18 Digital Marketing Skills Employers Look for in Marketing Candidates

When employers are looking for digital marketing candidates, they are looking for someone with the ability to promote and sell products or services. This involves creating and executing marketing campaigns, as well as working with other departments within the company to ensure that the product or service is being presented in the best possible light. Marketing candidates should also have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as they will need to interact with customers, clients, and other employees on a daily basis.

Furthermore, marketing candidates should also be able to think creatively and come up with new ideas for marketing campaigns. They should be able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines. In addition, employers will want to see that marketing candidates have some experience in the field. A degree in marketing or a related field is also helpful, but not required.

There are certain skills that employers always look for in marketing candidates. These skills can be divided into hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are the specific, tangible skills that are required to do a job, such as the ability to use certain tools or software. Soft skills, on the other hand, are interpersonal or people skills. They include things like communication, teamwork

Finding work in the marketing industry is difficult for many reasons, and not just because it’s competitive. Skill sets often vary, which makes it hard to know what skills are necessary to get the job you want. In this article, we’ll go over five skills employers look for in marketing candidates to help guide you as you explore different marketing positions.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is the process of using various online platforms and tools to promote and sell products or services. This can include anything from social media campaigns and email marketing to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Having strong digital marketing skills is becoming increasingly essential. There are a variety of skills that employers look for when hiring marketing candidates. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, it is crucial that you invest in developing your digital marketing skills.

9 Essential Digital Marketing Soft Skills Employers Want

Marketing is a field that requires creativity, innovation, and excellent communication skills. Employers look for candidates with strong soft skills that can help them succeed in these areas. Some of the most important soft skills for marketing professionals are:

1. Good communication skills

The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written, is essential in any marketing role. Marketing is a fast-paced and ever-changing industry, so being able to communicate clearly and concisely is key to success. As a marketer, you must be able to articulate your ideas and strategies to colleagues, clients and customers. In addition, you will also need to be able to write clear and persuasive copy for various marketing materials.

Good communication skills are essential for any marketing professional working in today’s digital world. If you want to be successful in your career, honing your communication skills should be a top priority. Moreover, according to Search Engine Journal, you need to be confident when addressing stakeholders.

2. Interpersonal skills

Marketing is a people-oriented profession, so employers are looking for candidates with strong interpersonal skills. Candidates should be able to effectively communicate with others, build relationships, and work collaboratively.

In addition, you should be able to clearly articulate their ideas and pitches to colleagues and clients. Furthermore, you should also be a good listener and be able to take feedback well.

3. Teamwork

In any job, but especially in marketing, employers value team players. They want to see that you can work well with others and contribute to a positive work environment. Therefore, having a strong team player mentality is essential in any marketing role.

When employers are looking at your resume, they will be looking for evidence of your teamwork skills. Specifically, they may look for evidence of where you worked with a team or in a group environment. In addition, they may also ask you questions about specific teamwork experiences during an interview.

Some examples of teamwork skills that employers might look for include:

• The ability to take direction from others
• The ability to contribute your own ideas to a team project
• The ability to work well with others toward a common goal
• The ability to compromise and find win-win solutions

4. Creative thinking

The ability to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative ideas is essential in this ever-changing industry.

As a marketing professional, you will be expected to come up with creative solutions to problems, develop original concepts, and produce fresh content. Employers will want to see that you have the ability to think creatively and come up with new ideas.

There are a few things you can do to show that you have the creative thinking skills employers are looking for:

Take on challenging projects: Challenging projects will allow you to push boundaries and come up with creative solutions.

Be open to new ideas: Show that you are open to new ideas and willing to try new things.

Continuously learn: Seek out opportunities to learn new things and expand your knowledge base; this will help you generate new and innovative ideas.

5. Persuasion Skills

According to an article by the University of Pennsylvania, persuasion skill is valuable for employees in any industry. In fact, it is one of the most in-demand soft skills employers look for.

Some of the most important persuasion skills that employers look for in marketing candidates are:

a) The ability to sell products or services: Marketing candidates need to be able to persuade potential customers to buy what they’re selling. This requires confidence, knowledge of the product or service, and an understanding of customer needs and desires.

b) The ability to negotiate: Marketing is all about negotiation – from negotiating prices with suppliers to crafting deals with clients. Candidates who can effectively negotiate will be highly prized by employers.

c) The ability to influence others: In order to be successful in marketing, you need to be able to influence the behavior of others – whether it’s convincing a client to try a new product or convincing your team to adopt a new strategy. If you can convincingly influence others, you will be highly sought-after by employers.

6. Adaptability

The ability to adapt is essential in today’s marketing landscape because the landscape itself is always changing. What works today might not work tomorrow. For example, a new social media platform could suddenly become popular, or a new marketing tactic could prove to be more effective than what you’re currently using. So marketing candidates need to be comfortable with change and able to pivot quickly to new strategies. This means being able to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions to problems.

If you’re a marketing candidate who is adaptable and can easily pivot to new strategies, you’ll be in high demand by employers. So make sure to highlight your ability to change and think creatively when you’re applying for marketing jobs.

7. Multitasking Skills

In the world of digital marketing, being able to multitask is an essential skill. As a marketing professional, you will often be working on multiple projects at once, and you need to be able to juggle all of these balls without dropping any.

Employers are looking for marketers who can handle multiple tasks simultaneously and still produce high-quality work. If you can show that you can take on more than one project at a time and complete them all successfully, you’ll be a prime candidate for any marketing position.

8. Curiosity

To be a successful marketing professional, you need to possess a strong sense of curiosity. This involves constantly asking questions and seeking out new information in order to better understand your target audience and the ever-changing landscape of marketing. Curiosity will help you develop creative and innovative solutions to problems, as well as think outside the box when it comes to campaigns and strategies.

9. Time Management

Employers are looking for marketing candidates with the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and stay organized even when things are hectic.

One way to show employers that you’re good at time management is to highlight your organizational skills in your resume and cover letter. For example, if you have experience managing multiple projects at once, mention that in your materials. Moreover, you can also share examples of times when you had to juggle a lot of tasks and still met your goals.

In addition to discussing your time-management skills in your job application materials, be prepared to talk about them during interviews as well. Employers will likely ask questions about how you handle pressure and prioritize tasks. So having specific examples ready will help show them that you’re the right candidate for the job.

Overall, demonstrating strong time-management skills is essential if you want to impress employers and land a job in marketing.

9 Essential Digital Marketing Hard Skills Employers Want

Marketing is a complex field that combines creative and strategic thinking. As a result, employers are looking for marketing candidates with a mix of hard and soft skills.

Hard skills are the technical skills that you need to be able to do the job. For marketing positions, this includes understanding basic concepts like market research, target markets, and the 4 P’s of marketing (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). It also includes more specific skills like copywriting, graphic design, web development, and social media marketing.

1. SEO strategy

According to Lamar University, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the key to digital marketing. As a result, employers are looking for candidates with a solid understanding of SEO. Your resume should demonstrate your ability to create and optimize content for both users and search engines. In addition, you should be able to show that you can track and analyze data to continually improve your efforts.

The best way to show off your SEO skills is to have a strong online presence. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and includes relevant keywords. Start a blog or write articles for industry publications. And be active on social media, sharing your own content and engaging with others in your field. By doing all of this, you’ll not only catch the attention of employers, but you’ll also position yourself as an authority in the field—and that’s exactly what they’re looking for.

2. Video content creation

According to a recent study by Explain Ninja, a whopping 86 percent of marketing professionals use video as a marketing tool. This is because 88% of customers say they would like to see more videos from brands. As a result, virtually 61% of brands have made video content creation a major part of their marketing plan.

As a result, employers are increasingly looking for marketing candidates who have experience in creating video content.

If you’re looking to make a career in marketing, it’s important that you have some experience in creating videos. Employers will want to see that you understand how to use video to engage customers and promote products or services.

There are a few things that you can do to make sure that your video skills are up to par:

Take some time to learn about the different types of video content that businesses create: There are product videos, brand videos, explainer videos, demo videos, and more.

Understand the basics of video creation, including storyboarding, scripting, shooting, editing, and exporting.

Get some hands-on experience by creating your own videos or working on projects for friends or family members. This will help you build up your portfolio and show potential employers what you’re capable of.

3. Analytical skills

The ability to analyze data and make decisions based on that data is critical in today’s business world. Marketing candidates who have strong analytical skills will be able to understand and interpret data, identify trends, and make recommendations based on their findings.

According to a report from Southern New Hampshire University, employers are looking for marketing professionals with a good knowledge of Google Analytics, Google and Facebook Ads, HubSpot and Hootsuite. Moreover, according to the University of Phoenix, Google Analytics insights are essential for both digital marketers and businesses to succeed.

4. Research Skills

Marketing is a competitive field, and employers are looking for candidates with the right skills to get the job done. Here are some of the research skills that employers look for in marketing candidates:

The ability to find and use data to support marketing decisions: Marketing is all about making decisions based on data, so employers want candidates who know how to find and use data to support their decisions.

Conduct market analysis: Market analysis is a critical part of marketing, and employers want candidates who know how to do it.

Create and manage surveys: Surveys are a key tool in marketing research, and employers want candidates who know how to create and manage them.

The ability to write reports: Reports are another key deliverable in marketing, and employers want candidates who know how to write them effectively.

5. Experience with marketing software

From start to finish, your experience with marketing software should be top-notch. In other words, you should possess a working knowledge of various software programs and be able to use them to their full potential.

As a marketing professional, you should be well-versed in at least one major marketing software program, such as Hootsuite, Marketo, or HubSpot. In addition, you should be able to create and manage campaigns, track results, and generate reports. Furthermore, you should also be comfortable using basic design tools, such as Canva or Photoshop, to create visuals for your campaigns.

6. Pay-per-click advertising | Paid Search Marketing

PPC, or pay-per-click, advertising is a type of digital marketing in which businesses can purchase ads that appear on search engine results pages. This type of marketing is an effective way to drive traffic to a website and generate leads.

To be successful with PPC advertising, you need to have a strong understanding of keywords and how they are used in search engine algorithms. In addition, you also need to be able to create concise and persuasive ad copy that will convince users to click on your ad. Furthermore, you need to be able to track the performance of your ads so that you can optimize your campaigns for maximum ROI. Learn more about PPC from this Old Dominion University article.

7. Social media marketing

As a marketing candidate, it is important to be skilled in social media marketing. With over 4 billion active social media users worldwide, it is essential for businesses to have a strong presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. As a potential employee, you will be expected to create and implement successful social media campaigns that generate engagement and lead to conversions.

Some skills that employers may look for in regard to social media marketing include:

• The ability to develop and execute strategic social media plans
• Creating engaging and shareable content
• An understanding of how to use different social media platforms for different purposes
• The ability to measure and analyze social media metrics
• Experience with paid social media advertising

This Boston University article highlights five tips for successful social media marketing.

8. Email marketing

Email marketing is one of the most important skills that employers look for. Candidates should have experience creating and managing email campaigns, as well as knowledge of email marketing software and platforms. In addition, employers want candidates who can segment their lists, customize their messages, and track the results of their campaigns.

If you’re applying for a marketing position, make sure to highlight your email marketing skills on your resume and in your cover letter. Include information about the campaigns you’ve managed, the software you’re familiar with, and the results you’ve achieved. The goal is to get your resume noticed. And don’t forget to show off your ability to segment your lists and customize your messages! For example, “I managed an abandoned cart email campaign that resulted in a 12% increase in lost sales recovery.”

9. Content marketing

Content marketing is another necessary skill for any marketer. The skill involves consistently creating and distributing valuable, relevant content targeting a clearly defined audience. And as a result, to ultimately drive profitable customer action. Candidates should have experience creating various types of content (e.g., blog posts, e-books, infographics, case studies, etc.), as well as knowledge of content distribution channels (e.g., social media, email, etc.). In addition, employers want candidates who can measure the results of their content marketing efforts.

If you’re applying for a marketing position, make sure to highlight your content marketing skills on your resume and in your cover letter. Include information about the types of content you’ve created, the channels you’ve used to distribute it, and the results you’ve achieved. And don’t forget to mention your ability to measure the success of your content marketing campaigns!

This Grand Canyon University article highlights five tips for successful content marketing.

Conclusion

If you’re interested in a digital marketing career, it’s important to know what skills employers are looking for. In this article, I’ve listed 18 of the most essential skills that every marketing candidate should have. From being able to communicate effectively to understanding how content marketing works, these skills will help you stand out from the crowd and land your dream marketing job. So what are you waiting for? Start honing your skills today and get one step closer to an exciting career in marketing!