Having a diverse set of skills is important to landing a job in the marketing industry. While hard skills, like writing ability, program knowledge, and proficiency in a foreign language will definitely get you noticed during the resume review process; your soft skills are going to be what ultimately help you land that job. In the marketing industry, being able to communicate clearly with your teammates is one of the most important soft skills to have, so if you’ve got an interview coming up and want to make sure you’re ready; give this article a read to see which soft skills are most in demand for a marketing professional.

Always being ready to learn

The marketing landscape changes frequently; just think, Instagram celebrated its 7th birthday in October! The tools, platforms, and programs that marketers make use of change on an almost monthly basis. Complacency can be dangerous, so constantly being on the lookout for new things to learn ensures that you don’t get left behind in the dust. Understanding the bigger picture can help you to better focus on areas to improve your knowledge. We’re not saying you need to know everything there is to know about marketing, but showing a willingness to learn will go a long way.

Focused on improving

As we’ve mentioned, the marketing industry moves at a rapid pace. Campaigns launch and conclude almost every single day depending on the agency, so there’s often very little time for reflection. Celebrating both your successes while learning from short-comings is a standard in the industry; but why not focus on studying both and learn what makes those campaigns successful! Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks based off of your findings, and try tactics that have yet to be seen! At the end of the day, sticking to core principles is important, but an interest in innovation will definitely help you to stand out in the marketing world.

Confidence in a leadership position

Are you able to take the reins of a project and not only lead it successfully, but with confidence? Are you inspiring those around you to put in their very best work on each project? There’s a lot more to being a confident leader in the marketing industry than telling people what to do, including knowing your own strengths, and strengths of your teammates. Demonstrating confidence while in a leadership position is something many recruiters will look for, even if the job doesn’t require it. However, with that being said, be sure you’re aware of when to take charge of a project, and when to let others do so. Hijacking people’s work rarely goes over well with your peers.

Willingness to champion new ideas

Talking about new ideas is one thing, but a willingness to see them through is quite another. The marketing world is always changing, and as a result, being open to trying new ideas is essential to success. It can be difficult to advocate for new ideas, especially when other ones have successfully proven to be tried and true. Regardless, being accountable for ideas, whether they are successful or not is an important skill; as is an ability to communicate new ideas, and provide a rationale for undertaking them. Doing so demonstrates that you are willing to stand behind your work, and take pride in what you do.

Openness to feedback

You’re going to be receiving a lot of feedback while working as a marketing professional, so your attitude towards it is very important. Regardless of how experienced you may be, getting feedback is an essential step in the process of a project, which means your ability to be open and understanding of this feedback is an extremely important soft skill to develop.

A team-player, but also a self-starter

Being able to collaborate with others is a necessity in the marketing industry. Working closely with clients, teammates, and freelancers leads to a diverse experience, so being able to offer and receive feedback in a productive and respectful manner is an extremely important skill to have. At the same time, being a self-starter that is able to work independently is equally important. Odds are at some point in your career, you’re going to be the only person assigned to a project, so being able to manage your time and see projects through to their completion is essential.

Does all of this sound like something you’re already well versed in? In the case that you’ve got these soft skills in spades and are interested in a career in marketing, check out our job listings! We’re updating them frequently, so be on the lookout for that next big gig!