3 Tips for Landing a Graduate Job in Marketing

As it’s National Careers Week, I thought I’d go agony-aunt on you and offer some advice to those who are in the same position as I was a year ago: soon to be leaving University and looking for a graduate job in marketing.

Congrats! You’ve survived university life; from sleep deprivation to pot noodles and pints, you’ve managed to make it out alive. So, what now?

I remember that feeling all too well: the freedom from education but the equally overwhelming fear of what the hell to do next. It seems like everyone around you has it worked out. Many have snagged high flying grad schemes; others are jetting off to travel the world and some are staying on for a post-graduate degree.

But despite the rising sense of panic you might have, there are a few things you can do survive the post-graduation blues and be on the path to landing your dream graduate job in marketing.

Practice makes perfect with interviews & applications

I can feel eyes rolling on how clichéd this first tip is but it’s so true. The more time you put into searching for jobs, the more you’ll get out. Granted, application processes are time-consuming. Filling in 1000+ word answer boxes on ‘what makes you a good candidate’ can be soul-destroying – but sending a half-hearted application won’t get you anywhere.

The more interviews you attend and applications you submit, the more confident you’ll feel. You’ll start to build up a bank of standard answers to those dreaded behavioural interview questions, and before long you’ll be reciting the STAR method in your sleep.

Using Glassdoor to research a specific company’s interview processes can be helpful and subscribing to the saviour that is CareerVidz on YouTube is a MUST.

LinkedIn is your new best friend

If you’re not already on LinkedIn, go away and sign up. A dramatic statement I know, but seriously, create an account and treat it like an online CV of sorts. Include as much professional information as you can about yourself to prove to future employers that you are a well-rounded individual with a multitude of skills and experience that could be put to good use in their workplace.

Start to build up a strong network as soon as you have completed your profile. Begin by connecting with your peers and lecturers, then branch out into the industry you want to work in. Join interest groups and follow companies you would like to work for. You never know when a connection will come in handy. The bigger your network, the more chance of a job referral.

Turning on your job notifications for LinkedIn is always a winner. You can program your account to send you alerts for certain companies, industries, or specific job titles, so that you’ll never miss out on that killer opportunity again.

Portfolios are a Godsend

When applying for graduate marketing jobs, I found that taking a portfolio to an interview can be the difference between a job offer and a job rejection. A portfolio can help show the hiring manager how serious you are about proving you’re the right candidate for the role. You’re literally demonstrating that you have taken the time to identify your skills and experience and provided examples of how they can relate to the job.

And, as a bonus, bringing a portfolio with you to an interview can make you feel 10x more prepared. It gives you a talking point to keep referring to if needed and can help make it easier to better describe your experience. It’s one thing to tell an employer about your skills and accomplishments, but it’s another to provide them with tangible examples to demonstrate your knowledge.

I recommend Flo Create for portfolio design inspo, and be sure to follow her Tik Tok.

I hope these tips were of use and wishing you graduates the best luck on the road to landing your dream marketing job. If you’re interested in hearing some more career advice from people in the know, check out my colleague Molly Norman’s blog on dealing with working a 9-5.

And don’t forget to check our own careers page for vacancies here at Nielsen McAllister.