What’s It like Starting a Career in Paid Search in 2025?

Students today have a harder time with their future career prospects than ever before. As a consequence of the increased number of graduates, there is now a much higher standard of competition when it comes to finding employment. Many graduates are also unsure of the career path that they want to take, and as a result, they often find themselves sending out hundreds of CVs, writing countless cover letters, and, in extreme cases, debating the pros and cons of living as a hermit on the outer Mongolian plains.

I speak from personal experience here—as a History graduate of 2020, I can say that I have gone through all of these trials.

It was, therefore, a huge personal relief when I was offered the opportunity to join as the latest Bid Media intern. It is probably important to point out at this stage that my background in digital marketing was limited, and a career in Paid Search was not my main focus. I originally wanted to be a curator! That meant the beginning of my employment was not just the start of a new job but also an introduction to a brand new industry.

Since starting the apprenticeship, my perception of digital marketing has radically changed (for the better!), and my experience has certainly been unique so far. There are very few companies that will greet you on your first day by lining the hallway and chanting your name. I felt like a rock star!

So, with my Bible in hand, I began to prepare for the start of my development in the digital kingdom. Throughout the internship, I would be schooled in the mythical ways of marketing, come to grips with the essential terminology, and hopefully become an SEO rockstar—a difficult task considering my previous experiences were focused around Napoleon!

Something that quickly becomes apparent to anyone who has just started their journey through digital marketing is that there is a lot to learn, and the vast amounts of terminology and abbreviations can give the sense that the digital dialogue is a language all of its own. Fortunately, at we have a team of experts who are always willing to walk you through even the simplest of concepts.

• And the best thing is that as soon as you can distinguish your CTRs from your CPCs, you can start to get to grips with the more complicated strategies that can unlock the full potential of a client’s account.

After recently passing the eight-week milestone, I think it’s fair to say that I have come a long way from the history student I started out as. Now, as a Google Ads-certified intern, I have begun to really get stuck into the crux of paid search, and it is hard to imagine that I ever considered a different career path. As a result of the guidance from Kate, our Bid Media head, and the patience of my training manager, Mat, I am now confident in my work here at and I am looking forward to my future in this field.

My final advice

My final advice to anyone starting their digital marketing journey is always to ask questions. There is a lot to learn and most of the subject matter can be quite complex. In an industry where everything is rapidly evolving it helps to ask questions, test boundaries and stay ahead of the game. Also, make good use of the resources available – the Google Ads help site is an A-to-Z guide on all things PPC, and blog sites such as WordStream offer innovative insights on current events and future developments within the industry. And of course, we have a whole team of experts here at who are leading the charge in digital marketing who can help.

22% of all Marketers want a career that encompasses SEO/SEM