Levelling Up After Lockdown

3 Tips That Will Refresh Your Marketing Career

The number of marketers I have heard complaining about their career blues rose exponentially during the past few years and the Great Resignation impact has seen many agencies experience up to 30% turnover annually. While the tremors were always there, lockdown as well as the physical and psychological shifts associated with it unearthed the dissatisfaction many professionals were feeling, especially in the marketing industry. I will admit, there was a strong decline in my own happiness at work, which left me feeling defeated and desperately searching for that elusive great next step in my career.

Here’s what I’ve learnt after taking a long hard look at the journeys others were going through.

Level up 1:
Your job in marketing is different to your calling (for some to be a marketer)

According to Indeed.com, a job is a position where you complete certain tasks for an agreed-upon compensation, whereas a calling, also known as a vocation or a passion, is an internal drive to complete an activity or accomplish a particular goal.

As marketers, we have to deal with the cynicism that comes from those who see marketing as a collection of spin doctors whilst playing referee and coach in the battle of ‘which brand can spend the least to get the most’. This often leaves us feeling drained and like we’re at the losing end.

Rediscovering the passion for and core beliefs about marketing has definitely helped many marketers regain their power.

Seth Godin states that “marketing isn’t just promoting something; at least effective marketing isn’t. It’s also about being an agent of change, getting to the core, sharing value, and much more. You can save everyone a lot of time and hassle if you begin and end with a focus on being of service and being good enough to get the chance to do it again. If it helps you, not the customer, why should they care?”

My biggest challenge was to stop acting like I was in a marketing job and start acting like marketing is my first love, realising again the privilege we get as marketers to engage with a world that’s going through revolutionary change and get on with telling stories and doing work that matters.  

Level up 2:
Understand and play to your strengths

There are many talented marketers. There are also many talented marketers who are struggling, hopeless, and tired. Natural ability can only get us so far, and real talent is a combination of doing something you love a great deal, something you could lose yourself in, and something that you’re willing to persevere and work hard at.

If you are going to succeed in using your time and energy wisely, as a marketer, you must learn to go beyond the labels you have been given and identify specific, real-world activities that constitute your strengths. The goal is to identify what you are drawn to and get better so that you reach consistent, near-perfect performance and experience the fulfilment that comes with it.

Rajiv Bajij, the MD of Bajay Auto, said it best when he remarked, “it is always better to disrupt yourself than have somebody else disrupt you.”

Level up 3:
Surround yourself with the right people

We’ve all heard the saying ‘who you surround yourself with is generally who you become’. During lockdown, this premise became very interesting as physical interactions dwindled and many of us went stir-crazy navigating the maze that is virtual meetings. I saw a number of people crack as they struggled with being alone with their core values and questions about the direction their life would take.

My key takeout is that we are influenced by our personal and professional inner circles more than many of us would like to admit. Choosing the good ones and watching out for conflicting perspectives helps to keep a level head and keep adjusting to the twists and turns of life and business.

Surround yourself with people who believe in you and, more importantly, who believe in a higher version of yourself.

Bonus:
Find a coach to improve your performance

Anybody who’s watched Formula 1 in the last few years has undoubtedly noticed a blonde woman who appears to be at Lewis Hamilton’s side at all times when he is not in his car. The woman is Angela Cullen, and formally she is Lewis Hamilton’s physiotherapist and assistant, but in reality, she is so much more. In 2020, the Briton described her as ‘one of the greatest things that’s happened’ to him saying, “Angela is always there to provide emotional support and helps me stay in the best frame of mind possible.”

“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” Whenever I intentionally work with a coach or therapist, my career has more clarity, direction, and order, and I usually pick up some valuable skills and perspective that increase my ability or wealth level. It’s an open secret with the world’s elite sportsmen, and one that marketing professionals do not take full advantage of.

If you’ve been struggling with the direction of your career, remember that you are more than a job. You have a purpose to discover, strengths to maximise, and a team of supporters to lean on. By understanding and leveraging these opportunities, you can refocus and set your course towards fulfilment and impact. All the best! 

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/job-vs-calling-vs-career

http://www.silverarrows.net/news/who-is-angela-cullen-fun-facts-about-lewis-hamiltons-blonde-assistant/ 

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