Christopher Earle: Top Tips for Making the First 30 Days in Your New Content Role Really Count

Thursday, 6 April 2017

Top Tips for Making the First 30 Days in Your New Content Role Really Count

For me, starting a new job is always a steady mix of overwhelming excitement and sheer terror. I think about all of the things that I am going to accomplish (very quickly of course) and then at some point realize that the comfort of knowing the in’s and out’s of my previous job, are now gone.

As someone that has worked in numerous marketing and content roles throughout my career, I’ve learned some easy (and some very tough) lessons. In the end, I’ve realized that it doesn’t matter how much I think I know walking in on my first day, it’s how I take advantage of the training and onboarding available that has the biggest impact.

For my fellow content marketers, I’d like to help you rock your next transition. If you want to not only survive but thrive in a new content role, take note of the tips below.

#1 – Be Open & Ready to Learn

When starting a new content position, be open to learning from your teammates In addition to learning new approaches to content marketing, you’ll also need to absorb the preferences and processes that exist within the organization. There will always be time for you to share your knowledge and impact process. But start by being a sponge and absorb everything there is to know.

As tough as it can be, you may also want to take things slow. If possible, give yourself some extra time to complete content planning or execution tasks so that you can double or triple check your work and to ensure it’s on the right track.

#2 – Ask Questions

Don’t be shy. It’s your JOB to understand everything there is to know about the brand’s content. Your new team may not be aware of knowledge gaps or items they didn’t explain fully. So take the opportunity in the moment to ask important questions.

Another good tactic is to interview key stakeholders within the organization. This will help you get a good view of expectations from multiple perspectives.

#3 – Familiarize Yourself with the Content

Even before you start your new position, spend some time getting up to speed on some of the most recent content that your new organization has published.

Understanding the current content approach will give you a good idea of the voice, tone and content types that the company distributes.

#4 – Job Shadow Other Content Team Members

One of the opportunities that we offer at our agency is to shadow other team members. Especially if someone has been there awhile, they’ll have some great tips for how to approach the content creation and they may even provide some helpful insights that will help you become efficient in your new role.

It’s also a great idea to shadow team members in positions that are different than yours within the marketing department. A well-rounded view of how the different marketing practices integrate are essential for creating content success.

#5 – Complete A Content Audit

If it doesn’t already exist, run an audit of the existing brand content. An audit will help you determine:

Where content gaps and opportunities may lay
Which content types and topics typically perform best
Potential content repurposing opportunities

#6 – Get Trained on Technology (and Fast)

Even though our jobs as marketers have gotten more complex over the years, the technology that we have our fingertips can help us stay organized and create efficiencies. Ask your team what tools are available currently and set up formal or informal trainings to get up to speed on available platforms as quickly as possible.

You’ll find that you will often save time and headaches by using the technology provided. Sometimes at brands large and small, the tech may not have caught up to needs. Start by familiarizing yourself with current technology but feel free to recommend additional tools for consideration that you have used previously.

#7 – Roll Up Your Sleeves & Jump in

Once you’ve gotten your feet wet and have an understanding of the current state of content at your new company, it’s time to dig in. Utilize the combination of what you’ve learned since you started and what you already knew to guide your approach.

Looking For a New Content Role?

If you’re on the hunt for a new position, we’d love to chat! TopRank Marketing has a current opening for a rockstar Content Marketing Manager to join our team. If that role doesn’t sound like a fit for you, take a moment to review the other open positions on our careers page.

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