Integrated Digital Marketing in Practice

This chapter considers how, as learners and marketing professionals, we can continue to adapt our skills to be competitive in a dynamic marketplace. We will not focus the discussion on specific technologies since they tend to be short-lived in their original form, either becoming obsolete or evolving to meet changing needs. Neither will we seek to identify trends in individual industry sectors or currently recognised professions (e.g., teachers, lawyers, engineers, or artists). Instead, we will discuss workplace competencies which fit a wide range of contexts from those working as freelancers on a gigging basis, entrepreneurs developing highly flexible ventures, and those working for large organisations which may be seeking to become more diverse or more integrated in their business operations. The employment market is in constant flux, customer attitudes are frequently changing, and our competition is global. How can we secure our future employment in the face of competitors that we cannot see, customers we do not fully understand, and markets in turmoil for myriad reasons? I will not even try to offer any certainty or insight into what the future holds, but I can be certain that over the last 20 years or so of my career, digital technologies have given me many opportunities which include the ability to work independently or in teams as I prefer, work when and how I choose, and maintain a healthy work–life balance which maximises the benefit I get from time with my friends and family.