As summer begins, the market is flooded with hordes of recent college graduates eager to join the workforce. Searching for a new job in an increasingly competitive market can be a daunting task, especially for those with limited work experience.
Why You Should Consider a Career in PPC?
Traditional advertising is dying. Fewer and fewer individuals are reading the newspaper or listening to traditional radio stations. On the contrary, digital advertising is growing by leaps and bounds, as depicted by the following graph
If you’re looking to get your first big break in the PPC industry, here are a few tips:
Prepare your defense ahead of time :
Most companies provide a pretty clear outline of the tasks you will be responsible for, which you can use as a roadmap to prep for the interview.
Master the basics :
If you’re genuinely interested in the industry, you should be able to talk the talk, even if you’re still a little shaky when you try to walk the walk. When I interview candidates with no solid PPC experience, I like to ask them to explain paid search to me as though I was a fourth grader. My goal here is to determine whether they understand the overarching concepts. If they can’t, it totally discredits their claim that they LOVE PPC.
Another word to the wise—don’t confuse SEO and PPC. Although they both fall under the SEM umbrella, they are not the same thing. If you use them interchangeably, you can kiss your paid search career goodbye.
Mingle with the experts :
There is no shortage of PPC content online, so take some time to geek-out with SEM blogs, webinars and live chats. When I first got involved in paid search, I put together a feedly account to help me stay on top of industry news. Even though 90% of it went over my head, I was introduced to all sorts of new strategies and vocabulary that enhanced my overall understanding of the field. A few of my favorites are Search Engine Journal, Search Engine Land, PPC Hero and of course WordStream!
We also highly recommend following the #ppcchat conversation on Twitter, where the best and brightest of the industry discuss new trends and techniques.
Go the extra mile and get certified :
Any reputable PPC agency requires its strategists to get certified in AdWords and Bing Ads, so why not get a head start on the process? Lucky for you, both sets of exams and their study material are available online for free.Think about it this way, everyone says that they are committed and hard-working during interviews—having those certifications gives you solid proof. Remember, actions speak louder than words, kiddos.
Nailing the PPC Job Interview
Aside from prepping your PPC pitch, there are a few interview etiquette items to be mindful of as you embark on your job search. While many of these seem like no-brainers, you would be shocked by how many candidates neglect to follow through with them!
Come prepared to ask questions.
When an interviewer gives you the opportunity to ask questions, they are essentially handing over the reins and giving you control of the conversation. Use this to your advantage! Not only is this your opportunity to learn more about the role/company and determine whether it is a good fit for you, it is also an opportunity to show the interviewer that you’ve done your research and have prepared for the conversation. Never, under any circumstances, say that you don’t have any questions. This is a HUGE red flag for employers. We want to see that you are engaged, committed to learning more about the position and did your prep work ahead of time.
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