Life moves fast in the world of digital marketing. In fact, since 2013, digital media consumption in the United States has increased by 49 percent , according to comScore.
So, considering a career in this field might be wise. But, when you’re trying to build a career in digital marketing, you may find it difficult to keep up with the industry’s ever-increasing rate of change. So, is it even worth it to invest in a formal education?
The answer is that, while most employers like to see at a least a four-year degree, what you learn about digital marketing at a university won’t be the same as what you learn in an actual digital marketing job. Instead, to become successful in your career, you need to be prepared to learn on the job and gain skills in the field.
Why schools don’t teach digital marketing
Because digital marketing changes so fast, schools struggle to keep up. Richard Geasey, an internet marketing consultant and lecturer at the University of Washington, wrote in Inc. that, “Most schools are staffed by instructors who know nothing of internet marketing. The field is so fast and quickly changing they have no chance to learn anything useful and present it to students.”
Most of those instructors, moreover, often have very little practical experience in digital marketing. They may have studied marketing for years, but if they don’t have real-world experience to share, they won’t be able to properly teach the subject.
So, instead, what instructors teach is the basics of traditional marketing, which does provide a strong marketing foundation; but it doesn’t prepare students for the practicalities of working in the field itself. There are no classes on social media management and none on marketing automation, email marketing or the myriad other topics you’re bound to come across in your career. These things are learned from working in the field.
Writing for Marketing Land, Travis Wright, host of MarTech Talks, wrote, “I’ve spoken at several business schools, including the University of Chicago’s, Booth School of Business and the University of Utah, David Eccles School of Business. Each time after I’m done presenting, students approach me feeling scared — due to the overwhelming lack of knowledge and job readiness they have. I let them know what they didn’t know that they need to know.”
The need to self-educate
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