR and communications go into entry level jobs. If this is the case, be prepared to get involved in every aspect of marketing, PR and communications. Step forward and take on the tasks that other people may not want to do and be prepared to do all the jobs they throw at you, even if it means asking others and learning how to do it. Get ready to work your way up the ladder, be prepared to learn and you’ll find it will open doors later in your career.

Whilst it can appear daunting in trying to get into a marketing, PR or communications role, particularly if you don’t have the skills, experience or portfolio a lot of employers are looking for, it’s not impossible. With hard work and lateral thinking, there’s every opportunity to land the role of your dreams.

If you’re looking for a role in marketing PR or communications, whether you’re starting out on your career ladder or moving onto your next job, let Auxato take the strain and find you your next perfect employer.

Auxato is a leading UK executive search and recruitment consultancy specialising in sourcing the best communications and marketing professionals.?