What Are The Key Skills Employers Are Looking For In Marketing Professionals

The marketing industry is one of the fastest growing industries. The U.S. Bureau of Labor projected that by 2029, business and financial occupations will grow 5%, faster than the average for all occupations. The specific marketing roles that are expected to grow include: Management analysts, sales managers, and administrative services managers.

So what are the key skills that marketing professionals look for in an employee? In this blog we will take a look at a combination of both soft and hard skills that are vital in marketing. Mastering these skills will enable you to have a lucrative career in the marketing field.

Interpersonal Skills

One of the most important skill sets you can have in marketing is interpersonal skills. CEO Jeff Weiner reported to CNBC stating that interpersonal skills was the biggest skill gap in the U.S workforce. So what are interpersonal skills? They are people skills, the ability to get along with others and solve conflicts, having empathy and diplomacy. There are two big reasons why these are skills marketing professionals are looking for. One being that the current working environment sees four distinct generations working alongside each other. The millennial generation, Generation X, baby boomers, and traditionalists. Having the ability to work well and problem solve with different personalities is desperately needed in marketing. The second reason is that most positions in this field require individuals to work with each other. Every successful marketing team is built on trust and rapport and having great interpersonal skills is the foundation for every great marketing team.

Writing Skills

Writing skills are another crucial skill set to have in the marketing industry. Having the ability to express yourself clearly and effectively is very important in a field where much of the communication between employees, customers, and vendors are through written communication like emails. Marketers are also often responsible for creating and writing brochures, newsletters, and blogs. The higher the quality of the writing will directly affect how well received the message will be.

Listening Skills

It should be no surprise that as valuable as interpersonal and writing skills are, listening skills are also high up on the list. In the marketing field communication is one of the biggest aspects of the industry, and listening is essential to communication. Having good listening skills is not only paying attention to what is being said, but giving your full and active attention to the people who are speaking to you, and assuring them that you are listening by making good eye contact, not interrupting. A huge party of marketing is about listening to the customers and identifying their needs. In order to achieve this you must be an excellent listener.

Teamwork Skills

Having the ability to cooperate and collaborate with your coworkers is important to many career industries, but it is especially important in marketing. Working together to achieve a common goal and managing conflicts is what you can expect to accomplish on a typical marketing team. In marketing you may not just be working with members of your own team, but other departments within the organization as well. You can expect to work with sales, finance, and accounting for a variety of reasons. Having the ability to work well with others is critical to marketing professionals..

Social Media Skills

Having a strong foundation and knowledge in the use of social media is crucial in the marketing profession. Social media continues to climb as one of the most effective areas to reach consumers today. Having a strong understanding of each of the most popular social media platforms, and what audience segment utilizes them is important for creating the content that will resonate with the specific audience you are trying to communicate with. Making this a skill set that is recommended by marketing professionals. On top of social media marketing, search engine, mobile, and content marketing are in high demand.

Data Analytics Skills

Having the ability to analyze data is a skill set that is highly sought after by marketing professionals. Marketers today have access to a vast amount of data and with all this data, marketers have to find meaning. By analyzing the raw facts and figures, marketers can identify current trends and the forecast demand from consumers, to aid in creating effective marketing strategies,

Measurement Skills

Effective communication is extremely important across the entire marketing industry. Internal and external communication is one of the most highly sought after skill sets for marketers, especially those who work closely with clients. Clients may not understand all the technical jargon and concepts within the industry. Agencies are always looking for individuals who can break down the in-depth technical jargon and industry knowledge in a way that can be easily digestible and understandable. Also having high communication skills will enhance your ability to work with other departments, which can lead to better opportunities and growth within the industry.

Problem-Solving Skills

Finally, problem solving skills are extremely important to the field of marketing. In fact, sixty percent of hiring managers feel one of the weakest areas among candidates is a lack of critical thinking and problem solving skills. Marketing is a field that is constantly changing and evolving, and the one thing that will remain consistent in marketing is counting on new challenges and problems to arise. Marketing professionals want employees that can maneuver these challenges and problems and solve them as they come up.

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