Why This Matters Before You Apply

Most graduates jump into job hunting without stopping to ask: what role actually suits me?
They apply to marketing assistant, brand executive, SEO analyst, social media manager — without knowing what the day-to-day involves.

Here’s the problem:

• If you pick the wrong role, you risk burning out fast.
• If you don’t show self-awareness in interviews, recruiters notice.
• If you’re an international student, you need to target roles that justify visa sponsorship (£38,900+).

As SEMrush points out in its Get a Job in Marketing guide:

“Marketing isn’t one job. It’s a spectrum of roles — creative, analytical, strategic, technical — and the most successful graduates are those who know where they fit best.”

This article will help you match your personality and skills to a role using the 5 Types of Thinkers framework, then explore real career paths in marketing that UK employers are hiring for in 2025.

Step 1 – The 5 Types of Thinkers (Which One Are You?)

According to the 5 Types of Thinkers model, every person leans toward one dominant style of thinking. In marketing, this influences the roles you’ll thrive in.

1. Analytical Thinker

• Loves numbers, patterns, trends.
• Comfortable with data, reporting, and insights.
• Detail-oriented, logical, precise.

Best Roles: SEO Analyst, PPC Specialist, Data & Insights, CRM Analyst.
Real-Life Example:
An SEO Analyst at a London agency might spend their day pulling data from Google Analytics, SEMrush, and Ahrefs, then optimising content for ranking.

Good fit if you enjoy spreadsheets and problem-solving more than TikTok trends.

2. Creative Thinker

• Loves ideas, storytelling, visuals.
• Thrives on campaigns, content, branding.
• Enjoys design tools, brainstorming, experimenting.

Best Roles: Content Marketer, Copywriter, Social Media Executive, Brand Coordinator.
Real-Life Example:
A Social Media Exec at a fashion startup might plan TikTok campaigns, create memes, and work with influencers to grow brand visibility.

Good fit if you’re always thinking of fresh ideas and love design/copywriting.

3. Practical Thinker

• Likes structure, organisation, execution.
• Project management, timelines, workflows.
• Skilled at making things happen.

Best Roles: Marketing Coordinator, Campaign Manager, Event Marketing Exec.
Real-Life Example:
An Event Marketing Exec at a UK university might organise open days, manage suppliers, and handle logistics for 500+ students.

Good fit if you’re the “organiser friend” in your group project.

4. Visionary Thinker

• Big-picture, strategic, future-oriented.
• Interested in trends, innovation, growth.
• Prefers planning over micromanaging.

Best Roles: Brand Strategist, Product Marketing, Growth Marketer.
Real-Life Example:
A Growth Marketer at a SaaS scale-up might design a go-to-market strategy for launching in the UK, balancing data insights with creative campaigns.

Good fit if you’re excited by “what’s next” and love business strategy.

5. Emotional/Empathetic Thinker

• Strong people skills, EQ, communication.
• Good at networking, storytelling, persuasion.
• Great at building relationships with clients/customers.

Best Roles: PR Officer, Influencer Marketing, Community Manager, Account Exec.
Real-Life Example:
A PR Officer at a London agency might pitch stories to journalists, manage press events, and handle client relationships.

Good fit if you love people, persuasion, and connecting with audiences.

Step 2 – Matching Thinker Types to SEMrush’s Marketing Roles

SEMrush’s career framework breaks marketing into core pathways. Let’s map thinker types onto these:

This framework stops you wasting time on roles that don’t match your strengths.

Step 3 – Salary & Sponsorship: What’s Realistic?

Here’s where international students need to pay attention.

• Entry-level creative roles (Social Media Exec, Content Writer) often start around £25–30k. These rarely hit the £38,900 sponsorship threshold.
• Data-driven & technical roles (SEO, PPC, Digital Analyst) are more likely to scale to £38–42k within 1–2 years.
• Brand & strategy roles in corporates (Graduate Schemes at Unilever, P&G, WPP) usually start higher and come with visa sponsorship.

If you’re an international marketing graduate, target:

• Graduate schemes (corporates).
• Scale-ups (fast growth, willing to sponsor technical talent).
• Data/SEO/PPC-heavy roles with higher earning potential.

As Edward Barr writes in How to Use Marketing Techniques to Get a Great Job:

“Your job search is a marketing campaign. You need to segment your market, position yourself, and target where demand is greatest.”

Step 4 – Interview Value: Show Self-Awareness

Recruiters love candidates who know their fit.

Example Q: “Why do you want this role?”
❌ Bad: “I just want to work in marketing.”
✅ Good: “I’m an analytical thinker — I love spotting trends in data. That’s why I’m drawn to SEO and PPC, where I can measure impact directly.”

Mark Murphy, in Never Say These Words in a Job Interview, warns:

“Vague answers kill interviews. Employers want sharp evidence that you know yourself and know the role.”

Step 5 – Quick Reflection Exercise

Take 5 minutes:

1. Circle your dominant thinker type.
2. Write 3 examples of when you showed that trait (uni, society, internship).
3. Match it to one SEMrush role pathway.
4. Research average UK salary (CV-Library or Indeed).
5. Ask: Does this role fit my sponsorship/career goals?

Mini Glossary (Role Types)

Conclusion

Before firing out 50 applications, pause. Ask: Who am I as a thinker? Which marketing role fits me?

This self-awareness helps you:

• Apply smarter (and earlier).
• Pass interviews with confident answers.
• Target roles that actually meet visa/salary requirements.

As Brian Tracy puts it in Unstoppable Motivation:

“Clarity accounts for 80% of success. When you know what you want, everything else falls into place.”

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