How Do You Become a Marketing Manager?
From taking a career in unconventional directions to getting involved in marketing initiatives, here are nine answers to the question, “How did you become a marketing manager?”
- Leveraging Skills and Creativity
- Working Hard and Setting Achievable Goals
- Getting Involved in Marketing Early On
- Taking an Interest in SEO and Content Editing
- Freelancing Post Law School
- Working at Part-Time Jobs Before Graduating
- Being at the Right Place at the Right Time
- Finding a Job With “Unlimited Impact”
- I Studied Hard and Kept Myself Up to Date
Leveraging Skills and Creativity
I became a marketing manager through a unique combination of hard work, creativity, and initiative. Being an early adopter of digital media, I could leverage my technological expertise to take my career in unconventional directions. For example, upon noticing the potential for success that viral campaigns could bring to businesses, I started researching different techniques and developed several successful social media campaigns for clients.
This earned me recognition from several employers and ultimately landed me the opportunity to become a marketing manager. By leveraging new technology and taking initiative with creative ideas, I created a path toward success that otherwise might not have been available to me.
Carly Hill
Operations Manager, Virtual Holiday Party
Working Hard and Setting Achievable Goals
After graduating college with a degree in marketing, I realized the importance of working hard and setting achievable goals. During my first five years in the industry, I increased my experience through hands-on training and various certifications within the field. I stayed current on industry trends and practices while keeping a positive attitude as I socialized with peers and established a presence.
As my resume grew, I attained many skills necessary to take on a managerial position, so when the opportunity presented itself, I took it–and never looked back. All these experiences gave me the tools needed to lead others successfully, allowing me to build an effective team that is engaged in our company’s mission for continued success.
Jim Campbell
Owner, Camp Media
Getting Involved in Marketing Early On
I had always been interested in marketing, but I didn’t know what that meant. I thought it was just advertising, and it wasn’t until high school I realized there was so much more to it than that.
I got involved with the school newspaper, and then when I went to college, I dabbled with student media and wrote for the school paper there. My professors were all very encouraging with this, so after I graduated, I did an internship at a marketing firm and then took a job offer at another firm after that.
It’s hard to say exactly how this happened—it seems like it happened naturally over time as I kept getting more and more involved with these kinds of things.
Rengie Wisper
Marketing Manager, Check CPS
Taking an Interest in SEO and Content Editing
My interest in SEO and content editing gradually led me to pursue a career in marketing. I started researching the complexities of consumer behavior and understanding Google’s algorithms and social media trends. This interest grew into something bigger, which eventually grew into a full-time role as a marketing manager.
As the role progressed, I gained an invaluable understanding of how search engine optimization and quality writing combined can create successful marketing campaigns, allowing our products and services to reach even more people. The journey so far has been both exciting and challenging.
Kate Wojewoda-Celinska
Marketing Manager, Spacelift
Freelancing Post Law School
I pursued a law degree but later decided not to work as an attorney. Then I leveraged my excellent composition and writing skills to land freelance writing jobs producing marketing content. I also have long been self-taught in coding and the more technical aspects of SEO, and could use these skills to help me break into the industry.
Initially, I took short-term gigs, but could eventually become a marketing manager at MuseumHack, which I eventually became part owner of and used to build the Teambuilding.com and tiny campfire brands.
Michael Alexis
CEO, tiny campfire
Working at Part-Time Jobs Before Graduating
During my university studies, I took on part-time jobs in the marketing and advertising industries, working for companies and brands that I admired. This experience was invaluable in teaching me the ropes of the marketing field and providing me with a solid foundation of knowledge.
I joined an established marketing firm and worked my way up the ladder when I graduated, where I used my education, skills, and experience to help the company meet its marketing goals and objectives. During this time, I grew my network and gained a reputation as a reliable and hardworking professional, which eventually led to my being promoted to marketing manager.
My promotion to marketing manager was a major milestone in my career, and I was determined to make the most of the opportunity. I set ambitious goals and worked tirelessly to ensure that the company was meeting its marketing objectives. Later, in 2022, I achieved the promotion to Marketing Director of Hairbro.
Adam Garfield
Marketing Director, Hairbro
Being at the Right Place at the Right Time
I started young in SEO and Marketing, in my early 20s, and got lucky by being in the right place at the right time. I ended up in a director position for a software company in my early 20s and never looked back. 20 years later, I am still in a director’s position, but at a different company. I learned that by constantly educating myself, applying my skills, and seeking new knowledge along the way, there were no limits to my potential.
Michael Lazar
Executive, ReadyCloud
Finding a Job With “Unlimited Impact”
Back in college, I was planning on majoring in programming, but around year 3, out of happenstance, I ended up getting an internship in marketing.
A startup I was interested in was hiring interns in marketing, so I thought I should give it a shot. I ended up loving the role for one simple reason: the impact of my work was virtually unlimited.
One campaign could fail, another could get you hundreds of users, and another still could make you go viral, shooting the company MRR into the stratosphere. I found this exhilarating, so I ended up sticking with marketing instead of programming.
Nick Zviadadze
Founder, MintSEO
I Studied Hard and Kept Myself Up to Date
I was never one to plan out my life, but when I was a student, I developed a newfound passion for marketing. It’s so intriguing to me how a few well-placed advertisements and campaigns could influence people’s behaviors and decisions. I wasn’t sure exactly how to pursue this newfound interest, but I knew I had a knack for it.
While I was finishing up my degree, I took some classes on the side. I was determined to gain the knowledge and experience I needed to become a marketing manager. I studied hard and kept myself up to date with the latest trends and technologies related to marketing.
Finally, I landed a job as a marketing assistant at a small local company. I was eager to put my newfound knowledge to use, and I took every chance I had to get involved in the company’s marketing initiatives. They promoted me to marketing manager, allowing me to pursue my passion full-time.
Ben Basic
CMO, Get It Cleaned
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