Lessons from 12 years in marketing so far.

FROM THE ARCHIVES IN 2020.

Do the things no one else is doing.⁣
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This is a read for anyone looking for their first job, interested in digital marketing, or who recently graduated.
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I’ve spoken with a few recent grads this week, and I’m energized by the conversations I’ve had so far. I’m happy to have these conversations, because I also remember how much these calls meant to me when I was starting my career in the digital world. Since I received many of the same questions, I decided to share 4 lessons I’ve learned in my career thus far that I also shared with these amazing graduates:⁣
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1. Be the first to arrive and the last to leave (or in today’s world, be the first one on the Zoom call). I’m not promoting a long work day, but if you’re the first to arrive or the last to leave, you’re going to start rubbing elbows with the senior leadership at your office -- and they’ll notice.⁣
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2. Say yes. Say yes to the projects that require you to learn new skills or that others don’t want to do. I was able to get ahead in my career by saying yes to these projects, and that’s how I learned so much about advertising, websites, events, PR, and project management. I never had a title with any of these words in them, but I consider myself an expert in these subjects because I said yes and was committed to learning.⁣
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3. Say no. Well, maybe don’t flat out say “no”, but know when to ask your boss for help or when you do not have time to work on a task. I am a huge people pleaser, and not speaking up for help or saying no always ended up working against me. ⁣
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4. Be kind to the receptionist or assistant. The receptionist knows everyone, and that person will remember the way you treated them, from the time you arrive at your first interview or the email you sent them that wasn’t professional. I worked at a company where HR would follow up with the receptionist after interviews to learn how the person carried themselves and acted while waiting to be seen. You’d be shocked to learn about people’s behaviors when they thought they weren’t in the interview room yet.⁣
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I am by no means a 20+ year industry veteran, but I hope these tips will be useful for anyone who is just starting out. What would you add to this list? Email me at jillian@sobeckstudio.com and let's chat. I’m all ears and still learning myself!