Todd Mintz is a Senior Account Manager at PPC Associates. He is also on the Board of Directors at SEMpdx, runs his own side gigs and tweets quite a bit. In short, Todd Mintz knows PPC, Social Media, SEO, Blogging, Domaining, and he knows them all real well.
Here are Todd’s answers to 5 questions about working and developing a career in SEO and Search Marketing.
1) If you’re just starting out in SEO, what mix of skills should you focus on developing the most to become a competitive talent in the job market?
Todd Mintz: You need to be part of the great search marketing community even before you get your first job. Read the blogs, communicate via social media, get known by the industry leaders/influencers, and even blog yourself if you are up to it. Before you ever show up to your first interview, you have to show your employer you are well-versed in the skill even if you haven’t been able to apply it in a context outside your own websites.
2) What does the perfect SEO resume look like?
TM: It looks like the perfect non-SEO resume with a few additional items. I’d want to see links to blog posts the person has written. I’d also want to see links to social media profiles and evidence that the candidate is an active participant on Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook. Also, if the person has spent lots of time working on certain sites, I’d like to see (albeit imperfect) metrics (e.g. Compete, SEM Rush) showing how the site has gained traffic under the person’s tutelage.
3) Is it possible to land SEO jobs and build an SEO career if you live far outside a major metro area?
TM: Sure…telecommute. I haven’t worked in an office in 5 years 🙂 But if you are entrepreneurial and talented, you can make money on your own and use that as a springboard to consulting and or full-time employment. There is a tremendous shortage of experienced SEO talent and right now, experienced talent can dictate their conditions of employment.
4) What is the best way to find SEO jobs that aren’t advertised online?
TM: Networking. When you have left (or want to leave) your current job, reach out to your trusted network of friends and let them know you are in the market and what you are looking for. Frequently, that alone will land you your next position. See How to Begin Your Search Marketing Job Search.
5) Is it easy to change career directions from SEO to Paid Search Marketing?
TM: SEO and PPC are two different animals requiring two different skill sets. I developed my skills in both early in my search marketing career when you could really be proficient at both. Today, I think the disciplines are complex enough that one person can’t be both an SEO Rockstar and a PPC Rockstar. I chose the PPC path because I enjoy PPC much more. However, SEO’s absolutely need a working knowledge of PPC and vice-versa (and both need to be Web Analytics experts).
Bonus Question: Who is your industry Hero? (Who has had the most professional influence on you and your career?)
TM: The easy answer is Danny Sullivan since I’ve followed his coverage of the industry from the beginning. I’d also have to mention Aaron Wall for being the smartest person in our space.
But the thing that hooked me most in the industry was that back in early 2003, I discovered Affiliate Marketing and shortly after that, Google AdSense debuted. I realized that I could create content, post it online, monetize the content, and get paid. The first $100 check I got (from eSmokes) was the most satisfying money I ever made. Once this happened, I realized that I wasn’t ever going to have to take a “real job” again 🙂
