Think back to your first day of school (that you can remember), and take a moment to relive some of those feelings: excitement, worry, happiness, fear and maybe a little nausea. There were a lot of new faces and some familiar ones which helped ease the initial panic.
Now, fast forward to “adulthood”. You’re starting a new marketing position at a new company, and the “first day of school” feelings are resurfacing. Only this time, there are no familiar faces. It’s mentally and physically exhausting wondering if you’re going to fit in, wanting to make a great impression and also exciting because you have a lot to offer, you’re smart and your new company goals align with your career path.
This is exactly how I felt (almost) when I started my new marketing role at TopRank Marketing. Although, I don’t remember feeling nauseous. The excitement far outweighed the worry, and I was very happy to find a professional work environment that supported my personal goals and emphasized personal growth and company growth in tandem. I knew I could bring a lot to the role of marketing copywriter, and there was a lot of potential for growth and learning.
Even though there was enormous opportunity, being the “new kid” isn’t easy. I was nervous about how the transition was going to go, and knew I had to act quickly to understand the ins and outs of the brand, produce results and assimilate into the new company culture gracefully.
So, how do you successfully transition into your new marketing role and show your value?
To help answer this question, here’s a list of 7 tips that I’ve learned to get you accustomed to your new marketing role. Whether the specialty is in content marketing, digital advertising, social media or influencer marketing, you’re going to want to slip on your Snuggie and discover how to quickly get comfortable in your new company.
#1 – Research
Familiarizing yourself with as many aspects of the company, as quickly as you can, will have a huge impact on your transition. While any and all research is helpful, try to focus on the following three types of research at the beginning:
- Company – Understanding the story behind the company, the types of customers it serves and the primary goals and objectives will help you get a better understanding of who you are representing and how your specific job duties fit into the grander scheme of things.
- Culture – The environment in which you work in on a daily basis will dictate certain behaviors, processes and actions you will take in your new company. It’s important to identify what’s appropriate, how the team works together and understand where you fit into the mix.
- Audience – As a professional marketer, you need to understand who the company is targeting. Researching detailed information about your ideal audience from a company perspective will help you provide value in your role.
All of this research should be done in a number of ways: talking to coworkers, reading the company website and seeing what other people are saying about the company, to name a few.
#2 – Become the Brand
Once you get a clear understanding of what your company stands for, how it provides solutions to your customers and day-to-day processes and procedures, you’ve got to immerse yourself in the brand and become an active participant. Share news, exciting updates and spread the word on social media. When you’re not at work, be open to opportunities to advocate for your brand in a respectful and appropriate way.
#3 – Find a Mentor
Making connections with coworkers isn’t easy, especially in the beginning. It takes time to get to know who someone is on a professional level, and weaving in bits of personal information takes skill and emotional intelligence. Remember, you don’t have to be best friends, but you do have to nurture a respectful professional relationship because you’re going to rely on these people to be successful in your role, and vice versa.
Finding a mentor is a great way to get advice and an outsider’s perspective on situations and experiences. This person could be inside or outside of your organization, and depending on which you choose (could be both), the relationship may vary:
Outside Your Company: Bounce ideas off of this person, get advice and sometimes, you’ll just use them as a sounding board. Be open to what they have to say because being removed from the situation allows them to offer you unbiased opinions and advice.
Inside Your Company: Learn, listen, pick their brain, ask questions and don’t forget to thank them. Keep it professional and use this as an opportunity to increase your knowledge and skills.
#4 – Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
While it feels safe to just sit back and slowly get acquainted with your new surroundings, team members and job duties, one way to quickly make an impression is by stepping outside of your comfort zone and taking initiative to make connections. If you are in a meeting and have questions, don’t be afraid to ask them, if one of your team members seems really interesting, strike up a conversation be friendly. Putting yourself out there (in a respectful way) will help your team get to know you better, and you’ll produce better work and results together.
#5 – Learn the Ropes
This might go without saying, but to successfully transition into your new marketing role, you must learn quickly. This includes any tools, software, processes and skills that are required. It’s important to take the lead and acquire as much information as you can (and retain it). Seeking out additional training opportunities (internal and external) and learning from your peers are great ways to speed up the process.
Also take this time to learn about yourself. In your new marketing role, think about time management, how you work best and what you can share with your coworkers to maximize productivity.
#6 – Voice Your Ideas
The biggest factor that often times gets in the way of voicing your ideas is the fear of the unknown: not knowing how others will interpret your ideas, not knowing if what you say will come out the way you intended and not knowing if your idea is “good”.
In any industry, especially marketing, creativity is necessary to thrive. Like any other skill, creativity requires practice. By overcoming your fear, you’ll be able to perform your job duties to the best of your abilities, and be a contributing member of the team. Not every idea is going to be amazing, and that’s okay. Just keep calm and carry on.
#7 – Be Yourself
Last, but definitely not least, be yourself. It’s tempting when you start a new job to hold back a little bit so you don’t embarrass yourself, and you might think it’s easier to “fit in”. But remember, you were hired for a reason and the brand sees the potential in you.
Staying true to yourself will help your co-workers get to know you, the real you. It creates genuine connections which will improve your collaboration and enable you to perform your best at all times.
Using these 7 tips, the transition into your new marketing position should be smooth sailing, however, don’t forget to account for some rough waters at times. It can’t all be sunshine and rainbows. Maybe bring a raincoat instead of a Snuggie. This is a learning experience for everyone involved, and taking initiative and being yourself will get you through even the toughest of times.
Ready to Make a Smooth Transition into a New Marketing Career?
TopRank Marketing is hiring! Check out our open positions below, join our amazing team and best of all, be yourself!
Social Media & Influencer Relations Specialist
Applying is easy! Simply email your resume to [email protected], and don’t forget to include additional details explaining why you’re excited about the position.
