Anyone who has forged a career in marketing will tell you it is a fast-paced, challenging and complex profession characterised by the art of problem-solving and understanding human behaviour – with the power of storytelling acting as its beating heart.

Here are four attitudes or factors that will help you to succeed in a marketing career:

1. Be curious: Marketing is primarily about solving problems, then  finding solutions and answers to these challenges. It is essential to do research and understand what the data are saying. That is how you can glean relevant and meaningful insights. Understanding current and emerging trends is also essential because it will help you leverage actionable insights and solutions. Curiosity underpins the ability to turn data and research into value for clients.
2. Be brave: One of the essential ingredients required of people to do work is bravery. This is especially true in a creative field. If you make a mistake on a billboard or in a Tweet, a large number of people are going to know about it – so you’ll need to be brave to be able to handle the pressure. Also, you will get continuous input on your work from different groups of people and stakeholders, so you need to take that feedback constructively. 
3. Be networked: Many jobs in marketing require influencing people’s behaviour and decision-making, and influence comes through relationships. One of the core attributes of a successful career in marketing is building and maintaining relationships and connections.
4. Be versatile: The broad range of skills that marketers require means that anyone working in the industry needs to be flexible and open to learning and growing their skillset throughout their career. A breadth and range of skills will stand you in good stead as you navigate a constantly changing field of media. 

My top tips for young Africans looking to pursue a career in marketing?

• Know yourself: It’s essential to have clarity about what you want, what makes you tick and, equally, what you don’t want – this is what made me switch from studying accounting to marketing while I was at university. I simply didn’t have the passion for accounting that friends studying it did, so I changed to marketing and have never looked back. 
• Have strong thinking partners: These come from mentors, coaches, friends, colleagues, siblings or parents. It’s critical to have people who will ask tough questions, offer feedback and help you achieve your goals.
• Learn and unlearn constantly: We live in a world of rapid change, and marketing is also rapidly evolving, so as you move through the industry and the different facets of marketing. You need to unlearn old habits and pick up new habits and skills to keep up with the pace of change.
• Find your passion: Marketing is a complex field with ever-shrinking budgets, and massive economic and industry pressures. You will need to get to grips with all of that, along with emerging technologies and tools, so it’s vital to love what you do and be energised by it to overcome the challenges in your path.

Above all, do it even if you are afraid. It is scary to figure out your future career, go for interviews and navigate your way through it all. But if you push through and stick to doing what you love, you’ll eventually reap the rewards.

Inc