We all are dreamers at heart, and we live in a society that tells us that we can become whoever we want to be and rock this world. It is pleasant to know that, and it is good that year after a year, there are fewer stereotypes that influence our choices, less racial, gender, age-related limitations introduced both by society and businesses. It is a bright side. The bad side is that “becoming whoever you want” is an unrealistic idea.
For some professions we lack health, for some — don’t have enough time and money, and about some professions, we don’t even know. There are also career specialists who are very sceptical regarding this idea of “multiple choices at every step” career strategies. Why? Because when you begin to diversify your efforts, you rarely grow as a professional enough to be known as an expert and be paid accordingly.
That is why it is a good idea to assess the pros and cons of different specializations, different career choices, and pick something you would like to do for years to come. At first, you need to study, later, you need to gain experience. It all takes time, which is the most precious investment. So, to help you at this stage, today, we will analyze the difference between digital marketing and programming. The choice is only yours.
Complexity
Programming is considered to be more complex compared to digital marketing, first of all, because normally, programming is associated with a mathematical background and requires strong logical thinking and analytical skills. However, there are specialists, some of whom are Computer Science professors, who claim that nowadays programming is much less based on maths than before, and a big part of it is very intuitive. That is a little optimistic claim, but still, it has some chances to be true.
Finally, if some of the assignments happen to be overwhelming, you can always address a programming assignment helper online, such as AssignmentCore, for reliable assistance with your coding homework. Digital marketing, in its turn, is not that easy profession, as it also requires analytical thinking, working with strategies and PR, sometimes targeting skills, etc. Marketing changes all the time, and experience is not only the decisive part. Working in digital marketing, you cannot stop studying, and you should always find new strategies, which are more innovative and up-to-date than those used by your competitors. It clearly shows that there is no objective difference in complexity between Digital marketing and Programming — you can only decide for yourself what is harder and what is easier for you based on your skillset.
Money
While it is good to choose a future profession based on a genuine interest in the respective field, you probably want to know which field is more prospective in terms of salary. At a Junior level, programmers generally earn more than specialists in digital marketing, but later everything depends on how fast you grow. The programmer’s salary is stable but grows faster if he/she decisively jumps from one level to another. The Digital marketer’s salary can seem lower, but it highly depends on the bonus part.
When you no longer hold a Junior position in digital marketing, part of your salary depends on bonuses, and this part can be truly significant if you learn the market and understand your target audience well enough. Salaries in digital marketing almost don’t have limits, but only truly talented specialists can reach that level. Salaries in programming are rather standardized, but the path from Junior to Senior is more predictable.
What is More Suitable for You? A Brief Test
Here are two sets of statements. If you get more positive answers in the first one, Digital marketing, for now, suits you better. If the second list is more about you, you might want to try yourself in Programming.
Digital marketing list:
- You like to analyze data, even when it is not related to your academic tasks.
- You often want to know more about people’s behavior, understand decision-making processes, etc.
- You are good or want to be good in writing
- You are active on social media
- You make sure your posts on social media are grammatically correct
- You are interested in how content becomes viral
- Nothing is “too modern” for you
- You are familiar with at least some SEO principles
- You have strong communication skills (online or/and offline)
- You are interested both in visual and textual content
- You like challenging tasks not repeating one another
Programming list:
- You are good in STEM disciplines
- You are interested in STEM disciplines
- Reading bores you
- You can boast with high concentration levels
- You are interested in problem-solving
- You often try to find a more efficient way to deal with tasks
- You are better in collaboration than in communication
- You are used to double-checking
- You prefer dependability to creativity
- You are interested in technology more than in social media
- You like to optimize processes just for fun
Of course, a brief questionnaire like this cannot make a career decision for you, but it gives you an opportunity to assess your background better.