I’m a 25-year-old digital marketing graduate who is currently looking for a position in my hometown of Dublin – and I know I’m not the only one!
The college years
I began studying marketing management in the 2010s. Although many aspects of marketing were covered, the course mainly focused on traditional marketing channels and management. This was a great foundation, but I was very much aware while I was there that digital marketing was taking off rapidly. And so, when the end of my studies neared, I had a hard think about what I would like to do next. Would I start working straight away? Go travelling and tick a few things off the bucket list? Or should I continue my studies, and pick an area that would give me a distinct competitive advantage when searching for a job. After a lot of thought, I decided to do a post-graduate diploma in digital marketing. I felt strongly that digital marketing would become increasingly more important as time went on.
I graduated with a degree in Marketing Management and, by August of that same year, I was beginning my studies in Digital Marketing. From the first instant, I knew this was an area I would like to work in. I have always been a technologically savvy person and enjoy the analytical side of marketing. Similar to most marketers, I have good presentation and interpersonal ability, so naturally I loved how marketing gave me the opportunity to connect with people, whether that was dealing with people in the office or delivering messages to people by creating integrate marketing campaigns. The human aspect is what really drove me to marketing. The more I studied marketing from a digital aspect, the more I felt sure I was doing the right thing.
The trials and tribulations of being a graduate
In November, I graduated from the Digital Marketing Institute with a merit in digital marketing. By the following week I had started to apply for jobs via LinkedIn, IrishJobs.ie and monster.ie – all the usual channels a graduate would use in seeking a job. After writing countless cover letters and filling out an infinite number of application forms, I was fed up. Not because I was tired of looking for a job, but I was tired of applying and never hearing a single word back from any of the organisations I applied to. Christmas came and went without a single interview. I decided to change tactics in the new year. Instead of filling out application forms and sending them off and hoping to hear back, I began to use every resource available to me.
I began by telling everyone I knew I was looking for a job. As I worked in a bar, I found it was a great conversation starter because everyone has advice for looking for a job, but also there was always a chance they might know someone in the industry. I told all my friends and family to keep an ear to the ground for any marketing positions that they may hear of.
The job hunt went on! I began to realize my lack of experience in an office environment was holding me back. As neither course offered an internship programme, I had no chance of getting any office experience. By mid-January I had secured my first interview with a digital agency with the help of my friend who recently left the firm. The interview went well, however the role was sales focused and they felt I was too inexperienced for the role which I thought was fair given my circumstances at the time. The interview wasn’t entirely a waste of time – I got invaluable interview experience and the interviewer passed my CV on to a contact he knew in digital marketing recruitment.
Persistence pays off!
After an introduction with the digital marketing recruiter – Graham Morris, here at Connexus Recruit – we agreed to have a chat over coffee. Graham was looking for someone to do administration work, to improve CRM and to update databases. Considering my situation at the time, I jumped at the opportunity. It wasn’t what I was initially applying for, but it was a start. I knew it would give me the opportunity to get that crucial experience I clearly needed and enable me to pick things up from an industry I aspire to be a part of. As I’ve been told several times before, it’s easier to find a job when you have a job.
During my time here, I have had several interviews in a hope to secure a position with an agency and start my marketing career. With the invaluable experience I’m receiving by working here and now that my CV shows that I am currently employed, I have been receiving more and more interviews and introductions. Most of these interviews have been coming from word of mouth recommendations or because my CV has been passed on from my friends or family. I’m not the first person to say the marketing industry is all about networking, but I can affirm that this was the first thing I learnt as a marketing graduate looking for a job.
My advice to any graduate out there is welcome every opportunity with open arms. Opportunities can literally come from anywhere, but will also get to the people who put themselves out there. Also, don’t just do what everyone else is doing – use every resource available to you! Whether that means telling people you’re looking for a job or availing of your friends’ and family’s help. You’ll be surprised what can come from doing something so simple. And, finally… persistence, persistence, persistence.
If you are currently looking for a job within Digital Marketing, Design, eCommerce or Tech, reach out to a member of the Connexus Recruit team to arrange a chat.
