You’re an internet soothsayer and online algorithm whisperer. The good news is that, if you’ve chosen a career in digital marketing, your skills are in high demand. However, if you’re looking for a new digital marketing role, there is plenty of competition. That’s why a well-written digital marketing CV is key to your strategy.
Your digital marketing CV needs to provide a strong overview of a variety of skills and experience. That’s where we can help. This digital marketing CV example and writing guide will break down the steps to writing your CV like the steps to strategising a communications campaign. Your top KPI? Getting hired, of course.
A growing sector
According to a recent survey by Statistica, digital marketing predicted the largest mean growth in expenditure of any other category of marketing spending. The digital marketing spending by for-profit companies was predicted to increase by nearly 30%.
At Resume.io we’ve helped millions of people to create job-winning CVs. We have created dozens of CV examples and an easy-to-use CV builder to help you to land that dream job.
This CV guide, along with the corresponding CV example will cover the following topics:
- What does a digital marketing professional do?
- How to write a digital marketing CV (tips and tricks)
- The best format for a digital marketing CV
- Advice on each section of your CV (summary, work history, education, skills)
- Professional CV layout and design hints.
What does a digital marketing professional do?
If you choose to work in digital marketing, your role requires a wide range of expertise. Your responsibilities could range vastly from strategising and coordinating campaigns that generate sales leads, to executing the day to day communications on many digital and social platforms.
To carry out all of this, it’s likely that you’re expected to have mastered a range of digital formats from social media platforms, to Google ads, to SEO expertise, and even email marketing. Some digital marketing jobs will ask you to specialise in one or two of these. However, the higher you climb the more likely it is that you will be asked to have an understanding of several platforms.
How much can you make in digital marketing?
According to Glassdoor, the average national base salary for a digital marketing professional is £36,466 per year. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this could vary depending on your industry and level of expertise.
How to write a digital marketing CV
When it comes to committing your experience to paper, there are a few things to keep in mind. You may be a master of creative lead generation, but there are some rules your digital marketing CV should adhere to. Your CV should contain the following elements:
- The CV header
- The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
- The employment history section
- The CV skills section
- The education section
Meet your new favourite algorithm
You are no stranger to the algorithms that govern our digital world. The next one for you to keep in mind is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
The ATS is how your potential employer will likely filter and rank the applicants. To make sure yours makes it to the hiring manager, prioritise the use of keywords that appear important in the job ad. This is the main criterion that the ATS algorithm will likely be looking out for.
Choosing the best CV format for digital marketing
Writing your digital marketing CV is all about presenting information in the right way. Your goal is to make it as convincing as possible, a big part of that being choosing the CV format. For this reason, we recommend the reverse chronological layout.
By listing your previous roles in reverse chronological order, you will draw attention to your most recent — and likely most impressive — experience. Your employment history will take centre stage in this CV format which makes it heavily favoured by hiring managers. However, like any well-strategised campaign, take a moment to think about which form of communication is the best to reach your objectives.
When asking yourself which is the best CV format, consider your options. If you are new to the workforce, or are making a career transition, a functional CV format could do a great job at highlighting your transferable skills. You could also consider a combination format if you want to take elements from both approaches to better communicate your expertise.
CV summary example: the top of your lead funnel
Think of your CV summary as the very top of your lead funnel. It’s the section of your digital marketing CV that will determine whether or not the hiring manager thinks it’s worth reading on. For that reason, you want to include all of the top level points that will speak to your target audience: The hiring manager.
Think of some of the buzzwords and impressive accomplishments that are most likely to resonate with this potential employer. In order to do that, it’s important to think carefully about what will be required of you in this role in particular. While a small business might be impressed by you taking the lead in a scrappy start-up setting, you’ll want to frame it differently to a corporate environment where hierarchy and bureaucracy are important.
If you are looking for some ideas on what to include in your digital marketing summary, check out the CV sample content below. You can also read our marketing CV sample, copywriter CV sample, or graphic designer CV sample for further inspiration.
Accomplished digital marketing leader with record of success overseeing fast-paced digital marketing operations. Well-versed in techniques for applying MarTech and e-commerce technologies for integrating digital marketing with traditional commerce. Respected team leader, with experience building, guiding and coaching multidisciplinary business and marketing teams.
Employment history sample: Warm up your lead
Now that the hiring manager has an idea of who you are as a professional, your digital market CV needs to convert that initial interest into something a little more concrete. Your employment history section should list your most recent - and certainly your most relevant - job positions.
Each of your past positions should be listed as a subheading which includes the job role, the name of the organisation that employed you, and the dates and location where you held the position. Add nuance to what each past position brings to the table by inserting several bullet points underneath each job title. This is your opportunity to show why the experience taught you something useful that you can bring to this new role.
For instance, each bullet point could include details of your key responsibilities and notable highlights from your time there. As a professional in digital marketing you know that stats and numbers speak volumes when it comes to demonstrating how you met or exceeded goals. Don’t be afraid to use some of your analytic reporting skills to illustrate your past success.
Digital Marketing Director at Fashion.com, London, UK
August 2019 - Present
- Formulate innovative marketing strategies to drive swift, cohesive brand growth within a startup environment.
- Spearhead GTM strategy to ensure a competitive advantage by delivering unique value proposition to customers.
- Craft dynamic, engaging visuals and written content for driving online and social media engagement.
- Build partnerships with design agencies and other vendors.
Marketing Manager at eCommerce, Inc., London
July 2013 - July 2019
- Conceived and implemented forward-thinking digital marketing strategies to gain competitive advantage.
- Supervised staff and interns in preparing dynamic marketing content.
- Planned and managed marketing budgets.
- Played key role in initial launch of eCommerce site as an early member of CS team, leading rapidly to promotion based on proven marketing expertise and education.
CV skills example
The skills section is an excellent opportunity to prepare your digital marketing CV for the ATS. It should consist of a list of the most relevant skills for the position. If any of the keywords on the job advertisement ring true for you and you haven’t managed to include them yet, this is the section to do so.
Remember that if you successfully pass to the next phase, then you will likely be invited to interview. At this stage you don’t need to tell a story demonstrating each of your CV skills. However, it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead and make sure you can back up your words with examples of times you illustrated these behaviours.
When deciding which skills to include (aside from the keywords you want to highlight), remember that you still want to match the language and range of competences that this particular role will call for. That’s why it’s important to adjust your CV for each new job application. If you want some more ideas on soft and hard skills to include in your digital marketing CV, our project manager CV example, data analyst CV example and the CV sample content below might give you some ideas.
- Email Marketing
- Social Media
- Google Adwords
- Digital Marketing
- Social Media Management
- Industry Trends & Sales Forecasting
- Adobe Creative Suite
- SEO Copywriting
- Content Creation
- Google Analytics
Soft skills vs hard skills
While hard skills refer to the technical abilities that may be particular to a particular job or skill-set, soft skills refer to how we carry out our competencies. You will need a mix of both to be a great digital marketing professional.
Digital marketing CV education example
Your education is an important part of your professional story in digital marketing. The hiring manager will think so, anyway. To fill out this section, include the name of your qualification, the name of the institution you studied at, its location, and the dates you attended.
If you have a postgraduate qualification or higher, then you don’t necessarily need to include your high school education on your CV. If you have certificates or training from your time in digital marketing it may be helpful to add this under a separate heading called “training.”
MBA, London Business School, London, UK
March 2022 - Present
Bachelor of Arts in Marketing, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
September 2009 - May 2013
CV layout and design: visual communication
Visuals are a big part of your message. Don’t waste your hard work on the content of your CV with poor presentation. Pick a professional template that shows your CV content clearly and keeps it to one or two pages maximum.
Monochrome vs colour
If the digital marketing role is in a smaller team where you will need to demonstrate an eye for graphic design you could consider a more adventurous layout. However, according to top designer Debbie Millman, black text on white paper should always be your go-to.
To eliminate the stress in making a great impression with your CV’s visuals, you can always consider one of our field-tested CV templates.
Key takeaways for a digital marketing CV
- Carefully choose a CV format that will best reach your objectives.
- Hook the hiring manager with a summary that speaks to your best points.
- Warm up your lead with employment history and skills that are relevant for the hiring manager and the ATS.
- Seal the deal with a CV that screams professionalism thanks to its polished design.
