At a high-level, it's relatively simple...but you don't just wany any job, you want the job.
For better or worse, so much of this comes down to lucky connections (even 2nd/3rd level) and being in the right place at the right time. But you can tilt the odds in your favor by making a variety of subtle to more substantial tweaks to your day-to-day. The basics include:
- ✍️ Talk about what you know
- 📣 Share your expertise
- 👋 Offer to help others
- 🤝 Network!
But it goes beyond that - so let's dig a little more into to solve for both how to get promoted at your current job, and how to score that next role at another company.
Thriving Within Your Current Company
Upskill Regularly
Digital Dynamics: As technology and platforms evolve, so must your skills. Whether it’s mastering new analytics tools or understanding shifting audience behaviors, proactive learning ensures you stay relevant.
Course Recommendations: Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning host a plethora of courses on digital marketing, content strategy, and audience analytics.
Engage in Peer Learning: Set up monthly knowledge-sharing sessions with colleagues. Sharing insights from different projects can open up a plethora of learning.
Build Cross-Functional Relationships
The Power of Unity: Integrating with sales, content, or design teams can produce campaigns that are more harmonized and effective.
Initiate Joint Meetings: Organize regular touchpoints with these teams to align on objectives.
Showcase Value: Present to them how audience development can augment their goals, thereby fostering collaboration.
Showcase Your Results
Metrics Matter: Use visualization tools to represent your successes. Charts, graphs, or even simple percentage growth figures can have a profound impact.
Storytelling with Data: Narrate success stories during team meetings. A campaign that resulted in a 20% engagement boost has a narrative, share it!
Push for Tech Investments: If certain tools can enhance your results, make a case for their acquisition.
Take on Leadership Roles
Project Ownership: Volunteer for projects that others might shy away from. These often come with learning curves and visibility.
Organize Workshops: Share insights and strategies in interactive sessions. This not only boosts your profile but aids in team growth.
Mentorship: Guide junior members. It not only demonstrates leadership but also ensures that the team's quality of work rises.
Seek Feedback
The Growth Catalyst: Regular check-ins with mentors or managers can give insights into your strengths and areas to improve upon.
Feedback Forums: Organize quarterly feedback sessions. These structured forums can offer valuable perspectives.
Act on Feedback: More than gathering feedback, acting on it makes the difference. Show that you’re committed to growth.
The world of audience development is teeming with opportunities. By taking a proactive approach, embracing continual learning, and networking passionately, your career trajectory can soar. Here’s to your enriched journey in audience development!
Making Your Next Career Move
Update Your Online Presence
LinkedIn and Beyond: Aside from LinkedIn, platforms like Twitter or Medium, where you share industry insights, can bolster your professional image.
Portfolio Power: Showcase projects, highlighting challenges faced, strategies employed, and the results achieved.
Engage Actively: Comment on posts, share relevant articles, and be part of discussions. It keeps you in the limelight.
Network Actively
Industry Associations: Associations like the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) often have networking events. Participate actively.
Online Forums: Engage in platforms like Quora or Reddit where professionals discuss industry challenges.
Local Workshops: Attend or even organize local meet-ups. These informal settings can lead to meaningful connections.
Customize Your Application
Research is Key: Delve deep into the company’s objectives before applying. Align your application with their vision.
The STAR Technique: When detailing experiences, use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) technique to make your achievements impactful.
Follow Up: A gentle reminder post-application can keep you on the recruiter’s radar.
Stay Abreast with Industry Trends
Subscriptions: Subscribe to newsletters like Content Marketing Institute or AdAge for the latest industry news.
Webinars & Conferences: These gatherings offer not just learning but also networking opportunities.
Competitor Watch: Analyze what industry leaders are doing. Their strategies can offer valuable insights.
Prepare for Behavioral Questions
Anticipate Scenarios: Think of past situations where you resolved conflicts, met tight deadlines, or innovated. Narrate them compellingly.
Results-Oriented Responses: Frame your answers to highlight positive outcomes, showcasing your problem-solving capabilities.
Mock Interviews: Practice with peers. They can provide a fresh perspective on your responses.
Be Open to Contract Roles
Diverse Experience: Contract roles expose you to different company cultures and strategies in a short span.
Potential Stepping Stone: Many companies use contract positions as a trial before offering full-time roles.
Flexibility: Such roles often come with the advantage of flexible hours or remote work.
Always NegotiateKnow Your Worth: Research industry salary standards for your role. Websites like Glassdoor or Payscale can assist.
Beyond Salary: Consider other benefits like work-life balance, professional development funds, or health benefits.
Be Reasonable: While pushing for what you deserve, also understand the company's constraints.
Listen, it can be scary our there. Employers are fickle based on macro economic factors, and that trickles down to the hiring manager who may not always know the full picture of a role they are planning on (or hoping to) hire.
Focus on the value that you bring to the table, and be realistic. Sometimes those operational roles are of the upmost importance, they need someone to build the audience queries, flight the ads, post the content, and sell the sponsorships. Other times the goal internally is a higher-level strategic thinker, they want someone to come in and challenge the status quo because they know they need to do something different to get to the next level.
You know yourself better than anyone, so don’t try to chameleon into a different person just to land the gig…it won’t work out for you (or them) longterm.
Finally - ask the right questions of the employer at the right time. It’s a two-way relationship, not everything is going to work out and that doesn’t mean you are bad at your job or interview skills. It just means both sides are looking for the right relationship.
But while there are lots of challenges, there are also more opportunities. Remote work, digital skills, etc all open up extra windows and in a role like audience there are lots of emerging opportunities as companies double-down on first party data to reinvent their own strategies.
Good luck out there!
