For marketing professionals, sitting in a cubicle is something like an oxymoron. We’re creative, resourceful, and observant of our surroundings—so being confined to a literal box can be pretty limiting!
Thank goodness companies are now considering remote workers more than ever, giving marketers an opportunity to work from a coffee shop, at home, or anywhere we darn well please if it’s going to allow us to be more productive.
In fact, there are a number of opportunities out there for work-from-homers—specifically in the digital marketing world and with tech companies that are increasingly advocating for virtual work environments. So, if you’ve ever thought about taking your marketing career out of the office, take a look at these types of positions.
1. Product Marketing Manager
If you love both tech and marketing, check out Product Marketing Manager roles—where you’ll manage new product releases and the internal communications, messaging, and positioning that surround them.
While many companies want their Product Marketing Managers based on-site to interact with other team members, you can have success working for startups that are tight on space or companies that value virtual work. For example, Santa Barbara-based cloud computing startup RightScale offers many work-from-home positions—and is currently hiring a remote Product Marketing Manager who can be based in California, Seattle, or Denver.
You Should Have: Tech savvy. Product Marketing Managers typically work with software and web-based products, so a passion for and experience in this world is ideal.
2. Marketing Copywriter
Recently rated one of the best jobs in the marketing and advertising industry, copywriting is an obvious choice for a work-from-home gig. After all, the work you produce—including web copy, ebooks, sales materials, blogs, and articles—says far more than the hours you clock in an office.
It isn’t difficult to find full-time work-from-home copywriting positions for companies or marketing agencies on sites like FlexJobs; or, if you’d like to freelance, check out Freelance Writing Jobs and ProBlogger’s Job Board.
You Should Have: Awesome writing skills is a given, but you should also have a handle on SEO. Companies want writing that they know will get seen on the web!
3. Marketing Analyst
If you’re extremely detail-oriented and love crunching numbers, this is a cool opportunity to do from home. In a position that requires you to analyze data and turn it into brand or marketing strategy, a quiet, uninterrupted work environment allows you to be more productive.
These types of roles vary in both scope and experience—for example, United Health Group is hiring a Senior Marketing Research Analyst to perform high-level research and make recommendations on that data, and an e-commerce company is seeking a telecommuting SEO Analyst Assistant to perform SEO research and data entry.
You Should Have: Depends on the role, but most likely a combination of analytical skills and strategic thinking. And knowledge of SEO is a big bonus!
4. Content Strategist
If you’re currently blogging, chances are you already understand how content marketing works. So, why not use your expertise to show companies how to be successful with the same methods? As a Content Strategist, you’ll work with brands to determine what type of content they need based on their goals—then, you’ll work to develop that strategy through campaigns, projects and editorial calendars.
There are plenty of opportunities available for full-time and contract roles, but I’ve also seen people have success pitching their skills to businesses they want to work with. If you’re hired on a project basis and deliver great results—that’s a great case for hiring you full-time. Make a list of places you want to work, pitch them the idea, and learn from the process!
You Should Have: Proven success with blogging or content strategy.
5. Digital Marketing Consultant
This is probably the most flexible role of all, and if you have several years of experience and proven success in digital marketing, it could be the ideal gig for you. As a bonus, consultants are generally paid well, as companies rely on their expertise to take their company to the next level.
One option is working for a digital marketing firm, which are often hired to analyze current digital marketing processes and policies, provide thought leadership, and strategize with teams on improved performance.
Or, you can strike out on your own as a freelance consultant, where you can choose exactly what types of work and clients you take on. This can be a great fit if you’re looking to carve out an industry niche for yourself—think social media for fashion and beauty clients or brand strategy work for healthcare organizations.
You Should Have: Several years of experience, ideally deep expertise in one or two specific set of skills.