WVU Online | Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for digital marketing and leadership?
If so, a career as a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) could be the role you’ve
been dreaming of.
CMOs lead all marketing initiatives and marketing personnel in a company. CMOs
help companies succeed by developing brand strategy, monitoring trends, and
building customer loyalty.
As marketing technology and tools continue to advance, the role of the CMO
becomes even more important. CMOs can help businesses transition from outdated
marketing tactics to new, data-driven tools and strategies.
Between ample leadership opportunities and a
median salary of $374,000, it’s easy to see why many marketing professionals
aspire to become CMOs. Let’s dive into how to become a CEO, including the
skills and education needed, so you can determine if this is the right path
for you.
Educational Pathways to Becoming a CMO
When you start discovering how to become a Chief Marketing Officer, you will
find that there are many educational pathways you can take. These range from
traditional academic settings to online certificates to learning on the job.
Here are a few educational pathways to pursue:
-
Earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field. One path to becoming
a CMO would be earning a bachelor’s degree in a field like Marketing, Business
Administration, Communications, or Advertising. Earning a degree in one
of these fields will teach you valuable skills that CMOs need like market
research, branding, and business fundamentals. These degrees can also set
you up for a number of other roles in business and marketing. For example,
after you earn a Business Administration Degree, you can pursue these
related positions.
-
Continue learning with an advanced degree. Continuing your education
with an advanced degree such as an MA or an MBA can help you achieve the
position of CMO. An advanced degree will enable you to develop advanced
skills in core business and marketing areas. You’ll also develop leadership
skills and find plenty of networking opportunities that could advance your
career.
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Earn an online certificate. Earning an online certificate can
help you grow your marketing skills without taking on a full-scale graduate
program. Online certificates in marketing-related studies typically consist
of 12-15 credit hours. WVU offers certificates in
Creative Strategy,
Data Marketing Communications,
Business Data Analysis, and more. These certificates bolster your knowledge
and your resume to show employers that you have what it takes to attain
a high-level marketing job.
If you currently work full-time or have responsibilities at home,
online higher education could be the best option for you. Online higher
education offers students the flexibility to learn from their homes on their
own schedules.
Building the Right Skill Set for a CMO Role
Working as a CMO takes a unique
combination of hard and soft skills. As you progress through your career and
education, strive to develop these skills at work, in the classroom, and in
your day-to-day life.
Some soft skills required to become a CMO include:
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Communication skills: CMOs constantly communicate across internal
teams and external partners. You must be able to communicate well both
in speech and in writing so you can convey your marketing strategy and
goals effectively.
-
Listening skills: As a CMO, you will likely lead a team of marketing
professionals. It’s crucial you know how to listen to your team members
and really hear their ideas and the obstacles they face.
-
Adaptability: The marketing world changes constantly as new technology
develops. CMOs must adjust to these changes and continue finding the tools
that provide the best results.
-
Leadership skills: CMOs should be able to lead their teams through
difficult situations. That can mean making tough decisions and communicating
those decisions to teams.
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Time management: CMOs must juggle many responsibilities while
collaborating with different teams. They need strong time management and
planning skills to get everything done in a day.
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Creativity: CMOs are often challenged to come up with creative
ideas quickly. Being creative is key to generating marketing campaigns
that resonate with target audiences.
Gaining Relevant Experience in Marketing
Many marketers ask how to become a CMO because it is the highest level a marketing
professional can achieve in most companies. It can take up to
10 years to attain a CMO position.
To gain this experience, look for lower-level marketing jobs and work your
way up the ladder.
Entry-level marketing jobs include roles like marketing associate, junior copywriter,
social media associate, junior SEO specialist, junior market research analyst,
and email marketing specialist. After a few years in an entry-level job you
can expect to move up to mid-career jobs in manager or director marketing
roles.
When considering the career path of a CMO, look for roles that provide diverse
experiences across different industries and marketing channels. Cross-functional
roles where you work with other departments like sales, design, or product
development will also serve you in a CMO role.
Once you’ve landed a marketing role, take an interest in other departments.
For example, if you land a copywriting role, ask questions about what the
social media team does. See if there are opportunities for you to assist
them with projects. You will grow your skills without having to take on an
entirely new position.
Network and Build Your Personal Brand
Career experience is just one part of the puzzle in how to become a CMO. Another
large part is networking well. The more people you meet in the marketing
field, the more likely you are to find a position that’s right for you.
While networking may seem intimidating at first, the more you do it the better
you get at it. Networking is a great way to build confidence and meet people
at all different career levels.
Look for marketing conferences, seminars, or networking events in your community
for opportunities to meet other professionals. When attending these events,
strike up conversations with the people sitting next to you in the crowd.
Carry business cards so you don’t miss the chance to form a connection you
can continue later through email or LinkedIn. Follow up with people who sparked
your interest to keep the relationship going.
Another smart way to network is by joining a local or national marketing association.
The American Marketing Association has local chapters throughout the United
States. You can meet people and network through chapter meetings and events.
Marketing associations also often have job boards exclusive to members where
you can scroll through opportunities.
If you’re currently enrolled in an undergrad or grad program, see if your school
offers a marketing student organization. This is a productive way to get
involved on campus that can advance your career and introduce you to other
aspiring marketing professionals.
In addition to networking, building your personal brand can help you stand
out in a sea of applications. Your personal brand is a combination of the
skills, experiences, and perspectives that make you unique.
Building a personal brand online will give you valuable digital marketing practice
and help you differentiate yourself. If you have a strong online presence,
employers may discover and reach out to you with opportunities.
How to build your personal brand:
- Position yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn. Post interesting and
informative content that people in your industry might find helpful.
This “thought leadership” content is very popular on LinkedIn and it
will lead to people commenting on and resharing your posts.
- If you come across interesting information at conferences, turn that
info into blog posts for your audience.
- Keep your social media sites up to date by posting 2-3 times per week.
- Make your voice consistent across the platforms where you post.
- Tell your unique story. Everyone has something that makes them unique.
Don’t be afraid to get a bit personal and share your unique story with
your audience.
Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Obtaining an executive-level position like CMO can come with many challenges.
It can be difficult to rise through the ranks and obtain the breadth
of skills to do well in this role. Here are a few common challenges aspiring
CMOs may face and how to overcome them.
-
Gaps in skills: Due to the ever-expanding nature of marketing,
aspiring CMOs may face gaps in their skills. This is where certificates
come in handy, as they allow you to focus on a particular skill,
such as
social media, through a 12-credit-hour certificate.
-
Lack of confidence: CMOs must be confident leaders
who aren’t afraid to speak their minds. In order to build confidence,
try taking a leadership course or a public speaking course. Both
of these can boost your confidence in expressing your ideas.
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Competition: Many people compete for CMO positions.
To stand out from the crowd, you’ll want a range of experience on
your resume, as well as certifications and credentials. You’ll also
want to make sure you prepare well for every interview and understand
the company you’re interviewing for.
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Keeping up with technology: Aspiring CMOs must stay
on top of new marketing technology. This includes things like AI,
automation, and data analytics tools. Subscribe to marketing newsletters
and listen to podcasts to keep the pulse of these trends.
-
Work-life balance: The level of responsibility it takes
to become a CMO often takes a toll on a person’s work-life balance.
Start healthy habits like not checking your work email on the weekends
and setting yourself a cut-off time to receive work calls during
the day.
Start Your Educational Journey at WVU
These flexible programs are online and asynchronous, so you can take
them on your own schedule. These degrees and certificates will help
you develop the skills you need to succeed in a CMO position.