I work as a Senior Marketing Manager – plan campaigns, doing the main work of the profession, planning, documentation and problem solving.

Business.

I've been in this position for 11 years.

The core of the job is the main work of the profession, planning, documentation and problem solving. There are smaller admin tasks around that too. It depends on the project, though.

To get the work from an idea or a problem to something that actually works. That's the part I notice most.

Other people build on what I do, so mistakes can travel pretty far. Good work saves everyone time later. It took me a while to get used to that.

Mornings are normally planning and messages. After that I try to get a decent block of time for the main work of the profession, planning, documentation and problem solving. I didn't really understand that until I started working.

Definitely. A good chunk of the job is recurring work, which is useful because you get faster at it. At my workplace, at least.

It comes in bursts. I can have two quiet weeks and then three things become urgent on the same afternoon. The job description didn't really explain that part.

I'm on-site most days. That changed a little once I had more experience.

For the actual work: standard industry software and equipment. The job description didn't really explain that part.

There's a lot of collaboration. The focused work is independent. It's not something I thought about before I started.

Most people I know came in through relevant education or training plus experience. That changed a little once I had more experience.

Certifications can help. Experience still matters more once you've been working for a while. I didn't really understand that until I started working.

Attention to detail is probably the skill I use most. Communication is a close second. It can be different at other places.

Normal business hours for me, with occasional longer days. At my workplace, at least.

Mine has some flexibility. I still need to be available when the rest of the team is working. It depends a lot on who you're working with.

It's better now than earlier in my career because I've learned when to stop checking messages. It can be different at other places.

Clients and coworkers, pretty evenly. It can be different at other places.

Yes. More complex work usually comes first, then senior or lead responsibilities. Some months are completely different.

Early career is mostly learning. Later you start owning decisions instead of just tasks. That matters more than I expected.

Once you know the industry, there are more lateral options than you'd expect. That's been my experience anyway.

Demand is pretty healthy for people with experience. It took me a while to get used to that.

Priorities change. You can do good work and still have to redo it because the situation changed. That matters more than I expected.

I expect demand to stay decent, especially for people who keep learning. That's the part I notice most.

Technology has already changed the job since I started. I expect that to continue rather than suddenly replace the whole role. That matters more than I expected.

Entry-level pay and experienced pay are pretty different. Location also changes it a lot. It depends on the project, though.

For employees, healthcare and retirement are common. Self-employed people have to cover those themselves. It's not something I thought about before I started.

Practice writing and presenting your work. People underestimate how useful that is. That's how it works on my team.

Shadowing somebody for a day would be useful. A normal day, not a special tour. It took me a while to get used to that.

A family friend introduced me to the field. I didn't know much about it before that. That's the part I notice most.

I like that I still run into problems I haven't seen before. It can be different at other places.

Having to redo work because somebody changed a requirement late. That's been pretty consistent for me.

The stereotype is that you work alone. I talk to people constantly. Some coworkers would probably answer differently.

You don't have to be the loudest person. You do need to communicate when something is wrong. It depends a lot on who you're working with.

If you hate the normal daily tasks, the salary won't fix that. I didn't really understand that until I started working.

I didn't expect to spend this much time writing. I learned that pretty quickly.

I'd spend less time worrying about picking the perfect career and more time trying things. The exact mix changes from week to week.

Career progress is slower than social media makes it look. I notice it more during busy weeks.

A client came back later and specifically asked to work with me again. It took me a while to get used to that.

I've become much more comfortable saying 'I don't know yet' and then figuring it out. It depends on the project, though.

I'm on call sometimes, which is probably the biggest lifestyle downside. That's been my experience anyway.