You studied copywriting at university, but have you ever considered a career in copywriting?
Did you know that there are more than 100,000 jobs in the UK that require some form of copywriting skills? That’s a lot of jobs!
So, it would seem that there are more opportunities in the field than there are people to fill them. You might be wondering, therefore, whether or not you should study copywriting at university. We’re going to explore the various paths that you can take after your studies and whether or not studying copywriting at university is a wise choice.
Ways to Proceed After You Study Copywriting
You’ve studied copywriting at university, and now you’re faced with the daunting task of choosing a career. Where do you start?
The first step is to assess your interests. Maybe you’ve always had a talent for words and would enjoy using your skills to motivate people to buy your products. Alternatively, you may have focused on social media marketing in your degree and are considering a job in this area.
It’s also important to think about your options. You might wonder whether an MBA is the right route for you. An MBA can give you the knowledge and skills to progress in your career. It can also help you to develop new products or features for existing products. The decision is completely up to you.
Should You Study Copywriting at University?
Now, you might be wondering whether or not you should study copywriting at university. After all, you’ve already covered a lot of ground on your course, and there are a wealth of job opportunities out there.
You may feel that you’re just wasting your time, if you want to be a copywriter, and there’s no use continuing your studies.
Remember, however, that your university studies are just that – studies. They are not necessarily indicative of the job you’ll actually end up doing. There are plenty of instances where students have gained valuable employability skills and subsequently found themselves in high-powered roles. It’s a common occurrence, in fact, and not something to be dismissed as a waste of time.
So, you’re going to leave university and begin your career. Where do you start? How do you become a copywriter?
The Copywriting Career
First, you need to decide what kind of copywriter you want to become. Are you interested in a legal career and hope to specialise in contracts or legal documentation? Or would you prefer to develop content for online stores and websites?
Once you’ve decided what kind of copywriter you want to become, you can start to think about the various paths you can take to get there. The first, and most obvious, is via a traditional “apprenticeship”. You can gain valuable experience by interning or working for an agency. If you’re lucky enough to find a position in an agency, you’ll be working alongside experienced professionals who will be able to guide you along the way.
What Are the Skills Required?
To start with, you’ll need a good ear for language. You’ll be pitching concepts to clients, so being able to listen and understand what they’re telling you is essential. In addition, you’ll need a good eye for graphics and content. You’ll be designing emails and other digital marketing material, as well as producing content for platforms like YouTube or Instagram. If you’ve been focusing on SEO during your studies, then you’ll also need to develop your research skills. You’ll need to be able to find the information your clients need without breaking the bank.
So, in short, a traditional route to the copywriting career will involve finding an agency that can offer you an internship or a full-time position. If you’ve been looking for a role in digital marketing, then now might be the right opportunity for you.
The Growing Demand For Copywriters
At the current moment, there’s a massive global demand for copywriters. According to the Global Market Survey by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the market size for content marketing is valued at over US$16 billion annually and is expected to grow to nearly US$26 billion by next year.
Even niche markets like legal marketing and e-commerce require specific skillsets. It’s not simply enough to have an aptitude for writing. You’ll need to become an expert in a particular area of law or e-commerce to be able to land a job in these fields.
The Increasingly Specialised Career
One of the things that make copywriting unique is that it is a highly specialised career. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t various paths you can follow to land a role in this field. Just think about the various streams that led to your current role. Perhaps you’ve always been passionate about writing and have dabbled in the field, or perhaps you’ve found a way to make a living through your writing and now consider yourself to be a professional. In either case, your studies in copywriting will have led you to a point where you can pursue a career in this field.
If you’ve always wanted to write, but haven’t found a way to make a living out of it, then copywriting is a viable option. It may not be the most conventional route, but it can land you a job that allows you to write about something you’re passionate about.
Why Study Copywriting?
Last but not least, let’s discuss why you might want to study copywriting. It’s a very versatile field, as we’ve established. You can use your degree to gain valuable job experience, or you can specialise in a particular area and land a job in that field. It also provides you with the opportunity to use your skills to their fullest while being paid well for your efforts.
In short, if you’ve been looking for a way to make a decent living, then copywriting might be the right choice for you. It doesn’t hurt that there are more than 100,000 jobs in the UK that require some form of copywriting expertise.