First of all, can you give a clear answer to this question: “What are you looking for in marketing?”

When I was a recruiter, I conducted many calls with early marketing talents, and this was the first question that I asked. Surprisingly, 90% of them had a hard time clarifying their goal in marketing. Their answers were often, “I’m open to any marketing roles,” or “I’m still figuring out my path in marketing.”

Here’s the hard truth: when you don’t have a specific goal in marketing, you will have a hard time in your job search. This is because:

1. You won’t find the right resources to achieve your goal

2. You won’t know how to craft a compelling message to market yourself 

3. You won’t impress recruiters/hiring managers when they give you a chance to talk to them

Let’s help you set up your job search goal in marketing by answering the following 5 important questions:

➤Do I want to focus on B2B or B2C Marketing?

Different target audiences need different marketing strategies. Most companies have distinguished marketing segments for their brand, and they will focus on hiring job seekers who have a similar interest or experience in one area. (Read: B2B vs B2C Marketing: 5 Differences Every Marketing Job Seeker Needs to Know)

➤What marketing areas do I like the most? 

Marketing is a big umbrella, and there are different marketing paths that you can start with, such as social media, public relations, brand marketing, etc. The best way to know if you like a specific role is by trying it out. You can volunteer for non-profit organizations or small businesses to help them with their marketing projects. 

➤ What industry am I most passionate about? 

Almost every industry needs a marketer, and it is your job to understand the specific target audiences, trends, competitors, etc. Marketers in the tech industry will come up with a different marketing strategy than in the beauty industry. That's why you need to figure out your passion and put your effort into absorbing knowledge in that one specific area.

➤ What product/service would I like to market? 

Once you choose the industry that you would like to focus on, then you should also think about the specific product or service that you would like to market. For example, Google is under a tech industry, but they have various products that they are working on, such as Google Maps, Google Ads, Pixel, etc. All those products have different target audiences and need specific marketing strategy. 

➤ Why am I passionate about that? Do I have a story for my passion?

Passion matters! And story is always the best way to let others remember you. Don’t just tell people about your job search goal—use your storytelling skills to help them see that you are the right candidate for the role and share your passion to make it so they can’t resist helping you achieve your goal.

Need more help on exploring your marketing career? Or need someone to guide you on using various ways to spot hidden job opportunities in marketing?