Recent and soon-to-be college grads all know the struggle of navigating the broad path of “digital marketing” with limited (or no) marketing experience...

While everyone can take part in the enjoyment of memes, there are undoubtedly better ways to prepare for the inevitable entry into the “real world.” 

Our biggest piece of advice for current seniors and recent grads?

Attend SPARKsouth

SPARKsouth emerged from the same organizers who have put on SouthWiRED and SuperNova for students in the metro-Atlanta area. 

Read Related - SPARKSouth: Embrace a New Mindset

What is SPARKsouth?

In short, SPARKsouth is a full-day digital marketing conference designed to help students and marketing professionals from all over the Southeast find the often-obscured path to a career in digital marketing. 

“When I attended two years ago, the event was called SouthWiRED. I look back on it as one of the most valuable days of my senior year in college, because it provided me with real people with real stories about how they got to where they are now. It made graduating a lot less scary and it made the once-daunting goal of starting a career a lot more feasible.”

- Former student attendee

Many soon to be graduating students experience anxiety about how to launch into a digital marketing career. Keeping those anxieties in mind, the SPARKsouth organizers have mapped the day to illustrate four primary career paths a digital marketing graduate can take: Agency, Brand, Entrepreneur, and Platform. Students can jump from track-to-track to gain a better understanding of various avenues.

Each track will feature panels and keynote presentations that go into greater detail about how to:

• Break into a digital marketing career - How to set yourself up for success and how to get noticed.

• Find a niche - How to pursue a path as a specialist

• Make it to the top - Learn from VPs of marketing or CMOs how they made heir way to the top

• Insider’s Tips - The not-so-obvious tips that can help students avoid missteps and identify the opportunities to get ahead in their digital careers.

Frequent breaks are built into the agenda to give students a chance to meet the speakers, receive career coaching, and interact with other students following similar career paths. The Career Skills sessions will provide opportunities for resume reviews, professional headshots, and personal brand coaching. Towards the end of the afternoon, potential employers will be invited to mingle with students who can share their resumes.

Students receive discounted tickets.

While SPARKsouth was designed with college students in mind, it also provides an excellent opportunity for digital marketing professionals to network, recruit, and learn from peers. 

Read Related - The Marketing Career Path : From Entry-Level to Chief Marketing Officer

Interview Questions Marketing Students can Use to Prepare - Perfect Interview Questions to Fill Empty Marketing Roles

Here is Setup CEO Joe Koufman talking about SPARKsouth on The Dana Barrett Show on biz 1190.

Sponsorships are available for the tracks, keynote presentations, career skills workshops, and the career fair.