There’s something nostalgic about looking back at your time at University – especially when looking to offer advice.
Like that one time you were stranded in the library preparing for your last exam. Or the time you were rushing to print your coursework and realised you had run out of print credits. Frustrating at the time, but when you look back, there’s always a lesson learnt.
University offers so much, yet it’s often under utilised by students. This is sometimes only realised by graduating students when it’s too late to seize those opportunities.
So this is me, who has been there, done that, passing the baton of advice on to any Under-grad or Post-grad students who may be considering their future in digital marketing. The following tips are lessons I wish had been passed down to me in my time of need. So if you’re preparing for graduation, or just want to get ahead, check them out and let me know what you think!
Whether you plan to secure a grad scheme, start your career or just go travelling, one day your time at university will amount to something, and if you knuckle down now you’ll be thankful later.
University is a great opportunity to discover yourself and gain independence, but at the end of the day you don’t want it to be wasted time. The key take-home from this post is to make the most of your time at university, but how…
I’m adamant the most valuable aspect of my time at University was my placement year. Before we go any further this isn’t a 'uni-bashing' article. There’s no 'I learnt more in one week on the job than I did at Uni' sentiment around here, and this is why…
I spent over 15 months working for a sports travel business, heading up their online marketing. During this period I was exposed to challenges that I’d never faced before, and I was forced to develop new skills.
One of the key benefits of my placement wasn’t skill related, it was more human than that. It was focus and determination and it transferred directly to university.
When I returned to university I knew what I wanted and the only way to get that was to knuckle down and be committed to my course, expand my knowledge and achieve the grades I knew I was capable of.
With half of recent UK graduates stuck in non-graduate jobs the graduate job market is as competitive as ever. The long and short of it is that you need experience. I was lucky that Leeds Metropolitan University had a great Careers Advice Centre that helped prepare me for applications and interviews. If you aren’t as lucky at your university then there’s plenty of resources out there. Just check out Target Jobs or Milkround and get searching for your placement year.
Along with their careers advice team, Leeds Met also have great international links which allow students to spend a semester abroad through their Study Abroad Programme.
Now I wasn’t lucky enough to get an exchange, but it’s one of my biggest regrets. Not only does it provide great life experience, but in today’s growing international community, having experience working overseas could just be the different in helping you secure that dream job after graduation.
If you get the chance then apply. Don’t have regrets.
Once you’ve spent some time working in the marketing industry you get a feel for where you want to progress. For me it was digital, and if you’re reading this article then you’ve at least got a slight interest in digital marketing.
With the fast pace nature of digital it’s critical to keep up-to-date with the latest trends by staying plugged in to key industry resources such as Smart Insights, Econsultancy and Mashable
There are also some great specialist resources out there such as Moz for the SEO inclined, as well as one of my favourite digital resources, QuickSprout
Along with the great resources outlined in the previous point, there are also some fantastic opportunities to gain recognised digital certifications.
Google Analytics Academy is at the fore-front of digital certification, and there courses are a ‘must-have’ for those starting out in digital. The syllabus is a great way to learn the basics of Google Analytics at your own pace with video tutorials to help you along the way, plus it’s FREE so what are you waiting for?
If you followed my recent post about digital analytics you’ll see that there’s a wide range of certifications available. However the Digital Analytics Fundamentals is a great start and should you pass, it’s a fantastic addition to your CV.
One of the greatest marketing books I’ve ever read is 'The New Rules of Marketing & PR# David Meerman Scott. This book helped spur my interest in digital marketing, and I don’t know where I would be in my marketing career had I decided not to open the first page.
Engage, expand, enjoy…
During university you learn a lot about yourself. The first two years of university you find yourself, make new friends and get to grips with your degree. You pick up areas of interest; you get to know what you do and don’t like.
During your final year things change and it gets serious. You’ll notice a switch in behaviour amongst your fellow students. Rather than a wild night out, many will hit the hay, knowing full well that tomorrow they’ve got a big library session on their hands. Don’t worry though, there’s still plenty of time for fun.
You need to know your subject and actually be prepared for your seminars and lectures by reading around the topic. Not only does this help you understand the module, but you’ll find that you’re actually engaged with the seminar and you’ll get more out of your time at university.
Trust me when I say the most important place on campus is the library. Your time spent here can literally make or break what grade you get.
Engage with the subject, find your passion and get after it. You’ll thank me later.
This point follows on from the previous but it’s that important it requires an extra emphasis.
In my first two years at university I did very little (if any) reading around my subject. I thought I could do enough by just cramming the week before deadlines.
The truth is that 70% of your final grade is decided by your final year. It just isn’t good odds to gamble your degree on being able to cram a year’s worth of study into the two weeks before finals.
Read around your module, challenge popular theory by offering different points of view. Again, just engage with the subject, you’ll reap the rewards both in your grades and your overall enjoyment.
So you’ve put in the hard yards and you’ve got the grade you wanted. Next up is to secure that dream grad job. Truth is most the good graduate schemes start their application process quite early on in the academic year, so if you don’t want to miss the buck you best be prepared. A good place to start is by visiting recruitment popular recruitment websites, as well as The Times 100 Top Graduate Employers
With Digital Marketing being somewhat of a niche when it comes to grad schemes your going to have to do a bit of digging. Most agencies have some great internship posts, particularly if you have a language or two under your belt.
Econsultancy’s Jake Hird wrote a great article a while back which highlighted who’s investing in digital marketing grad schemes. A belter of an article and if you want to get into digital marketing then check it out.
Okay there’s been some hard hitters in this post. I don’t want you to think I’m all work no play. I had a great time at university, I made some great memories that I’ll never forget and have made some fantastic friends.
However would it have been worth if I chose not to study, flunked out and didn’t achieve what I went to university for in the first place? In my mind it wouldn’t have been. It’s not cool or clever to be the clown.
Enjoy yourself, study hard, and have fun, you’ll have a much better time for it come graduation when you’re celebrating your achievements with your friends and family.
Image Credit/Copyright: hxdbzxy :123RF Stock Photo
Thanks to Todd Bullions for sharing their advice and opinions in this post. Todd is 23 years old and passionate about digital marketing. He works in Email Marketing, an area of digital that fascinates me, however this is just one aspect of the digital jigsaw. He uses his blog as a platform to discuss digital best practice and the latest trends with other like-minded young digital marketers out there. Whether you get your kicks from SEO, PPC, Email or Social, hopefully this blog will stir up dialogue and debate across the spectrum of digital to help increase understanding of this fast paced industry. Hopefully you’ll join me him for the ride. You can connect via LinkedIn, Twitter or via Google+.
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