So You’re Thinking Of Becoming A Digital Marketer?
So You’re Thinking Of Becoming A Digital Marketer?
HIM Alumna & Marketing Manager highlights the growing demand for digital marketing skills in the hospitality industry
For the past 7 years, HIM Alumna Kristina has been working as a marketing professional in the hospitality industry and has worked for both corporate and private companies focusing on varying areas of digital marketing. In our interview, Kristina gives an insight into life as a Digital Marketer and explores why digital marketing skills are currently in high demand and are becoming invaluable for a career in marketing.
What influenced you to study Hotel Management?
I grew up to be a very big foodie and I enjoyed going to restaurants, but it was the thrill of staying at a hotel each time I went on vacation with my family that had the biggest impact on me. The way I felt about food and my experience at the hotels led me to choose to study Hospitality. Switzerland has one of Europe's most prestigious education systems and it also ranks amongst the world leaders in terms of quality of life. So, moving to Switzerland to pursue a quality higher education was a fast and easy decision to make.
What skills make a person well suited for working in the Digital Marketing field?
Digital marketing encompasses a variety of roles/areas that require different set of skills. In 2019, some of the most in-demand digital marketing skills are social media strategy, content creation and data analysis, which is great for those who want to go more towards the creative, social and business side of Digital Marketing. Moreover, technical skills such as SEO, SEM and Digital Paid Advertising are crucial, as these are what drive profits in any business since 93% of online activity starts with a search engine. Equally important are content marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing and basic graphic design skills.
This may seem a lot, but usually one may decide to become an expert in only one of these areas. However, if someone is looking to lead a Digital Marketing Department, then they will need to possess most of these skills and have experience in these areas.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love working in Digital Marketing as it is an exciting profession and there are a huge variety of ways in which to grow your career. It is very interesting to be a part of a brand or company’s growth and educate customers about a product or service in a way that can help to solve their problem. Moreover, it is the profession where I can exercise my creativity and analytical mindset.
What would you say are the biggest challenges of working in Digital Marketing?
As the Digital World is very agile, trends change very fast. If you are not up to speed with the changes, it is very easy to be left behind. Being behind the Digital Marketing trends leads to a decline in the performance of your marketing efforts and therefore a potential decline in revenue.
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According to the 2018 Marketing Hiring Trends report, demand for digital marketing professionals exceeds supply with 45% of companies wanting to hire more marketers.
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This provides those studying Digital Marketing with a unique competitive advantage. Getting yourself a career where demand exceeds supply is always a smart idea. If you are looking to pursue a career in Digital Marketing or looking to grow as an expert in this area, I have some advice:
- Invest your time into building a powerful social media presence, gain your own Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter followers
- Start your own website or blog, publish articles on LinkedIn and contribute to relevant online conversations to showcase your Digital Marketing knowledge (You will be surprised to notice that you can learn a lot by educating others!)
- Take online courses and get certified in a certain Digital Marketing area (Google Analytics for example)
- Attend relevant summits/meetings to learn new skills and advance your existing skills
What do you hope to achieve in your career next?
As a marketing professional in the hospitality industry, I have had the opportunity to work for large corporate brands such as St. Regis, as well as some Forbes 5-star privately owned properties. I have helped to launch a new hotel brand, re-branded an existing hotel brand and I have established Digital Marketing strategies to drive brand awareness, consideration and sale conversion.
With all these experiences I have gained so far, I have now chosen to move away from the Hospitality world and take a new career step in a semi-startup product company. In my new adventure, I will be helping the company to build the Digital Marketing team, establish strategies to create brand loyalty and drive direct sales.
To a popular interview question: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, I would respond: “I see myself as a successful leader of a Digital Marketing department in a great company with a product that contributes positively to its consumer life, and has an exceptional company culture”. I always say that “Education is the key” and investing in your knowledge is the best investment you can ever make.
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Education is the key and investing in your knowledge is the best investment you can ever make.
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Kristina graduated from Hotel Institute Montreux in 2012 with a BBA in Hospitality Management. She is currently a Senior Digital Marketer at Capillus. |
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