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After 8 years in PPC, I have to get out. Any career advice?
Hey Y’all. I’m 8 years in and utterly burnt out with my PPC career, but feel trapped in it. I think about quitting my job every day. My current agency job is isolated solo work and I see little opportunity for growth. But honestly, I’ve been unhappy doing this work for the last 4 years across 3 jobs (tech startup marketing generalist, large tech company ad specialist, agency ad specialist)
SO much of my experience is ads focused, I don’t see a way to get a job outside of my specialty. I also don’t see how to use the experience to jump to something else that would be more compelling and fulfilling – i just feel stuck.
* I am utterly bored with campaign execution. I’m disillusioned by the digital ads industry and hate funneling more money towards Google & Facebook. I have no patience for unreasonable clients. I find no joy in hitting a numbers goal.
* I like helping people and talking about, teaching, and explaining how things work to engaged individuals. I like honest conversations about the industry. I like getting to know clients, understanding their brand, and talking about strategies.
* I have broad experience in all things marketing from a startup job, but don’t want another overwhelming do-everything marketing job. I’ve considered doing freelance consulting so I can control my projects, but don’t see a way that works without keeping all that tedious execution work too.In my free time, I’m a pretty talented artist that’s had some local recognition, so all I really wanna do is quit marketing and see if I can turn my art into a business. I could eat my savings for a year and try to make that happen, but every risk-averse bone in my body is screaming about that, especially with the covid crisis still in full swing. If there’s a way I can manuever my career to something more fulfilling, I’d love to do that instead. Y’all have any ideas?
**TLDR:** Fellow PPC folks, I’m burnt out and feel stuck. Got any ideas how I can redirect my career?
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35 Replies
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Have a link to your art by any chance? I go to museums pretty often 🙂
Also, if you were to pick a different industry to start in… have any thoughts on what that might be?
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I thought about moving into performance analytics. But I don’t want to take a step down from where I’m at right now.
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Business owner here who runs all my own ads (Facebook, Google, Bing, and Native). I’ll never understand why PPC experts who are tired of it don’t start their own businesses.
The perks are awesome… Be your own boss. Make your own hours. Keep all the profits yourself. And (IMO) you’re already skilled in the hardest part of it all – the advertising.
Ever thought about starting your own business?
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Have you thought about giving a new business position a shot? I don’t mean high volume, cold call like crazy to sell as many people as possible. I mean for a decent sized agency where you work on a pitch for 3-5 weeks at a time?
You like talking about marketing at a high level, you don’t want to deal with clients and their crazy goals, you don’t want to build and manage digital campaigns, you don’t want to touch ad copy, and you don’t want a do everything job.
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Here’s some considerations where your skills (hard and soft) may be transferable and that may interest you:
* Data Scientist
* Data Analyst
* Product Manager
* Marketing Software Sales / Support
* Marketing Trainer
* Market Research Analyst
* Research & Development
* Chief Marketing Officer
* IT Support
* CybersecurityBottom-line is you have very valuable skills all in high-demand: marketing/sales, client/customer relations, data analysis, project management, experimentation/statistics, coding (?), etc.
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Write an expose book about the dirty secrets of the PPC industry. ?✌?
Seriously though, you have keyword research skills. Why not role that into SEO skills and then some PPC for your own business? I’m sure you can align your interests and you know as rates are low right now.
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Why not explore the Teaching part more? Maybe do some webinars, YouTube videos, with COVID right know small business are leaning more on digital strategies, maybe there’s a niche you can find with your experience that can be profitable
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Do you have any technical skills like Python, SQL, Tableau? If you do, I think you’d have a good chance of transitioning into Data Analytics or Data Sciences. A lot of PPC is implementing ads, campaigns and what not, but also analyzing data and performance. You can always go back to school and get a Masters degree in something you like! I hope you figure it out 🙂
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Take a vacation. Start doing your art business on the side. Quit whenever you want.
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How are the hours and pay? If you’re satisfied with both, I’d pursue your art on the side and/or potentially start a business of some sort related to art that you can build with your unique skill set.
Also could freelance for fewer hours, but that might take a while to build the credibility required to get paid better.
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Sales in tech my friend.
Best pay. Best perks. Best work/life. Best ability to move into different industries.
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Learn to code.
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I am in similar position as you. I think you should work on turning your art into business as a side hustle while you continue at your PPC job.
I am currently working on my side hustles and it is helping me to break out of that mental rut because it gives me another purpose to work towards.
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I think is not PPC that you are tired off but it’s the agency job that you are having. My advise is to join client side or a separate company all together.
Try to get into digital position in arts like museums and all.
I quit my agency job and join the fashion industry which is where I always want to go since I start working. I am currently much happier.
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You want to help me save lives? And you’ll have free time to create art!
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