Choosing one career path to pursue can be a rather arduous task. You want to be sure you pick something that speaks to your interests and talents, yet at the same time has job growth and demand so that your odds of finding that dream job increase. It’s truly a balance between what you want to do and what’s available out there. So, when you can find a career that checks off both of those criteria, it’s only natural to go full steam ahead. Of course, if you want to guarantee success, you need to be sure you’re prepared and have everything that employers will require of you to land that job.
For those who have their eye on the job of a marketing analyst, you know better than anyone that the field has promise. It’s growing, there is a demand for these kinds of professionals in a variety of industries, and this trend doesn’t seem to show signs of slowing. But what will you need in order to land that job? How can you become a successful marketing analyst?
Here are some of the key steps you can take.
Ensure You Understand the Job
A good place to start is by making sure you have a firm grip on what exactly a marketing analyst does. It’s hard to call it your “dream job” if you don’t fully appreciate and understand what it entails. A marketing analyst is often described as one of the most challenging and difficult jobs within the marketing industry/department. That factor alone may be what draws you in – perhaps you like the idea of a challenge at work as it keeps things fresh and interesting?
In this role it will be up you to analyse all kinds of data and information and then use the results to help figure out which products the company should sell, and of course how to do it in a way that guarantees the highest profits possible.
A big part of the job is figuring out a way to guarantee results, which means you need to identify and then eliminate risks that pertain to the marketing of the product/service. Some of the data you’ll need to analyse include consumer dropout rates, the return on investment, and the response rate of marketing campaigns and efforts. You’ll also need to stay on top of what the competition is doing, analysing their efforts – successes and failures.
There is a real emphasis on attention to detail, statistics and numbers here, so this needs to be something you feel comfortable with.
Further Your Education – Better Your Odds of Finding a Job
In terms of your education, this is something that you can include on your CV and that can help you to get a leg up on the competition. You don’t want the bare minimum in terms of qualifications; you want to prove you’re ready to step into the role of a marketing analyst and hit the ground running.
One of the best ways to do that is to obtain your Masters in Business Analytics with an institution like Aston University, which will give you the practical knowledge you’ll need on the job. Some of the things you’ll learn through this programme include how to evaluate and assess large quantities of data, how to predict and project outcomes and patterns, how to perfect your decision-making process, and how to come up with viable and success solutions that businesses can adopt.
This Masters takes two years to complete, and if you opt for the online offering then you can take advantage of an affordable option that is also flexible – allowing you to work while obtaining your degree.
Craft the Perfect CV
You also want to make sure you take the time to craft the perfect CV, making sure it contains all relevant information, yet it must be short and concise. Considering you may be applying for highly competitive job openings, any edge you can give yourself is wise.
So, how do you craft the perfect CV? There are a few tips worth taking note of:
- Make sure you have an opening statement that is customised to each job. You don’t want it to be a standard statement that goes out to every employer; instead, take the opportunity to add something personal and tweak it each time you send in a CV. This statement can often make or break your odds of getting noticed.
- You always want to list your skills, but make sure they’re skills that are relevant to the job.
- All responsibilities and achievements should be listed in order of priority or importance. Whichever are most relevant to the job, and whichever help you to stand out the most should appear at the top of the list.
- Don’t make the CV too long; ideally you want to keep it to a couple of pages. This is meant to be a brief introduction to you and your qualifications, skills, and experience.
- List all qualifications, degrees, and diplomas starting with the most recent ones first.
- Update your CV as needed; make sure it stays fresh and up-to-date.
- Ensure it is free of all spelling and grammatical errors, which could mean having a friend or family read it over for you.
Networking Is a Fabulous Tool
It’s often said that landing that perfect job is all about who you know, and there is certainly some truth to that. While it’s not always going to be the case, networking can open a lot of doors and introduce you to people in the industry that you may not have connected with otherwise.
If you’re going to network, set a goal for yourself to take advantage of online tools and traditional methods of networking. This means using digital tools like LinkedIn and then also attending industry events in-person where you can meet face-to-face with those in-the-know.
By following these tips, staying consistent with your efforts, and believing in yourself and your abilities, you’ll be setting yourself up for success as a marketing analyst. Just remember to also show patience, as finding the perfect job doesn’t tend to happen overnight.
