Have you ever read a job description for a marketing manager in complete disbelief? These days, more often than not, I find myself wondering whether the company recruiting is searching for a unicorn.

Here at Good Comms, we’re a marketing agency in Chester, and some of these job descriptions read like an advert for our whole agency rolled into one superhuman! I accept that marketing has evolved exponentially over the last 10-20 years, and the role of the marketing manager has moved on, too. However, I still believe many of the marketing manager roles advertised today are unrealistic.

Businesses are advertising for someone who can strategise, plan, manage, and execute complex marketing campaigns across multiple channels and platforms. But that’s not all! They also expect applicants to be proficient in areas that historically would fall to specialists, like graphic design, copywriting, social media, SEO, and more.

The role of the marketing manager then and now

Historically, marketing managers were like conductors of a grand orchestra, expertly directing a team of specialists from their podium. Their role was to strategise, manage, delegate, and oversee a team of specialists, whether in-house or outsourced, ensuring that everyone was playing in harmony. This approach allowed for seamless collaboration and created an inspiring environment where team members could learn from one another’s expertise. When managed effectively, this setup encouraged creativity and innovation, leading to high-quality work and driving excellent results.

Today, the marketing department in many organisations is less of an orchestra and more of a one-man band, with the poor marketing manager left playing every instrument from the triangle to the trombone!

How have we got here?

When did this change happen? And do these marketing unicorns really exist, or is it fantasy?

As I see it, there are a few different explanations. These job descriptions must be written by either a) someone who doesn’t have the foggiest about the breadth of knowledge and skill it takes to execute a successful marketing strategy, b) someone with very unrealistic expectations! or c) a hopeful small business owner who just doesn’t have the budget to hire the whole shebang.

This change could be a symptom of the digital revolution. Marketing managers are now required to be knowledgeable about a vast array of digital platforms and tools. They must have some level of understanding of how each platform and tool works in order to incorporate it effectively into their marketing strategy, including SEO tools, social media platforms, CRM software, and so much more. It seems this has caused us to lose sight of the line between strategist, technician, and creative.

Another driving factor for this change could be the breadth of marketing knowledge now required, which makes it extremely difficult for small businesses to keep up. Smaller companies just don’t have the budget to hire all the different specialists they require, so they look for marketing managers who are willing to wear multiple hats.

What risks does this approach carry?

However, going down this route and employing one person to wear multiple hats can be a risky approach, as I’m sure many organisations have already discovered! Is it really a jack-of-all-trades yet master of none that you’re looking for? When marketing managers are spread too thin, they cannot achieve their best work, and worse, they’re at risk of burning out! Recruiting for unrealistic job roles is not just an ineffective strategy but also raises ethical concerns as it puts employees’ well-being at risk.

So, where do we go from here?

I think it’s time for businesses to reconsider their expectations and recognise the importance of specialist skills and realistic job roles. It’s important to strike a careful balance between the breadth of skills and depth of expertise required when recruiting for marketing managers. When hiring, organisations need to check the description before they post the job and ask themselves, am I searching for a mythical creature here?

While it’s reasonable to expect a marketing manager to have a broad understanding of how all the different facets of marketing work, it is not reasonable to expect them to carry out each of these roles, too; marketing managers should be allowed to do what they do best: strategise, coordinate, and lead. After all, a well-tuned orchestra will always sound better than a one-man band trying to play a symphony on its own!