How To Get a Job In Social Media Marketing

My journey from entry level jobs bar jobs to Social Media Practitioner!

I know from personal experience how hard it can be to get into the industry that you want with nothing on your CV to back you up.

It took me around two and a half years to get into marketing from the day I decided I knew what I wanted to do as a career, to the day I was offered the job!

Here’s my experience so hopefully you don’t have to wait as long as I did.

Deciding What To Do With My Working Life

Unfortunately for me I was one of the many who don’t know what they want to do when University time came around.

I decided that the best possible option for me was to pick a degree that kept my options open but was also something that I enjoyed.

For me that was English Literature. I always enjoyed writing and analysis, but I also knew that it was a broad field that could be applied to a lot of different industries.

Around six months in I realised that Marketing was the industry I wanted to target. I spoke with academic advisors to see what support was available for a ‘Placement Year’.

I had known others who had a ‘Placement Year’ as part of their degree and they would be taking a year out of University to work full time but still with the full support and guidance of their faculty.

Unfortunately this was not an option for me. I would have need to take a ‘Gap Year’ and find the company myself. I tried to find local companies and approached them about internships but with no success. So I carried out my degree until I graduated.

Towards the last three months of my degree I started to look for entry level marketing jobs in the area.

Unfortunately for me the only jobs I seemed to be offered were falsely advertised.

Fake Marketing Jobs

This isn’t something that I have come across in any other industry but it is a reoccurring issue in marketing.

I had multiple interviews and job offers for Marketing vacancies that were to either set up your own business under another company umbrella or pushing leaflets through doors.

Not what I had in mind.

Please be careful when you are looking for jobs as these companies seem to take advantage of young people who do not know that this is not marketing.

I was told to show up for a trial work day in formal work attire and comfortable shoes (Should have been my first red flag).

I was then greeted at the office, escorted out the door and taken on a bus to another side of the city. We then walked around a housing estate offering people a better price on their electricity bill.

I explained to the gentleman I was with that this was not explained to me beforehand and that I was leaving.

They still tried to offer me the job.

Applying For Legitimate Job Vacancies

I spent the next two and a half years applying for jobs and trying to work my way up within the companies I worked at.

I had one job interview within this time. I was brought back for multiple interviews with the manager and her boss only to be told I didn’t have as much experience as the person they were going to hire. Obviously information that they had at the start when I submitted my CV.

I ended up working for a well-known gambling company at an entry level customer service position. They had an excellent marketing department.

Unfortunately for me there were only two job vacancies in the one and a half years I was working there. One job I applied for and did not hear back from and the other my application was shut down by my manager who said I was making myself look like an “idiot and desperate” by applying for multiple types of marketing roles.

My First Taste of Marketing Life

In between leaving that job and taking up another entry level customer service role I decided to take three weeks to gain voluntary work experience for a local charity.

I did volunteer for charitable support but also managed to work with their marketing department.

This was the best experience I could have ever had.

I was so lucky that the manager of the marketing department was such an amazing support to me. She made sure that I experienced all areas of marketing so that I knew for myself which was most suited to me and that I most enjoyed.

I credit my current job in marketing to this manager as she gave my invaluable experience!

Working My Way Up

After the three weeks ended I started work at my new entry level customer service job. The people there were so supportive and job progression was high on their list of priorities.

Within 9 months a marketing job came up within the company. I had a lot of guidance and support from my manager who talked me through the application process and the etiquette of the company during the job application process.

I had to complete an application with my experience and knowledge. After this I had to create a presentation with my ideas for how to take their marketing brand further.

Within a month I had served my notice and started my sparkling new job as a Social Media Practitioner!

My Advice

Please make sure that when you apply for jobs you research the companies. After a while I started to notice the ones that did not seem legitimate.

Sometimes you have to take a step in the wrong direction to move forward. I know a lot of people don’t like to consider taking to time to work for free to gain the experience, but if you are able to do so I would definitely recommend it. Anything on your CV to show how much you want to work in the industry is a huge help.

Working your way up within a company is a great way forward but is not always an option. They may not have the appropriate vacancies or support available. Know when you cannot get anymore from them.

Be creative! Think of innovative ways to gain experience that will benefit your career path.

Rebecca Hulme