There's a shortage of digital skills worldwide. But employers today aren't just focusing on the technical skills of new or existing hires, they are increasingly looking for people with great 'soft skills'.
This can be seen across industries as employers look for people that have a good personality and are a good 'fit' for their organization. While hard skills can help you get an interview, it's often the soft skills that will put you at the top of the pack and land the job. That means skills such as leadership, communication, problem-solving and collaboration.
Let's look at how 'soft-skilling' up could be one of the best ways to future-proof your career to become an unshakeable digital marketer that everyone wants on their team.
“More than 3 in 5 (61%) of professionals say soft skills in the workplace are just as important as hard skills” LinkedIn research
1. The Flexibility to Change (& Adapt)
The digital marketing world moves at a frightening speed with new updates and changes taking place daily. You need to be prepared for (and willing to embrace) change in your career too.
For, example look at how the role of SEO has changed in the past few years. Once quite technical in nature, it can now encompass content creation and relationship-building methods. To succeed in your digital career it’s best to be someone who is not only open to change but someone who thrives on it.
Why employers love it:
Fast-paced companies need employees who can move with the speed of the industry – those who are both willing and wanting to adapt.
Top tip:
Stay open to change and keep up to date with the evolving trends of your specialist area. For example, the upcoming shift at Google to GA4 means that you will need to understand how to use the new platform to get insights from your data.
2. The Drive to Collaborate (& Welcome Help)
The best digital marketers have a broad knowledge of all digital concepts and yet specialize in one particular area. If you become a specialist, you’re going to need a team to help you maximize your concepts and campaigns.
No one digital marketing specialist works alone – for example, your content marketer may need advice from your SEO specialist on how to rank higher in search engines and your SEO specialist may need content when looking at inbound opportunities on third-party sites. So it's important that you like working with other people, can ask for help and are able to collaborate.
Why employers love it:
People who can’t get along with others could bring down the morale of the team, impacting everything from productivity to overall happiness.
Top Tip:
Seek out collaborative projects that involve teamwork – you can then showcase them as examples at your next interview.
3. The Hunger & Passion to Learn
One of the most important factors defining your digital career’s success is your hunger to learn continuously and get better (for you and your employer).
Only one thing will ensure that you keep learning and growing - your passion. In digital marketing it's essential that you find and nurture what you're passionate about – the thing you’d miss if you lost your job tomorrow. That could be project management, data analysis or PPC - it's all about what you love.
Why employers love it:
Companies need self-motivators who are eager to keep learning and trying new things. Because the reality is your manager often doesn’t have the time to keep on top of everything and replies on their team to suggest ideas and be innovative.
Top tip:
Keep up to date with industry news and updates and educate yourself by taking an up-to-date course. Check out our bank of resources to help you do just that!
4. The Ability to Smile (& Have a Great Attitude)
Attitudes drive 89 percent of hiring failures, while technical skills account for only 11 percent according to a Leadership IQ study.
Nothing will future-proof your digital career like a great attitude because it affects everything you do – from how productive you are and how likely you are to get along with other team members to your ability to come up with creative concepts. Think about how much more productive you feel on a day you’re feeling positive and in 'flow mode'.
Why employers love it:
A good attitude will not only help with planning and completing day-to-day tasks but will boost morale and help to make a team work better together.
Top tip:
Kickstart your day with a positive mindset by completing the task/tasks you love most. Your high could help you get through the trickier tasks later.
5. The Desire to Understand (& Solve Problems)
If you’re considering a career in digital marketing, you’d better be curious. If you have the desire to know and understand, you probably also want to figure out how to make something better or fix it. The best curiosity is a mix between the creative desire to try new concepts and the analytical drive to see if they work.
The great thing about digital marketing is that it provides you with the means to do both. An innate curiosity will equip you with the skills needed to spot opportunities, solve problems and be more comfortable taking risks. These are important skills and mindsets of successful digital marketers.
Why employers love it:
Organizations want people who have the curiosity to conceive of and trial new ideas and the ability to analyze and optimize their success.
Top tip:
Think of any problem or issue you've come up against and see how you solved it (or didn't!) Take insight from that learning and see if you can apply it going forward.
(Blog updated May 2023)
Become the Best Digital Marketer You Can Be!
To succeed as a digital marketer, you need up-to-date skills and knowledge that will add value to any company. The Digital Marketing Institute's Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing will not only equip you with key skills like strategy, SEO, social media and analytics but help you to nurture soft skills that are essential in any job. Enroll today to advance your career.
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