Yes I work in Facebook ads and yes I have a soul

Musings

13 Oct

If you’ve ever heard a joke about how people who work for Facebook Ads are evil. Here is how I make it through an industry which uses emotion and psychology to encourage people to buy things.

11 years ago, I graduated from university. I had dreams then of working as an editor for a publishing house and becoming a writer, so when I got an internship with Pearson Education, I couldn’t believe my luck. I was taking part in what was then their diversity programme, and though I applied for an editorial position, they put me in a marketing one, much to my dismay and somewhat confusion (as it was very competitive).

I remember the programme manager telling me that I had the transferable skills, and not to overthink it. Fast forward to today, and I not only decided after this that I would work in marketing, but I actively went to pursue a professional qualification for it (Diploma from CIM), I now have 11 years of marketing experience behind me.

Today I live in the beautiful melting pot that is Berlin, it’s much less “what do you do?” in the first three seconds of meeting someone than London, but when the question arises, it’s usually followed up by a joke or me having to explain that I am not evil.

Marketing is more than a job for me. And as an ambitious person, I do have the energy to change career if that’s what I really wanted, but I haven’t wanted to—except for pivoting within marketing and changing my mind on what kind of company I want to work for.

“How I make it through an industry which uses emotion and psychology to encourage people to buy things, is to ONLY market things I believe in, care about or really like.”

If you know me, you know I am quite sensitive and empathetic. I’m also creative and love writing poetry. I care about people and I put peace of mind over money—which are some of the reasons people don’t expect me to work in Facebook Ads, but these things are also what make me good at what I do. As I recently heard a marketing leader say: “marketing is a blend of creativity and science”, and though I’ve refined my skills in the science, the creativity has always been within me, and balancing both makes for fulfilling work...IF you really believe in what you are marketing.

How I make it through an industry which uses emotion and psychology to encourage people to buy things, is to ONLY market things I believe in, care about or really like.

This means I’ve worked in everything from coconut water (still addicted) to an association of small-to-medium-sized travel companies to a bank account that’s on your phone. I either use and love the product, or really believe in what they do. Not only does it make me care beyond the politics that usually come with office work, it usually makes me a pretty authentic brand advocate, and helps me sleep better at night too.

Working in marketing you get to understand one life lesson very well. Some people don’t have very much to offer but know how to sell themselves, and some people have everything to offer and don’t know how to do so. Knowing that makes me deeply sad, especially when I experience a service or product that has integrity and real value to offer people.

So, in that way, I believe it to be my personal mission to help those people, and I suppose that’s what I am doing with WADED and how I manage not to sell my soul in the process. I also encourage young people to think about this when getting into the field, and hope they come away from this article knowing that a job in marketing can be valuable for real people’s lives, fulfilling and meaningful to you.