What Hiring Managers Should Know About Great Marketers

Marketing isn’t just execution...it’s intuition, analysis, and persuasion.

As someone who’s currently job hunting, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on what really makes a great marketer. Not just from a resume perspective, but from the inside out. What skills do we actually use every day? What traits do we lean on when budgets get cut, when data doesn’t go our way, or when we’re asked to “make it go viral”?

I’ve been lucky to work with great teams and an amazing mentor throughout my career, but I’ve also been in situations where marketing was misunderstood or undervalued. So this is a bit of a love letter to all the marketing professionals out there, and a note to hiring managers who are trying to find the right person to lead their brand, campaigns, or content strategy.

Here’s what I wish more people understood about great marketers...

Great Marketing is Part Creativity, Part Adaptability.

Marketing isn’t a guessing game. It’s creative, yes, but it’s also iterative. You come up with the best plan you can, based on research, experience, and gut instinct. Then you put it out into the world and watch what happens.

One line I often use to describe my approach is: "I don’t just throw spaghetti at the wall, I make sure it sticks." And if it doesn’t? I want to know why. I dive into the data, read the comments, look at the clicks, and adjust accordingly. Being adaptable is just as important as being inventive.

Trends change, platforms change, algorithms definitely change. Good marketers know how to roll with all of it without losing sight of the goal.

It’s Not About Platform Expertise, It’s About Strategy

Yes, it’s helpful to know how to build a reel, optimize a blog, or navigate Google Ads. But the best marketers aren’t just checking boxes. They’re thinking strategically about how each piece of the puzzle fits together.

I’ve seen too many job descriptions focus on a laundry list of platforms, like someone’s ability to schedule posts on five tools is the most important metric. The truth? Tools are easy to learn...strategic thinking is harder to teach. You want someone who understands your audience, your goals, and how to build a campaign that connects those dots.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Emotional Intelligence

Marketing is ultimately about people. Understanding what motivates them, what they care about, and how to earn their attention and trust. So it’s no surprise that emotional intelligence plays a big role in being successful in this field.

In fact, research by TalentSmart found that 90% of top performers across industries have high emotional intelligence. Marketers who can read the room...whether it’s in a client meeting, a brainstorm session, or when analyzing user behavior... are the ones who build real connection. They write stronger copy, tell better stories, and lead with empathy.

That "soft skill"... it’s actually a superpower.

When Your Boss Doesn’t Come From a Marketing Background

This one’s real. I’ve had a few experiences where my supervisor didn’t have a background in marketing and didn’t fully understand the "why" behind what I was doing. Why I couldn’t just use the same message across every platform. Why I couldn't send the same email to all audiences. Why setting a goal before launching a campaign mattered.

As a marketer, it’s our job to tailor messages to our audience, and sometimes that audience includes our boss. I’ve learned to translate marketing goals into language that connects with leadership. To frame a strategy in terms of outcomes they value, like ROI, member engagement, or brand reputation.

And sometimes... you just take a chance. You move forward, test the idea, and let the results speak for themselves. Yes... there are moments where it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Final Thoughts

The best marketers are flexible, curious, empathetic, and strategic. We’re not just content creators or social schedulers. We’re connectors. We bridge business goals with human behavior. And when you give us the support and space to thrive, we can do incredible things for your brand.

So if you're hiring or looking to understand the marketers on your team a little better, I hope this gives you some insight. And if you’re a marketer like me, maybe it just reminds you that you’re not alone.