From strengthening skills, building experience, and preparing for interviews, there is much you can do to be ready for a job in the field of SEO marketing. Following are four tips to help you ace employment interviews and land a job.
And, if you are an instructor looking for ways to help students prepare for a professional future in SEO marketing, use this list as inspiration for additional assignments or discussions. Check out the “Classroom Application” suggestions below.
Tip 1: Strengthen Coding and Analytic Skills
Basic web development skills are essential for those in SEO marketing positions.
- Ability to work with HTML, knowledge of website structure, and understanding the role of JavaScript in web development are all important.
- Experience with Google Search Console and Google Analytics will set you apart from other applicants.
- Familiarity with Yoast SEO, Semrush, and Chrome DevTools will greatly strengthen your resume.
Classroom Application
Check out the assignment in Chapter 5 of the “SEO: Strategy & Skills” courseware for an assignment in which students are to make suggestions on code and crawlability for a company. Click here for free access to the courseware.
Tip 2: Get Practical SEO Experience
SEO agencies look to hire those with experience and abilities in increasing search engine rankings.
- Show you can increase rankings to your own online assets. You can do this with your own website via a free website builder like WordPress. By successfully being your own client, you can prove your abilities and experience.
Classroom Application
Add the Mimic SEO simulation to your courses in order to provide students with SEO experience.
Tip 3: Run an SEO Test on the Company You’re Applying To (and Their Competition)
Running an SEO test on the company you’re applying to can show your dedication to SEO and boost your knowledge of the company.
- Use an SEO test software like Google PageSpeed Insights to run an SEO test on the prospective employer as well as tests on their competitors. This will allow you to see what is working for these companies.
The software will give you a “scorecard” that rates aspects of companies’ websites. With these results, you can share insight with the company on how to improve their SEO. This will show you’ve taken time to study the company, and thus set yourself apart from other applicants.
Classroom Application
Download this free assignment from the “SEO: Strategy & Skills” courseware that walks students through the process of using Screaming Frog to complete a website analysis.
Tip 4: Make Specific Preparations
Preparing for a job interview is important, and there are specific ways to do so when looking for a position in SEO marketing.
- Go through these sample SEO marketing interview questions to get an idea of what your interviewer might ask.
- Before your interview, Google your name. Check your online presence, making sure your website and social media profiles are listed as results. This demonstrates your understanding of SEO and shows you are an active participant in the SEO community.
- This is an interview concerning SEO; bring SEO test results, like the ones you ran on the company, to show your interviewer.
- Be 10–15 minutes early for your interview. This will allow you to go over any last-minute preparation and allow you to get in the headspace for an interview. Plus, arriving early shows you care about the interview and are taking it seriously.
Classroom Application
Check out the LinkedIn SEO Project in the instructor resources of the “SEO: Strategy & Skills” courseware. Go here to get free instructor access.
Bonus Application for Instructors
Separate students into pairs and have them read this article. After students have read the tips above, have them take turns completing mock interviews using questions on this list from Naukri Learning that best fit your class. Then, lead a class discussion about the mock interview experience, including what questions students found hard and easy to answer and where students feel they need to strengthen their SEO knowledge.