The field of digital marketing is one of the most promising for newcomers in Canada today, as it requires a unique combination of creativity and analytics. This makes room for all kinds of specialists, from developers and programmers to social media managers and copywriters.
With the increasing popularity of the digital sphere, the professional skill requirements for specialists also grow. Years ago, managers were responsible for giving instructions and checking the results, however these days, these roles require a wide range of competencies.
So, what exactly are recruiters looking for in candidates now? In this article, we explore both hard and soft skills that you’ll need to build to speed up your job search in the digital marketing space.
In this article:
Hard skills required for digital marketing jobs
When organizations are searching for a perfect candidate for a role, they review and compare all the skills and qualifications they possess. While some skills are job-specific, there are quite a few universal skills that you should master, no matter what position you’re applying to in the digital sphere.
Theoretical Frameworks
Concepts such as SWOT and PEST analysis, as well as marketing mix, should be familiar to you. All specialists in the digital environment have to understand what a KPI is, how to estimate a budget in accordance with it, how to conduct market research, and so on.
Excel Proficiency
Spreadsheets are the basics for working with data. So, an advanced user must be good at dealing with formulas and pivot tables and be able to quickly find and analyze the necessary information amidst heaps of data.
Technical Savviness
These days, digital specialists use a lot of tools: from Nielsen and HypeAuditor to Google Trends, Google Analytics, Facebook Business Manager, or Google Tag Manager. These tools make it possible to launch an advertising campaign, build a promotion strategy, and track the results. With their help, you can understand why traffic has increased dramatically or who your target audience is.
Many of these tools provide free tutorials that you can access to build your technical skills. As a newcomer in Canada, you can strengthen your resume by adding in these key skills and certifications that align with the job description.
Soft skills required for digital jobs
While hard skills are fundamental, they can’t guarantee your success. It is equally essential to interact with your team or clients, be flexible, and present your ideas clearly. So, let’s review some of the most sought-after soft skills. Soft skills are usually transferable, so if you’re applying to your first job in Canada, don’t forget to highlight these skills.
Soft skills allow us to form professional relationships, broaden our horizons, and think outside the box. Until recently, it was enough to mention your technical skills on your resume, but many Canadian companies are now changing their recruitment practices to focus more on soft-skills.
First, there is increasing emphasis on specific indicators of your success (such as, how much sales have grown due to your efforts in past jobs). Telling a career story with this kind of detail takes time and effort, and many job seekers simply don’t have the key skills to do that. So, they turn to resume writing services like Skillhub to get help from experts to highlight their accomplishments in the best possible way.
Second, many companies are using ATS bots to scan candidates’ resumes. Therefore, your job application should be both ATS friendly and readable for a human hiring manager at the same time. Fortunately, Skillhub’s resume writers will provide you assistance with reaching the needed recruiter every time you send applications.
Communication skills
The ability to find a common language with team members and clients, establish contacts, and resolve conflicts is crucial in the workplace. During the work process, you meet dozens of people, and being able to interact with them smoothly is essential, especially in stressful situations. Sometimes, it is appropriate to use humor, while in some cases, only conflict resolution techniques save the day.
Sociability is what makes many specialists achieve career goals. During the interview, the recruiters pay particular attention to the questions the candidate asks. Asking informed, relevant questions during the interview demonstrates not only your interest but also competencies and way of thinking.
Teamwork
No matter your role, in today’s work environment, you need to be a team player. Even brilliant specialists fail without support and interaction with the team.
Teamwork starts when everyone understands their positions clearly. If you are a leader, delegate responsibilities, get to know your colleagues, and trust them. If you are a specialist, then pay attention to the needs of your co-workers, and ask how you can support them.
Creativity
In the digital world, creativity means thinking outside the box. If you can generate ideas, then you can come up with something new, and employers cherish such employees. This skill is of particular importance not only for copywriters or designers, but also for those who deal with technical issues.
Willingness to learn and grow
Learning is a lifelong process, especially in the digital sphere. It’s even more important if you’re a newcomer in Canada and are just entering the job market. New tools and approaches are constantly being introduced in the digital marketing universe. New platforms and formats are emerging faster than ever, and if you want to keep up with the trends, you have to constantly learn. Having an open mind means that you quickly process a large amount of information, search for data, and analyze it.
Time management
The ability to manage your time efficiently, plan numerous tasks, and maintain a work-life balance is a precious skill. Organize your time and the information and resources you need to do your work, and prioritize your tasks with the support of your manager to ensure your team can meet their key objectives.
Multidisciplinarity
It is no longer possible to be a narrow-profile specialist in the digital world. Multidisciplinarity is required both by the rapidly changing market and by clients with multichannel strategies. For example, an average digital marketer today briefs and monitors the work of SEO copywriters, creates content plans for social networks, evaluates the results, and makes predictions about advertising campaigns.
Presentation skills
The ability to convincingly present your ideas or results of the work done is a guarantee of success. Both clients and management search for specialists who can express their thoughts in a clear and structured way.
Adaptability and flexibility
Digital marketing trends and consumer preferences are changing faster than ever, so many processes don’t go as planned. For example, some tasks take longer than expected, or others surprise you with their results.
Also, lots of knowledge is mastered literally on the fly. Being able to adapt quickly will help you cope with all this stress and change.
Emotional intelligence
Employees with emotional intelligence possess many qualities: self-awareness, sociability, empathy, and motivation. It is no longer enough to put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
In addition, being an excellent digital specialist often means reading the minds of clients and foreseeing their desires. Years ago, it was called a special gift of intuition, now – emotional intelligence. At the same time, you have to think rationally and remain disciplined even in the most unpredictable situations.
If you have been reviewing job descriptions for positions in the digital marketing field in Canada, you will most likely remember how detailed the list of requirements is. Web development, design, social media, targeted ads – each competency implies a certain level of knowledge and skills. Bear in mind the universal skills that you’ll need to build to secure a job in the digital space in Canada.
