This blog was written by Setup’s Business Development + Marketing Associate, Alexis Quarcoo.

As a young marketer, my experience in the corporate world has been eye-opening. Between publishing CMO Spotlight interviews and attending #MarketersBreakfasts with marketing executives over the last two years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with well connected marketers and learning from marketing leaders from different organizations. When I first started in the industry, I didn't realize the importance of networking, but, because of leaders in my life, I quickly realized that networking is the key to growth in your career.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been on a journey to connect with as many marketers as I can and chat with them about their personal experiences working in the industry. Every conversation presents new insights and perspectives on ways that I can tackle my own career.

Here are my 5 takeaways from conversations I've had with some top marketing leaders:

Continuous Learning + Thought Leadership 

Networking exposes you to so many people. While networking in person has perks, our virtual world gives us the ability to talk to anyone from anywhere. If you see someone interesting who is an industry expert in a space that you’re interested in, there is nothing to lose if you reach out to them. I am learning so much about leadership, career opportunities, and advice from these conversations, and it inspires me to continue to find learning opportunities elsewhere.

Whether you find inspiration online, from books, a course, college or university, or even social media, young marketers need to stay ahead of the curve. Staying on the cutting edge is the key to growing as a marketer and will open doors for you.

Hone in on Interests

Adults spend the majority of time working, so it’s important to work on something you enjoy. When sharing information about their career paths, many of the leaders shared that they spent too much time at a place that didn’t really serve them. I was advised by a lot of leaders to be true to myself and my intuition, and work in spaces that interest me. This could even mean asking leadership if you can branch out into other spaces that interest you within the organization if you’re feeling stuck or working on something that isn’t the right fit. It’s important for young marketers to focus on their passions while discovering their skills in order to avoid burnout and continue to grow.

Professional Growth + Career Building 

While it is important to hone in on the things you’re interested in, you should also try things that you haven’t experienced before. Increase your exposure to a diverse amount of marketing tasks, projects, and disciplines to really give yourself a wider perspective of what marketing is all about. It’s also important to lean on your team to learn from their experiences. You can gain so much from asking someone on your team to teach you a skill or involve you on a project. In order to grow professionally, you have to start making a habit to take on diverse experiences, seek opportunities, and learn from successful individuals around you. Everyone around you has valuable experience to share.

Keep Networking!

I had no expectations when I began reaching out to marketers for advice. I was under the impression that professionals are “so busy” and won’t have time to talk, yet the complete opposite happened. Candidly, I was praised for being “brave enough” to reach out to new people because of how daunting it can be, and they were all so happy and willing to help.

The leaders across the board insisted that I keep reaching out to grow my network and knowledge. They shared with me to not be afraid to reach out to people you find interesting, and never stop trying to expand your network. People generally want to help one another, and share their mistakes and achievements to assist others in their journeys.

Adaptability + Innovation 

The final commonality that I heard from these marketing leaders was that I need to stay out of my comfort zone. In order to grow, I need to take initiative and use my strengths to try and be innovative and adaptable. In this marketing landscape, transformation is constant, and the leaders I spoke to advised me to take advantage of those opportunities.

I’m so grateful for the conversations I’ve had and continue to have with marketing leaders. This dialogues has shaped my expectations for my career and really given me the confidence to continue to work towards what I want. I’m hoping my learnings can inspire other young marketers and give them the confidence to effectively pursue their careers.