Event Recap: “How to Get a Marketing Job in Today’s Uncertain Economy”

On May 15, we hosted our second quarterly event of 2025 in partnership with the University of Portland’s School of Business. More than 110 attendees gathered for networking and a panel discussion, “How to Get a Marketing Job in Today’s Uncertain Economy: Why Analytics Gives You an Edge.

The evening began with a welcome from Michael L. DeVaughn, dean of the School of Business, University of Portland. Our founder and CEO, Mac Prichard, moderated the panel, which featured Dr. Ashley Hass, a marketing professor from the University of Portland; Kevin Kinghorn, the executive vice president & chief marketing officer of the Portland Trail Blazers; and Holly Feather, chief executive officer & founder of HHF Strategy.

Together, the panelists brought expertise from across academia, corporate marketing, and entrepreneurship, offering advice on how to navigate today’s job market as a creative and how to leverage analytics and AI in your work.

Attendees also had the opportunity to connect with representatives from nine tabling organizations, including recruiters, staffing agencies, professional associations, and career coaches. Here are some takeaways from the panel:

Finding Your Footing in a Shifting Job Market

Panelists spoke about how the Portland job market is in flux. Layoffs, hiring freezes, and the rise of AI have created uncertainty, especially for new graduates and early-career professionals. But amid these challenges, local marketing leaders said the key is connection with others and understanding yourself.

“Don’t be afraid to go to scheduled events and coffee hours,” Holly said. “You never know who you’re going to meet and how that’s going to come to fruition later. You’ve got to know yourself really well. Your job as a marketer isn’t just marketing other people and things, but going really deep about what lights you up and what you are good at.”

Reinventing Yourself: Career Change Advice

The panelists described pivots in their careers, offering encouragement for anyone considering a change. Kevin started as a journalist covering sports before transitioning into marketing. “It’s about getting your foot in the door and being open to learning opportunities,” he said. “The advice I give every intern is to make yourself indispensable.”

Ashley left a successful volleyball career to pursue teaching and earned her PhD in marketing along the way. “I listened to the whispers,” she said of her desire to teach and mentor. “I couldn’t have dreamed up the life I have now. Know yourself and go for it. Just do it.”

Holly transitioned into entrepreneurship after a decade-long career as a film and television producer. With the help of a mentor, she realized her skills translated well to brand management. “If you know what lights you up, it allows you to make those jumps,” she said.

Storytelling With Data: A Must-Have Skill

A major focus of the evening was on the role data analytics plays in marketing. The panelists demystified analytics, explaining that it’s less about advanced statistics and more about using facts and numbers to tell compelling stories and guide strategy. “What’s the measure of success, and how do you report that back?” Kevin said. “That skill is invaluable.”

Ashley, who teaches courses in digital marketing, social media, and social media marketing and analytics, stressed the importance of blending qualitative and quantitative data to make good marketing decisions. “Consumers are very cognizant of brands nowadays,” she said. “If you get it wrong, they’ll call you out.” 

Holly recommended giving a quick, clear overview when presenting data. “You’re often talking to people who don’t have much time or brain space,” she said. She also suggested drawing trends from the past couple of years of data to build a trajectory of what’s going to happen next. 

AI: How It’s Changing the Way We Work

Holly described how AI has shifted the balance between creating and editing content. While it cuts down on the time it takes to create first drafts, it increases the need to check references and refine content. “The curse is that AI has taken some of that organic creativity out of the job and made it harder for good ideas to break through,” she said.

Kevin uses AI daily in campaign planning and estimates that while AI can do 75 percent of the work, 25 percent still relies on smarts and intuition. One of his team members went from a gamer to an in-house AI expert in just three months through his passion and self-learning. “Now is the land rush of AI,” he said. “I highly recommend just using it. It’s going to come up at every interview.”

Ashley, who uses AI to prep classes, in research, for her consulting business, and with students starting up LLCs, cautioned that AI can’t replicate authenticity, and that’s what consumers crave. Her area of expertise is digital and social media wellness. “We’re entering a time when we’re inundated with messages,” she said. “Companies using AI but still creating authentic content are going to have a competitive advantage,” she said.

The panelists shared AI tips for job seekers: Use AI to optimize your resume against job descriptions, personalize your prompts to reflect your voice, and explore platforms like Jobscan and Hemingway for editing and matching the job description.

Q&A Highlights

Navigating the Job Market as a Self-Employed Professional:
One attendee asked about transitioning back to a full-time role after being self-employed as a consultant. Ashley acknowledged how tough that shift can be. Her advice? Find a company that values you not just as a culture fit but as a culture add.

AI and Data Tools Every Marketer Should Know:
Ashley recommended experimenting with tools like Tableau and JASP. There are also free certifications through HubSpot, Google, Hootsuite, and LinkedIn Learning. 

Making AI Sound More Human:
An audience member raised a concern about AI-generated content sounding generic in the job search. Holly shared how important your personal story is. “Think of yourself like a product you’re branding,” she said, recommending job seekers drive home the same three points in their job applications and interviews.

Cold Outreach and Thank-Yous (Yes, They Still Matter!):
Kevin shared that genuine, human outreach always catches his eye on LinkedIn. Ashley added, “You’d be surprised how many people don’t follow up with a thank-you. Please do this because others are not. It’s truly about connection.”

Creative Workload as a Designer:
A marketer with a design background asked about advocating for new and fresh creative. Holly spoke to the delicate balance between bespoke and swappable content. “Creative directors and designers who thrive are those who can recommend the highest value places for bespoke,” she said. “People are craving real connection. They want the emotional experience for products they really care about.”

Translating Classroom Experience to a Resume:
A recent grad wondered whether to build a solo project or stack up certifications. Kevin said, “I’m hiring a person – someone who can learn and adapt is valuable to me.” Holly added that if there’s a project you want to do, do it and talk about it. “The key to showing someone who you are is being who you are joyfully and building on that,” she said. “Do what you do and talk about why you did it that way.”

Showing You’re a Lifelong Learner:
Ashley shared that in her class, students build personal branding websites as a final project. “You don’t need to be a tech wizard — just show who you are,” she said. Ashley suggested Wix or Canva as great options. “Have a digital presence, especially for a job in marketing.” 

A big thank you to our sponsor, the University of Portland School of Business, panelists, tabling organizations, and attendees for helping make this event happen. Click here for photos of the event. We look forward to hosting two more networking events throughout 2025. Stay tuned for details.