I didn’t plan on a content marketing career. Like many people in this space, I found my way here through a winding mix of jobs, passions, and a whole lot of trial and error.
Content marketing is one of those rare fields where your background doesn’t have to follow a specific pattern. There are many ways in, and none of them are wrong.
If you’re exploring a digital marketing career path or trying to figure out how to become a content marketer, know this: the journey is half the point. You don’t need to follow a traditional ‘career roadmap’ to land a rewarding and impactful content marketing job.
And just as there’s no single way into content marketing, there’s no one way to do it, either. The field keeps evolving—and the most successful marketers are the ones who adapt, stay curious, and keep learning.
The growing role of content marketing (and how AI fits in)
Even amidst all the recent changes and developments in digital marketing, content still stands at the center of it all. As competition for attention gets more and more intense, content marketing is one of the few channels that continues to build trust, tell stories, and drive action.
Content is often the first impression your audience has of your brand. We’d even go so far as to say that your website’s first impression might be your only impression. So if the content on your site feels generic or disconnected, you lose trust, fast.
To gain (and hold onto) trust from your readers, your content needs to speak confidently to their needs. Confidence and authority come from clarity, relevance, and a human voice—which AI can’t do alone. Sure, tools like ChatGPT and other AI tools are changing how we work. But here’s the thing: they’re just tools.
Here’s an example: A client of mine once tried to optimize their content with AI instead of using human writers. It was a cool experiment. Because… what if? Long story short, though, it backfired. Their once high-ranking blog posts were not getting the results my client hoped for. They halted the experiment halfway through and went back to the ‘old way:’ having humans write, and humans edit.
Similarly, when I was at Hotjar, we ran a Human vs. AI content writing experiment, and the human version outperformed the AI one. You can read about the experiment here.
Hotjar’s human (blue) vs. AI (red) content writing experiment: the article written by a real human being peaked at 71 clicks, and maintained a healthy average of around 34 clicks per day; Source
The lesson here is that content marketing still depends on human creativity, strategy, and voice. At dslx, we predict the most important skills for content marketers in 2025 and beyond will be:
- Using AI to support your work, not replace it: Learn how to write smarter prompts and treat LLMs like assistants, not authors.
- Storytelling that connects: Whether you're writing for a startup or a global brand, your ability to tell a story that resonates with real people will set you apart.
- Deep research and trend mapping: It's not just about Googling faster—it's about uncovering patterns, drawing connections, and creating timely and timeless content.
- Creative innovation: Experiment with new formats, find unexpected angles, and challene industry norms—something AI can’t do on its own.
These skills aren't just useful—they’re transferable. And that’s one of the best things about content marketing: once you’ve built a foundation, you can take your career in all kinds of directions.
Content marketing could be your ideal career if…
If you enjoy writing, visual storytelling, video, or social media, content marketing might feel like home. It’s a career that typically offers a lot of space to experiment, and a surprising amount of freedom.
One of my favorite things about a career in content marketing is the flexibility it offers. Many content marketers freelance, work remotely, or even start their own businesses or agencies. And the variety of roles—content writer, editor, social media manager, content creator, etc.—and industries you can work in means you’re constantly learning.
Even if you later pivot to something else entirely, a content marketing career gives you skills that transfer well: project management, communication, research, and UX thinking, to name a few.
Busting the myth of the linear career path
Some of the best marketers I know didn’t study marketing. They didn’t have a ‘perfect plan,’ they didn’t climb a corporate ladder—they built their own ladders out of duct tape, worked through the rubble of weird jobs, and followed their curiosity.
A content marketing career path often looks more like a jungle gym than a staircase. And that’s not a flaw—it’s a feature.
I asked my network on LinkedIn to tell me what they did or studied before they became content marketers, and the responses were overwhelming. Each story is so impactful and relatable, and incredibly encouraging if you’re wondering how to begin your career as a content marketer:
A few of my favorites:
“I graduated with a Psychology degree! I particularly loved developmental psychology and clinical psychology modules. I discovered a passion for connecting with humans on a heart level but was ultimately drawn into more commercially driven roles.
I combined both passions and ended up in writing, content, comms, branding, and digital marketing.
Since the heart of businesses/brands/products are people, I always felt like where I came from (a psych degree) informs what I do (storytelling, branding, marketing) quite well." - Keshia Kan
“I think being a career-shifter has given me sooo many transferrable skills. Nursing taught me empathy and to pay attention to detail. Customer service taught me how to communicate complex stuff without losing meaning—or my cool. Blogging taught me everything else—but mostly how to trust my ideas and have an understanding of how content works. There's a purpose to every career detour!” - Kristiana Rule
“I studied Computer Engineering (graduated in 2016), but a friend noticed how much I loved researching and writing and sent me a job application for a product review writer in early 2017. I applied, got the job, and only later realized it was content marketing.” - Jessica Tee Orika-Owunna
What can we learn from these stories?
- Exploring different careers and interests can enrich your marketing skills
- Changing your mind about your career path is normal—and can be beneficial
- Every job teaches you something—even (and especially) the jobs you didn’t plan for
- Skills like empathy, storytelling, and communication are career currency
- You don’t need a marketing degree to be a great marketer
- Creativity often comes from unexpected backgrounds (law, science, teaching, etc.)
- The ‘wrong’ job will lead you to the right one
- A winding path isn’t a weakness—it’s where you build range
Like everyone else who responded to my call on LinkedIn, before I worked in marketing, I did a lot of different things:
Surprising jobs that built my marketing skills
I’ve been a barista, waitress, retail manager, apartment complex manager, executive admin, accounts receivable lead (what the!?), digital handlettering artist, farmhand… yes, a farmhand. And every single role I’ve ever had has taught me something I still use today.
- Working in customer service taught me to listen and empathize
- Retail and sales taught me how people make decisions—and how to talk to them without being pushy
- Managing people taught me how to juggle priorities and stay calm under pressure
- And yes, even working on my dad’s huge dairy farm gave me a crash course in local marketing and business operations. (Trust, it was more than just chores—it was a real job; I got paid! With a check! 👵)
Your experience is never wasted. Real-world jobs can help develop essential skills for a career in content marketing, often more effectively than a classroom.
Advice for future content marketers from the dslx team
“Sometimes we need to take a step backward to have a clearer view of the pathway ahead.” - Ray Slater Berry
Here’s what I wish more people knew: you don’t have to wait for permission to start a career in content marketing. You can learn, experiment, and grow from wherever you are right now.
Remember:
- Pay attention to your interests and strengths; marketing embraces diverse talents and viewpoints.
- It's okay if your journey isn’t straightforward—skills from varied experiences are valuable and transferable.
- Despite what society might tell you, a university degree isn’t mandatory; practical experience and continuous learning often lead the way.
- A content marketing career thrives on diversity of thought and experience. Your unique background might be exactly what the industry needs.
Some advice from the team at dslx
dslx founder, Ray, says:
“I think right now, content marketing = innovating. After being stuck as Pikachu for so long, we're finally evolving. And, we’ll continue to evolve all the time. It means new content marketers can come with the advantage of not being stuck in habits or processes that no longer work. My best advice would be to innovate, educate, and experiment as much as possible. No one is really doing it right. Everyone's doing their best. And, the best skills that will help you get there are: collaboration, creativity, empathy, and storytelling.”
Ella, Lead Account Manager, says:
“My advice is to make connections with other people in the industry. Not just when you need something, but genuine relationships—both professional and personal. I’ve had opportunities come my way that I wouldn’t have had without my network looking out for me. And it’s the same the other way!
Whenever I’ve got a problem to solve that needs out-of-house support, my mind goes straight to the people in my network—the relationships I’ve built in the content space. Of course, connections aren’t the only consideration, and projects often go elsewhere, but sometimes someone comes to mind who’s a perfect fit!
Plus, it’s not just about business. Having connections in the same industry gives you a place to talk about your work life/goals/troubles/etc. without having to always give the context you’d give to friends in other industries.”
Stef, a dslx Account Manager, shares some very real advice:
“You're not that special. The whole industry is filled to the brim with creative people who will often do things better than you, no matter how experienced you are or how high up the managerial ladder you’ve climbed. Keeping this in mind helps you stay humble and open to learning from others. A healthy dose of impostor syndrome from time to time lets us, as content marketers, keep up with the times and remain receptive to fresh perspectives from everyone around us, from interns to industry veterans. Also, learn other skills in case AI obliterates our industry, haha!”
Senior Writer and Editor, Armin, shares:
“My advice is to learn how to tolerate ambiguity and commit to constant learning and relearning. Most people go into a craft/profession/industry expecting it to be an exact science. The more I venture into marketing, the more I realize that market shifts can topple best practices in a matter of days.
This is an industry of gray, pliable nuances—not cold hard facts. What might work exceptionally in one context can be ineffective in another. That's why it’s important to be flexible with learning new skills. Ironically so, there's no playbook, foolproof guide, or course you can take that you can lean on forever. It's a fast market, and the people who seem to succeed in it are flexible enough to ride and even anticipate trends as they come.
Good marketing skillsets are more like a bag of tricks collected through experience rather than a uniform body of knowledge. If anyone tells you there are absolutes here, they're either wrong or marketing something.”
And Sharan, another Senior Writer and Editor for dslx, says:
“1. Learn how to make peace with invisible impact. So much of your best work won’t come with likes or shoutouts. You’ll ghostwrite something that changes someone’s career. You’ll quietly tighten messaging that helps a deal close. You’ll create a resource that sticks in someone’s mind and guides a decision weeks later. Impact in content often shows up silently—in better outcomes, not louder praise. Learn to trust the long tail. It’s working, even when it’s quiet.
2. Don’t learn how to write, learn how to be read (I learned this from Ray). You can write beautiful sentences, hit every SEO target, and still lose the reader in the first scroll. Your job is to earn and hold attention. That means cutting fluff, obsessing over clarity, and using rhythm and layout to guide the eye.
3. Get active on LinkedIn. Seriously. Your network is everything in this industry—and showing up online helps you build it. I could’ve never imagined, growing up in a small corner of Mumbai, that I’d end up flying across the world with the amazing folks at dslx, doing work I love with people I admire. And honestly? That journey started with just posting. Sharing ideas. Connecting with others. Putting my work—and my perspective—out there. You don’t need to go viral. You just need to show up. That’s how doors open.”
Your career, your rules—where will you climb next?
No one has all the answers at the start. You probably won’t have them five years in, either. Or ten. Or ever.
But if you stay curious, keep building, and be open to new directions, your content marketing career will shape itself in ways you never expected.
Forget the ladder. Try the jungle gym. It’s way more fun up here.
Attention all Busy Beasts and Creative Creatures: enroll now in dslx Academy and join us for continued learning, no matter your level or place in the marketing world
👉 P.S. Even though I didn’t go with my original plan to sprinkle every quote from my network in the body of this blog post, I couldn’t resist including a few more stand-out quotes down here. Please enjoy. 🤗
“I started out dressing as a bear, but realised it wasn't the career path I'd hoped for. After one too many negative experiences dancing on a roundabout, I went to study English Literature at university, mostly because I knew how to read.
I soon realised a lot of people know how to read and it wasn't much of a niche. Besides, no one really cares about Emily Brontë. It was a conundrum.
I failed at starting a copywriting business—despite having a decent knowledge of post-modern literary theory—and ran away from the UK to South Korea where I taught people to read English. Finally my dream came true.
Alas I got tired, moved to Spain to teach English. I slowly spent all my hard-earned Korean Won and got a job in Publishing. That was AWFUL.
So I left Spain, went to Medellin, former murder capital of the world, because why not? I joined a PR startup and worked my way up the greasy PR pole to managing editor. That was hard.
Content marketing looked fun back then, so I left Colombia and started a content marketing agency in Barcelona alongside a former forensic scientist called Dan. He helps me bury the bodies when it goes wrong, from time to time.” - George Chilton
“I didn’t study marketing, I studied law. Turns out, I preferred writing the story around the argument, not the legal brief. Ended up learning marketing by accident. First through freelance writing gigs, and then at a local marketing agency, where I figured out fast how to write with strategy, manage client chaos, and deliver content that pulled its weight.
I learned more about audience psychology waiting tables at a local restaurant than in any classroom. Timing, tone, persuasion, conflict resolution… plus the power of a well-placed “no worries at all…” Honestly? Waiting tables was just messaging in motion. Serve the right message at the right time with the right tone? Please. That’s marketing with a side of fries.
I’m a mom too, which means I’ve basically earned a PhD in communication strategy, negotiation, and managing chaotic brand narratives, all before breakfast. I never really changed my mind about the work itself, I always knew I’d write. But I did wrestle for years with choosing between copy and content. Sell or teach? Convert or connect? Still figuring it out, but lately I’m leaning back into long-form. It’s always been the one I loved most.” - Ema Koloski
“I've always envied people who had, even in school, a clear idea of what they wanted to do as a job. That was never me, so I just chose to pursue things I liked and was good at. In fact, my first attempt at studying at university was a misfire, and I changed degrees and university after a semester and a half because I realised that I wanted to be firmly in the world of humanities.
Now, of course, I'm embedded in content marketing, but that statement can also be a bit reductive as our work in this sphere invariably touches on a lot of other areas (take your pick from UX, product management, design, video, community building, or any of the other disciplines with which many of us regularly intersect).
In brief, I'm in content marketing right now and I enjoy it, but I firmly believe that careers no longer have to be monolithic, so I like to maintain a broad palette of skills and, ideally, I want each new job that I take on to present at least some new challenges that spur growth and just keep life interesting!” -Steven Kelly
Thank you to everyone who shared their stories:
