With a higher than average growth rate expected for marketing positions, candidates might get complacent thinking that it won’t take much to land a job with such demand. But while expectations for a more sophisticated online presence have grown, in 2017 employers will expect marketing job candidates to have created digital profiles.

Swarm always seeks to attract top talent, and in such a saturated market, everything counts when making a hiring decision. We not only want an employee to be successful with our clients and produce phenomenal work, but we also want them to jive with our company culture. A lot can be derived about a person’s values and interests based on their social channels and resume. “The Hive” values enthusiasm, creativity, ingenuity and forward thinking. We also want you to be you! Creating the right mix of your personality and professionalism online is key for any job search.

Candidate digital profiles will need to encompass:

  • A professional website, even for entry-level and junior marketing candidates.
  • A creative, thorough LinkedIn profile.
  • Numerous other social media profiles, especially on the most popular social networks.
  • Other digital evidence of professional activity—from conferences to sharing knowledge in an online community.

A single resume that lacks a significant digital profile just won’t cut it. That’s because modern marketing involves so much digital marketing. To be seen and noticed, companies must market across the Internet, heavy on mobile and deep into social. If marketers wanting significant roles cannot even market themselves digitally, then they will get beaten out by candidates who have a stellar digital portfolio to back up their hype.

Having public social channels can also be a double edged sword. It’s important to have your profile be public because a lot of times, it can help you win a job. At the same time, it can also be a major factor in why you were not chosen for a position. Mis-spellings, a profile that doesn’t reflect your professional persona or questionable content can hurt your chances of being selected. You don’t have to make all of your social channels public, but your online presence should present you as an engaged and digitally savvy candidate.

And more importantly…vice versa! Yes, companies are also on audition as marketing job candidates do their research. When competing for talent, companies must display a strong, vibrant online profile. The most talented job candidates will assess a company’s digital profile—from its blog to its social channels—and reject companies that don’t seem to show a serious brand and cultural presence.

In 2017, companies competing for talent need to consider:

  • Updating their website and social media channels with regular, timely, interesting content that shows vitality. Settling for a mission statement, About Us page, and adjective-heavy descriptions about your company culture won’t attract candidates. People in the job market want to SEE company culture. Reading about it won’t cut it. Job searchers look for interesting blog posts, videos about how you’re helping the world, and case studies that show the kinds of exciting work you do. Make sure your Instagram and Facebook channels are frequently updated and showcase not only your great work, but the awesome things that your company does that isn’t “work”. And don’t forget—they’re using their mobile devices a lot, so make your brand presence mobile-friendly.

  • Let others do the talking. People grow more and more skeptical about buying products or going to restaurants. They read user reviews, ask friends about products and services on social media, and check out forums. So imagine how much more skeptical they are about companies where they may want to work. Nurture, engage, and allow people to talk about your company on social media so that you’ve got word-of-mouth and third party validation on your side. That includes monitoring sites like Glassdoor that may negatively affect your brand.

  • Leverage the power of video. Both companies and employees will grow more comfortable with video—whether used to create an alternative version of a resume or for interviewing. Recently, one marketing candidate sent us a video game-themed, interactive resume—and that set him apart from his competitors. Companies need to grow more comfortable with using video as an innovative way to screen, interview, and assess candidates.


Companies (especially larger companies) will also invest more in recruitment marketing technology to help them handle all of this data and filter through potential employees. Marketing recruitment continues to rapidly evolve, and the bar for both candidates and companies grows ever higher. That means you—as a candidate or company—will need to step up your digital game.