As a marketing graduate, you may recall learning the fundamentals in college; perfecting a SWOT analysis, understanding the differences between B2B and B2C, and memorizing the 4 P’s. As a new graduate, you can’t wait to dive into a project and utilize all that you’ve learned. Before you do so, it’s important to explore what your future marketing career may entail.
As a marketing intern at RDW Group, I am experiencing the field in a whole new way. It’s fast paced, exciting, and has given me a whole new insight on what to expect – or not expect – in this career. From my experience at RDW Group, I learned 3 important factors to remember when searching for your next marketing internship, job, or career move outside of the classroom.
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Don’t expect it to be what you learned in school.
In college classes, marketing is based on fundamentals, which may mean memorizing charts and understanding different tactics. Marketing may seem simple in the classroom, but that’s because you aren’t faced with the unpredictability of the market and consumers. My experience at RDW Group helped me understand the fast-paced environment; from meeting with different clients to writing a slew of different ideas until you have found the perfect one and analyzing every detail with your team. There’s a lot that goes into the marketing process, and it can differ from school, because there’s often no templates or rubrics. Keep an open mind, be excited, and get ready for new experiences!
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Social media is your best – and worst – friend.
Digital marketing is here to stay, and it’s safe to say social media is one of the most dominant forces driving it. As a young adult, it’s easy to think you’re a master at social media, but that’s not necessarily true when it comes to business. There’s a big difference between the way you may use your personal social media accounts and the strategies involved with managing social media for a business. There’s a process and some questions you’ll need to ask yourself to start off on the right foot. You’ll need to develop a social media strategy, taking time to consider your goals, your audience, and to represent your brand in a professional manner.
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Marketing is the “tip of the iceberg.”
The old saying that “we only see the tip of the iceberg,” is true. There’s always more than meets the eye in marketing. There’s a whole new level of creativity, patience, time, and problem solving that goes into this career. Some days are calm, but many others are full of meetings to attend and strategies to figure out. Each project needs its own level of attention, thought process, and team effort. To succeed, you must always be a step ahead and this can be challenging. There’s a great deal of energy and effort that goes into a marketing career and you may not expect it, but you’ll constantly be learning something new. Whether these lessons come from your colleagues, clients, or even yourself; there’s always something to learn and improve on.
Marketing isn’t easy, but if you put in the energy and the effort you can achieve anything. Starting your marketing career can be intimidating, but you can make it fun! Try not to overload yourself and remember that it’s always okay to ask for help. You should put aside your expectations because when you have an open mind, you can create your best work. Stay excited, invested, creative, humble, and curious to make the best out of your marketing career!
Anastasia is a former marketing intern at RDW Group who has a passion for food and cooking!