You did it–you’ve landed your dream job in marketing, but your sights are already set on your future. What does a career in marketing look like? Where will your career go? We know that these questions can be quite daunting to have in front of you, especially in a fast-changing world like that of marketing. That’s why we’ve created this article: to help you sketch your career path within the field of marketing and set you up for success.
Digital marketing is a broad field, with roles like content manager, SEO expert, social media manager, paid ad expert, and head of marketing requiring different skillsets and experience levels, you may not be sure exactly what to do to move on to the next role. And that’s totally fine–one of the best aspects of digital marketing is the ability to expand your skillset and find the exact right spot for you.
Source: Enhancv
The Digital Marketing Career Path
One size doesn’t fit all in marketing, but there are a few important distinctions to keep in mind when trying to plan out your future in the marketing sphere. First, let’s explore the three different types of companies you can work for as a digital marketing professional; figuring out which is best for you is a great first step.
Marketing agency: Many companies choose to outsource their marketing efforts to agencies, which handle the marketing strategies of many companies. Working at a marketing agency typically requires widespread industry knowledge, as you’ll be taking on various tasks for clients. Because agencies are usually large, you could have the chance to specialize in one area, such as content writing, SEO, or paid ads.
In-house marketing: Other companies handle their marketing strategies in-house, which means they employ a team of marketers in the company itself. Depending on the size and reach of the company, this could mean you’re responsible for more tasks. Regardless, you’ll be focusing all your efforts on the one company, allowing you to gain deep experience of that specific industry.
Freelance marketing: Another group of companies prefer to work on a contract basis with freelance marketers, who are usually highly specialized in one area. These professionals will have clients across various markets, and work for a pre-determined period of time or project duration to help the company meet its goals.
Deciding which type of company you want to work for is an important first step in sketching out your future career–and there’s no wrong choice. All of the aforementioned options are great ways to advance your marketing career and you’re also able to try out each before settling on a final decision.
The second decision to make is about the level of specialization you’d like to pursue:
Generalist: For those who want to keep their options open and eventually take on a more managerial role, they’ll probably want to stick to the generalist path. These roles are higher level and focus on the overall actions within a marketing strategy, instead of working directly with specific actions.
Specialist: As the name suggests, specialists are focused on a specific area, but this doesn’t mean they can’t take on more upper level roles. In fact, specialists are some of the best managers because they truly understand their area of expertise.
Choosing your specialization (or lack thereof) doesn’t have to be a decision you make on the first day of your career. Take the time to explore different roles and observe your teammates to figure out exactly what is the best fit for you. Here are sample career progressions for both generalists and specialists:
A former digital marketing intern lands a role as a copywriter, due to their great writing skills. After a while, they’re promoted to Content Manager, where they’re not only writing, but also overseeing the content production for social, paid, and organic content and creating the strategy. They like this new focus on strategy, and choose to continue their career as a content generalist, and end up leading the content strategy for the entire company in the future.
A former digital marketing intern lands a role as a digital strategist for an agency, where they help with the overall strategy for a few clients. Although they like the variety in their day-to-day lives, they realize their passion lies in paid marketing, and choose to pivot into a specialized paid marketing role for their next career move.
Advancing Your Digital Marketing Skills
Throughout your career, it’s important to develop your skillset and ensure you’re still a competitive option for new roles. Depending on your years of experience and goals, you should follow the below steps.
Source: Copyfol
Keep your core skills up to date
The marketing world is evolving rapidly and to be a competitive candidate for your next role or promotion, you need to ensure you’re current on the latest tools and technologies within your area of expertise, in addition to knowing how to use them to leverage change. If you’re a SEO expert, for example, staying up to date on Google’s latest Core Updates is an essential skill.
Focus on outcomes
Coming up with great ideas is one thing, but being able to turn those ideas into strategies that lead to success is a completely different challenge. Keeping a record of the concrete changes you’ve played a role in, whether it’s leading a project, increasing leads, or improving SEO ranking, can help show future employers you know how to drive quality results.
Network, network, network
Your next opportunity, big idea, or promotion could be right around the corner–but you won’t know about it unless you connect with other marketing professionals. Building community and staying connected with the industry will not only ensure you’re up-to-date with the latest happenings, but help you make valuable connections with others.
Climbing the digital marketing career ladder is a journey of continuous learning, adaptability, and strategic decision-making. Whether you choose to specialize in a niche or take on a generalist role, the key to long-term success is staying curious, honing your skills, and building meaningful connections within the industry.
Your career path won’t be linear, and that’s okay—each role you take on will shape your expertise and open new doors. Stay proactive, track your progress, and embrace the challenges ahead with confidence.
About the Author: Juliette Carreiro is a skilled content creator with over five years of experience in SEO, content ideation, and digital marketing strategy. She has spent more than two years at Ironhack, where she developed in-depth articles on topics ranging from career growth in tech to the future impact of AI. With expertise across tech, hospitality, and education industries, Juliette has helped brands like Ironhack engage their audiences with impactful storytelling and data-driven insights.
