Question: When hiring for a marketing role, what newer skills or competencies are now critical?
The Ability and Desire to Learn
"Marketing, in particular digital marketing, is constantly evolving, so it's critical that my marketing staff have the ability and desire to learn. In order to be effective and excel in their roles, they need to be on top of any changes and also have a constantly fresh set of creative ideas to help the company stand out from the competition. This all stems from continual learning."
@dianamgoodwin
Knowing How to Influence the Influencers
"One big skill that rises to the top is an ability to influence the influencers in your space in a way that favors your brand. Marketers should now realize that the method in which you do that seems to change every week. Whether via social, direct or in person, today's marketer needs to be creative in attracting and influencing the people who can influence your customers."
@apthomas
A Data-Driven Mindset
"No matter what marketing position you're hiring for, having a data-driven mentality is crucial for the team and company's, growth. As your team creates new content, makes changes to the website, executes on A/B tests, etc., you should always be tracking and making decisions based on data."
@Kelsey_M_Meyer
The Ability to Leverage Different Media Mediums
"There used to only be so many media outlets for marketing your business. Now with video, podcasts, live webinars, live streaming (Periscope) etc., there are an incredible number of mediums out there to spread the word about your company. Someone in a marketing role these days needs to understand not only how all of these work, but also which ones will be most effective for your business."
@seanogle
Knowledge of Video and Graphics
"Great videos and graphical content are at the forefront of social media. If you cannot work with video and graphics to tell a story, your social media platforms are going to struggle to take off. These are now a must for any marketing hire."
@murraynewlands
The Ability to Adapt
"The marketing world had a complete overhaul in the past 10 years, and continues to change each day. Whether it's in fields like SEO or even in simple webpage elements, we can expect it to change even more. It's crucial for anyone in the marketing field to be able to adapt to new responsibilities they will most likely have in the future."
@cardcash
Effective Writing Skills
"It's one of the oldest competencies in the book, but is more essential than ever in the new media environment. With the importance of email and online communication, effective writing skills are of paramount importance to set any marketer apart. Compelling content begins with effective and engaging written communication."
@logicprep
An Understanding of Workflow Automation
"Standard drip campaigns still have a place, but automating and adapting to customer interaction is key. Tools like Active Campaign and Hubspot provide new ways to automate a wide range of information to specific customer interests. It takes a bit to get your head around this and can be a mess if not managed properly, hence the importance of having someone that understands the concept."
@itsjoshsprague
The Ability to Convey Honesty
"The new shopper -- the online customer -- is savvy. They already know what native marketing is. They need to know that they're being marketed to in a respectful and transparent way. Marketing no longer needs to be slick, it needs to promote brand trust. Find a marketer who can convey trustworthiness and transparency and your marketing will thrive."
@andesign_
Great Storytelling Abilities
"A compelling and confident storyteller is someone who can guide clients through complex challenges, develop unique and inspiring viewpoints and inspire new ideas that that can change the way consumers engage with your brand."
@Stoneage
A Good Balance of Marketing and Computer Science Experience
"With so much weight being placed on all forms of digital and online marketing, it's vital to hire someone who has a real computer background on top of their marketing experience. Our CMO, who holds degrees in both computer science and media, finds marketing tricks that none of our competitors are exploiting -- it's truly the nexus of creative thinking and technical know-how."
