I’m often asked ‘how do I get a job in arts marketing?’.  Some come from the commercial world and want to move into a sector that means more to them. Others think that working in the arts will be a softer option -  less ruthless than the commercial sector. However, most agree that jobs in the arts are harder – you have more responsibility (for less pay), need to do more with less resources and are more accountable.

My tips are:

• Get work experience in the field (do you have a friend who needs an exhibition organised, or their band promoted? Swap your help for something to talk about on your application)
• Demonstrate you’re serious about the sector – stay current (do training/get qualifications such as arts/cultural management, read the arts magazines)
• Make sure that everything you do (paid or unpaid) is strategic – ‘I had this problem, came up with this solution, got this result. This is what I learned, this is what I’d do different next time’. Keep operating like that – write about it in your applications, talk about it in interviews and you’ll get lucky.

After each interview, I write down the questions I was asked that I didn’t expect. The next time I go for an interview, I dig out the questions and rehearse answers. Ones will come up that you don’t know, but you’ll do a whole lot better for having a bank of answers in your head.

My top questions to be ready for are:

• What do you see are the strengths of this company?
• What are the key challenges for this company’?
• What are the key challenges for you in this role?
• What improvements would you make to our marketing?
• What is your most significant achievement?
• Talk to us about our brand
• Tell us more about our audience – what do you know about them?
• How would you increase income/attendances at our company?
• Tell us about a time you used a creative approach to solve a problem?
• Can you tell us when you have used research findings to influence your marketing activity?
• How do you compare our brand to X competitor?

The places I look for arts/charity or cause-related marketing jobs are:

• Artsadmin E-digest
• News from Voluntary Arts Scotland
• goodmoves Jobs by Email service
• Guardian Jobs
• Arts Workers ebulletin E: artsworkers@tab.org.uk
• www.a-m-a.org.uk
• environmentjob.co.uk
• CharityJOB Alert
• s1jobs.com
• C21news