the leap from uni to a digital marketing career: top tips from our graduate paid media executive

“Flaunt Digital has made the fairly overwhelming jump from university to a job role feel very seamless.” 

Bridging the gap between finishing university and taking that first step into your new job can be a daunting experience. There will be an abundance of changes, from working to a different timetable, setting an alarm clock and forever learning new skills within your field. 

Shocking stats show that it can take up to six months for a graduate to get a job. Is this due to lack of experience, not mastering the art of CVs or something else entirely? When it came to applying for the graduate Paid Media Executive role at Flaunt Digital, Abby embraced every step and is now loving her role within the PPC team.

In this blog post, Abby shares how she found the leap from university to employment and how you can stand out when applying for your next paid media role. 

What Is Paid Media?

Are you forever wondering how ads pop up for something similar to the exact thing you’ve been searching for? Well, that is paid media advertising. Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising allows brands to pay for hyper-targeted ads for specific items or services to be delivered to relevant consumers. These customers are found if they’ve searched for a specific item or service, have similar interests to a business’ item or service, or can be simply based on demographics. Essentially, paid media is a component of a complete digital marketing strategy.

Why You Should Get A Job In PPC Marketing 

When working as a paid media graduate, you are often thrown in at the deep end to work on a variety of different paid media projects. To name a couple, there’s the management of paid digital marketing campaigns, paid search, display and social advertising, search engine marketing, programmatic, paid social, broadcast, affiliate, Amazon and more. 

You need to put yourself in the mind of the customer and write content that is attention-grabbing that you yourself would be compelling enough to click on. Conduct extensive research to discover what the target audience is searching for. Test out which type of ads would best for different clients. Make quick changes when they aren’t working. 

So, now you know what PPC is all about, do you have what it takes to be a Graduate Paid Media Executive?

Do you enjoy writing creative content? You’ll need to be creative, break all the rules and produce effective, attention-grabbing ads. 

Can you be strategic? A paid media expert puts themselves in the shoes of their brand’s consumers when writing copy and creating strategies. 

Are you motivated and data-driven? In paid media you will be analysing numbers, charts, spreadsheets. If you love Google Analytics, you’ll love paid media.

Are you a people person? Working closely with clients is key and adding a personal touch to your work will only strengthen client and consumer relationships. 

Are you passionate about the latest trends? Digital marketing is a fast paced industry that is forever changing. When working within paid media you must be passionate about the current world’s trends and keep up to date with the forever-changing world of digital. 

5 Top Tips To Help Secure A Career In PPC 

Rave about your weaknesses, not just your strengths 

Don’t be afraid to talk about the areas of the job description where you may require a little extra help with. A graduate role is all about learning, so show off your willingness to learn – it will go a long way. Graduate roles are all about building your portfolio, finding your passion for the role and identifying your strengths. 

Be yourself 

Always be yourself! Whether you’re writing your CV or going for an interview,  you’ll need to showcase your passion for marketing, but also bring your personality to the table too. Embrace the things you love outside of work, tell your prospective employer why your personality and interests will bring value to the business and your role – big yourself up! 

Time to tailor your CV 

From creative CVs to not even sending a CV in at all, the ways people apply for jobs is forever changing. Allow your CV and cover letter to truly showcase everything you have to offer . Tailor all your past experiences, even if they aren’t within the marketing field, to the job you are applying for. Working in hospitality will have built your skills in customer relationships and having a job within retail will have taught you time management and planning – use everything to your advantage. 

Get creative 

Why not plan out a whole PPC campaign? Take your interview to the next level and show off everything you can already create. It doesn’t have to be fully out there, just simply show your passion for the role you are applying for. Plus, showcasing an example of your creative work is a great talking point for an interview. 

Follow-up emails are key!

Finally, send the business a follow-up email. State that it was lovely to meet them, thank them for their time, and highlight briefly again why you think you are the perfect fit for their business. They will really appreciate you continuing the communication. 

My Time At Flaunt Digital As A Graduate Paid Media Executive  So Far

When starting at Flaunt Digital as a new Graduate Paid Media Executive I was thrown straight into the deep end. It was hands on, but at a nice steady pace, so you can really embrace the role and learn on the way. It bridged the gap between education and work life as from the get-go you feel an important part of the team whilst managing your own time and tasks. 

Flaunt Digital has made the fairly overwhelming jump from university to a job role feel very seamless. This has been down to the support I’ve received from the team and the notion that every move you make isn’t micromanaged – it’s more about holding yourself accountable. I couldn’t think of a better place to start my career.

Flaunt is a fun working environment, with your typical digital marketing ping-pong table (we aren’t even sorry), staff events, its own podcast – Resting Pitch Face, webinars and more. You really feel at home at Flaunt Digital and it has been a great place to start a career in paid media marketing.

For more digital marketing tips and advice on the future of marketing, follow Flaunt Digital on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.