Ahhh, digital marketing resume writing.
Most marketing folks dread it. There are so many ways to present yourself – as well as contradicting resume tips around – it’s easy to get overwhelmed and confused.
In this post, you won’t get that feeling.
I’m going to walk you through the hardest part – getting started. We’re going to cover these digital marketer resume tips:
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know how to write the best digital marketing resume that gets interview invitations.
Step 1: choose the right resume header
So, here’s the thing: nobody hires a “digital marketer.”
Digital marketing has seven areas – (SMM), Search Engine Optimization (), Pay-per-Click advertising, content marketing, and so on – so the header should be more specific.
Try using this formula for the best digital marketing resume header:
Experience level + Technology + Proof + Position
Here’s how a header might look like if you use this formula:
Senior SEO Content Specialist – HubSpot Certified
Here are the formula elements in this header:
No worries if you don’t have a certification to mention. This formula is for you to tweak and personalize. Taken together, these four elements make a header that sends a clear message to recruiters.
Step 2: skip resume objective
This step sounds strange, I know. But let me explain why including a resume objective is a bad idea. The objective also called a resume summary, is generic, outdated, and boring. Here’s why.
Do me a favor and read this example:
“Seeking a digital marketing campaign manager position to use my five years of experience generating profits with Google Ads. I am able to advise on ad campaigns and analytics.”
Such a digital marketing CV objective is useless for hiring managers. One reason: you’ll be repeating the information they prefer to find in other sections.
Here’s how that example does that:
The bottom line is that writing a resume objective is basically wasting precious space. Since one-page resumes are a standard now, you’re going to need all the space you can use.
Step 3: list three recent workplaces
The next step is to write the Work Experience section. I recommend you focus on the three last workplaces to keep it nice and brief (but feel free to add more if you’ve worked at some amazing companies!)
Every work experience section needs to demonstrate one thing: you delivered good results. Simply listing your key responsibilities and duties doesn’t say a lot to recruiters, so focus on something tangible.
Here are some examples of content marketers:
Bad example: Was responsible for creating and implementing the content map
Good example: Created and delivered a 100-article content map.
Some more:
Bad example: Implemented a new SEO content strategy to boost website traffic and sales.
Good example: Implemented a new SEO content strategy that increased website visits by 20% in 9 months while increasing the conversion rate by 30%.
Keep the bullet list of achievements within five points for each company. This way, you’ll make yourself choose the most important and relevant achievements and keep the section brief but informative.
If you end up with many workplaces and push your digital marketing CV to more than one page, have it read by a professional editor. You can find one at and , and they could check your writing and shorten the text without sacrificing the value for recruiters.
Folks who are just can mention:
These experiences show that you’re a motivated individual who wants to work in digital marketing.
Step 4: make a key skills section
Digital marketing is a big field, so you might have many skills to add. To keep this section focused and concise, let’s choose the best ones.
By “the best ones,” I mean in-demand digital marketing skills this year. You can find them out by checking the job descriptions of a position you want to get.
The top skills for a digital marketer resume are:
Each point here includes subsections – add them accordingly (“blog post writing” and “SEO content optimization” are subareas of “Content Marketing). They will provide the necessary context.
“Keep in mind that you can attract the attention of recruiters by mixing hard and soft skills,” recommends Estelle Liotard, a career advice writer from . “For example, social media marketing, which is a hard skill, goes well with social media communication skill – a soft skill.”
Step 5: include certifications
Certifications make a digital marketing resume stand out from the competition. If you have any relevant certifications, make a special section for them. But if you’re an entry-level specialist, find some free certifications.
Check out Acadium’s to prepare for courses. You can learn both basic and advanced concepts of digital marketing for small businesses, paid advertising, email marketing, SEO, SMM, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and more.
Also, consider getting certifications from Google. The company offers a wide range of them; for example, as a Google Ads marketer, :
As a beginner, try taking free courses and certifications first. But getting paid ones is also a must for your career, but you don’t have to go for them right away.
Step 6: close it up with education
Let’s be honest – the section with education isn’t really on the recruiters’ priority list these days. That’s why it’s the last on many digital marketing resumes. Yours shouldn’t be an exception unless you’re an entry-level professional.
This section should have:
Feel free to mention any relevant achievements and projects you’ve done during school, especially if you’re just starting a career in digital marketing.
Step 7: double-check your digital marketing resume
At this point, your resume is almost ready. The only thing left is to go through this checklist to ensure it meets the best practices:
The last thing would be to proofread your digital marketing resume. Go through it quickly or give it to someone else – taking this step will help avoid silly mistakes like misspelled words and grammar errors.
Over to you
I totally get you – writing the best digital marketing resume can be a bit difficult. But if you follow these seven steps, the whole thing will be much easier. By focusing on the right sections, you’ll convince many recruiters that you’ve got what it takes – and get more interviews.
That’s basically it, over to you now. Fingers crossed for your success!
Donald Fomby is an expert marketing writer and content strategist at . He writes about trends, tips, and other cool things about the world of digital marketing. Outside his home office, Donald might be found speaking at webinars, learning outreach, and exploring the great outdoors.
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