How to Close the Marketing Skills Gap

We’ve all been there—fresh out of university, excited to start your first job, only to quickly realize that the lessons learned in the classroom don’t quite translate to the real world. In marketing and advertising, this is especially true. As the industry evolves, the gap between what new graduates know and what businesses truly need has widened. For agencies and companies looking to hire talented marketers, this disconnect means searching for skilled professionals who can hit the ground running, and unfortunately, that’s harder than ever.

The Skills Gap: What’s Missing from University Marketing Programs

The skills gap is largely driven by the fact that universities often don’t provide the hands-on experience required for today’s marketing professionals. Many new grads understand marketing theory—consumer behavior, branding concepts, and marketing psychology—but struggle when faced with technical tasks like setting up Google Ads accounts, analyzing website metrics, or running data-driven campaigns.

While students learn valuable fundamentals, they often lack exposure to the practical tools and platforms that are essential in modern marketing. They’re not taught to work with Google Analytics, run paid advertising campaigns, or create and manage SEO strategies—skills that are vital in the real world. This gap makes it harder for graduates to step into a role that requires not only theoretical knowledge but also the technical expertise to implement and execute marketing strategies successfully.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in marketing is another key factor. AI-powered tools are now integral to tasks like ad optimization, content creation, and campaign performance analysis. Marketers must understand how to use these tools effectively to optimize workflows, target audiences more precisely, and drive better results. However, these AI-driven solutions are often absent from traditional academic marketing curriculums, leaving new professionals unprepared to leverage these technologies on day one.

Marketing Apprenticeships and Hands-On Experience

To better prepare for a marketing career, students need hands-on experience while still in school. Internships, part-time jobs, or freelance opportunities give students the chance to work with tools like Google Ads and Google Analytics, allowing them to develop the technical skills that are often missing from their formal education. Real-world application teaches them how to analyze data, refine campaigns, and understand what drives results for brands.

Students who work with AI-based tools, such as automated content creation platforms or customer segmentation software, gain exposure to the technologies that are transforming the industry. These experiences help them understand how to integrate AI and automation into campaigns, which are critical skills for marketers today. Without this exposure, they may struggle to adapt to the growing use of AI tools in the industry, which increasingly help marketers streamline processes and improve efficiency.

Internships and apprenticeships give students a chance to gain experience in more than just social media marketing—an area that many people think of first when entering the field. While managing social media accounts is an important skill, it represents only a small part of what modern marketers need to know. To succeed, marketers must be well-versed in strategy, research, data analysis, and the tools necessary to drive measurable business outcomes.

Social Media Marketing: A Skill, But Not the Whole Picture

Many people enter marketing through social media, and while it’s an important skill, it’s only one aspect of a broader marketing strategy. Social media marketing involves creating engaging content, running paid ads, and building brand presence on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. However, it doesn’t cover other key areas such as market research, SEO, data analysis, or strategic planning—all of which contribute to long-term revenue growth.

Understanding how to use AI-driven tools to optimize ad campaigns or how to analyze data for customer insights is essential for modern marketers. Social media is often where new marketers start, but it’s not where they should stop. Marketers must develop a holistic understanding of how all these pieces come together to create a cohesive brand experience. AI can enhance many of these areas, from improving targeting and customer segmentation to optimizing content strategies based on real-time data.

Josh Mangum’s Take on the Marketing Skills Gap

To gain further insight into the challenges companies and agencies face when hiring skilled marketers, I sat down with Josh Mangum, our CEO, and Director of Strategy, who brings over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry.

The Increasing Demand for Highly Skilled Marketers

Josh explains, “The skills gap in marketing has never been more apparent. Companies are increasingly looking for marketers who can come in and execute on day one—whether it’s setting up Google Ads campaigns, analyzing website data, or crafting comprehensive digital strategies.”

He continues, “What we see is a divide between recent graduates who have a theoretical understanding of marketing and experienced marketers who can immediately contribute and drive results. For new grads, the skills they’re often missing are the very ones that will make or break their success in the field.”

He also notes, “The role of AI and automation in marketing is another big shift that hasn’t been fully integrated into marketing education. AI is reshaping everything from customer targeting to content creation and campaign management. A good marketer today needs to understand how to use these tools to optimize campaigns and improve efficiency—something that most academic programs don’t emphasize.”

Career Changers and the Need for Real-World Application

Josh points out that career changers—those who transition into marketing from other fields—often face a similar challenge. “Many people come into marketing after working in fields like sales or customer service, where they’ve gained valuable interpersonal skills. But when they try to shift into a digital marketing role, they’re suddenly faced with the technical side of things—tools like Google Ads, SEO, and analytics platforms.”

“The key for anyone looking to break into marketing today, whether they’re a recent grad or career changer, is getting their hands dirty with real-world projects,” Josh emphasizes. “Internships, apprenticeships, or even taking on freelance projects where you’re working directly with clients and running actual campaigns is invaluable. It’s the only way to truly learn how marketing works in practice.”

The Need for Strategy and Research Skills

As Josh notes, “Marketing isn’t just about the tools—it’s about strategy. You can have the best campaigns and the most creative content, but without the right research and strategic thinking behind it, it won’t move the needle.”

Josh also emphasizes the importance of AI in strategy. “With AI-powered tools, marketers can optimize content for search engines, predict customer behavior, and even create dynamic ad campaigns based on real-time data. But these tools are only as good as the strategy behind them. A marketer’s ability to leverage AI and automation effectively can make all the difference in driving ROI.”

Without the foundational understanding of strategy, research, and data-driven decision-making, even the most talented social media marketers can struggle to create campaigns that deliver ROI. Josh believes that the focus on digital tools, AI, and automation has made many new marketers too reliant on platforms like Facebook and Instagram rather than seeing marketing as a holistic discipline that requires deep understanding across multiple areas.

The New Generation Entering the Workforce: Expectations vs. Reality

Josh Mangum points out that the new generation of marketing professionals entering the workforce today often faces a disconnect between their expectations and the reality of the industry.

“We’ve interviewed countless recent grads, and many of them come in with the mindset that because they have a degree or internship experience, they’re ready to take on big roles,” Josh says. “But the truth is, they don’t always have the hands-on experience or practical skills needed to execute the day-to-day tasks of a marketer.”

The problem, Josh explains, is that many graduates simply don’t have the exposure to essential marketing tools and strategies during their studies. “A recent grad may understand the theory behind things like Google Analytics or setting up an ad campaign, but they haven’t actually used those tools in a real-world setting,” he shares. “They can talk about social media marketing, but they don’t always know how to create a cohesive strategy that drives revenue. They’re missing the bigger picture—how to connect all the elements to deliver actual results.”

Josh emphasizes that practical, real-world experience is critical for bridging this gap. “When it comes down to it, marketing is about much more than just running an Instagram account. If students can gain experience setting up ad accounts, tracking KPIs, and conducting strategic market research while still in school, it would give them the foundation they need to excel in the industry.”

Josh believes mentorship plays a key role in preparing new marketers. “It’s important to foster an environment where young professionals are learning from those who have been in the field for years. This allows them to see firsthand what it takes to craft successful campaigns, analyze data, and ultimately deliver value to clients.”

By pairing education with hands-on experience and mentorship, marketing programs can better prepare graduates for the demands of the industry and close the skills gap that continues to challenge employers.