Updated September 2026.
This is a real digital marketing course success story from Digital Market Academy, Bangalore. Krithik Shankar had done everything he was told to do: finished his MBA in Marketing, then signed up for an online digital marketing course. Yet he still could not land a job, because the online course left him with notes and videos but no real skills and nothing to show an employer. A few months later he was working as an SEO Executive at an MNC, KPI Partners, placed even before he finished the final module of our course. Here is what changed.
If you are weighing your options, it is worth reading alongside our honest take on whether digital marketing is a good career and our guide on how to become a digital marketer in India. Krithik's story shows the difference between learning about marketing and actually being able to do it.
TL;DR
- Krithik finished an MBA in Marketing and an online digital marketing course, but still could not get placed.
- The online course gave him theory, not practical skills or a portfolio employers could see.
- At DMA he learned hands-on in a small batch and built a real portfolio, the thing that finally made him hireable.
- He was placed as an SEO Executive at KPI Partners before finishing the final pillar of the course.
- Offered a 3-month internship-to-permanent role, his performance made him permanent in just 2 months.
The problem: an MBA and a course that did not click
Krithik did the sensible things. He completed his MBA in Marketing from CMR University, then enrolled in an online digital marketing course to pick up the practical side. On paper he was qualified. In interviews, though, he could not show that he could actually do the work, and the placements did not come. The online format had given him plenty of theory, but no real practice and nothing tangible to put in front of an employer.
Why do online-only courses leave beginners stuck?
Because marketing is a doing skill, not a watching skill. Online-only courses often deliver videos and notes but little hands-on practice, no feedback, and no portfolio of real work. You finish knowing the words, SEO, keywords, analytics, without having actually done them. Employers hire proof, so a candidate with a real portfolio beats one with only a certificate almost every time.
The turning point: walking into DMA, honestly skeptical
By the time Krithik walked into Digital Market Academy in Bangalore, he had reason to be doubtful. He had already paid for one course that did not get him anywhere, so another classroom promising results was easy to distrust. He decided to give it a fair chance anyway, and what he found was a very different way of learning: small batches, real assignments, and founder-led teaching by Rajesh Menon, where every concept was practised, not just explained.
What changed: hands-on classes and a real portfolio
As the classes progressed, Krithik's confidence grew session by session. Instead of passively watching, he was doing: keyword research, on-page SEO, setting up and optimising websites, working with real SEO tools. Crucially, he built a strong portfolio, the practical project work every DMA student is made to complete, which gave him something concrete to show recruiters. That portfolio, more than any certificate, is what made him hireable.
In his own words, left as a public Google review while he was still a student:
"The classes are very practical and easy to follow, and Rajesh sir explains every digital marketing concept - from SEO, Keyword Research, Website Optimization, to Analytics - in a way that even beginners can understand. What I appreciate the most is the hands-on learning... I'm already feeling more confident in my skills, especially in SEO, on-page optimization and website development."
Krithik S, verified Google review
Placed before the final pillar of the course
Here is the part that says it all. Our course builds up through its pillars, ending with PPC. Krithik did not even reach that final pillar before he was placed. An MNC, KPI Partners, hired him as an SEO Executive on the strength of exactly the skills he had built in class, SEO, on-page optimisation and website work. He joined on a clear condition: a 3-month internship first, with a permanent role to follow based on performance.
Permanent in two months, not three
The internship condition never became a hurdle. Krithik performed well enough on the job that KPI Partners confirmed him as a permanent employee at the end of just two months, a full month ahead of the agreed timeline. The same person who could not clear placements after an MBA and an online course was now a confirmed SEO professional at an MNC, and the only thing that had changed was how he learned.
What Krithik's journey teaches you
His story is not about talent or luck; it is about the right kind of learning. A degree and a certificate open the door, but employers hire people who can prove they can do the work. That proof comes from hands-on practice and a real portfolio, exactly what he was missing before and exactly what he built at DMA.
- Skills beat certificates. Doing the work in class is what made him job-ready.
- A portfolio is your real resume. It shows employers what you can actually do.
- Confidence is earned by doing. Each practical session made him surer of his skills.
- Environment matters. A small batch and personal attention kept him from getting lost.
If you want to build the same foundation, start with our digital marketing portfolio guide and the fundamentals in our beginner SEO guide. To understand SEO the way an employer expects, the Google Search Central SEO starter guide is a solid free reference.
Start your own success story at Digital Market Academy
Krithik is one of many students who came in unsure and left job-ready. At Digital Market Academy in Bangalore you learn SEO, Google Ads, Meta, analytics and AI tools hands-on, build a real portfolio, and get placement support, all in small batches with founder-led teaching by Rajesh Menon. See how it is taught in the student portal walkthrough, explore the course syllabus and classroom courses, and see more real outcomes on our placements page. Prefer to hear from students first? Read our course reviews from Bangalore.
A1. Not on its own. An MBA gives you strong fundamentals, but most employers want proof that you can actually execute campaigns and rank pages. As Krithik found, adding hands-on skills and a real portfolio to his MBA is what finally made him hireable as an SEO Executive.
A2. Online-only courses often provide videos and notes but little hands-on practice, feedback or portfolio building. Marketing is a practical skill, so watching lessons is not enough. Without real project work to show employers, many learners finish the course but still struggle to clear interviews.
A3. Yes. DMA provides placement assistance and, just as importantly, makes every student build a real portfolio and practise hands-on in small batches. Several students, like Krithik, have been placed at companies during or soon after the course because their skills were genuinely job-ready.
A4. It is a set of real project work every DMA student completes, such as keyword research, on-page SEO, and website setup and optimisation. It acts as visible proof of skill in interviews, which matters far more to employers than a certificate alone, and it was central to Krithik getting hired.
A5. Absolutely. An MBA, especially in marketing, is a strong base. Pairing it with practical, hands-on digital marketing skills and a portfolio makes the switch smooth. Krithik is a clear example: he moved from a stuck job search to an SEO Executive role at an MNC after training at DMA.
A6. It depends on the person and their effort, but job-ready skills speed it up a lot. Krithik was placed before he even finished the final pillar of the course, and confirmed permanent within two months, because his hands-on skills and portfolio made him useful to the employer immediately.
In short
Krithik Shankar had the degree and had done a course, yet stayed stuck, until he learned the way employers actually hire for: hands-on, with a real portfolio and the confidence to use it. That shift took him from failed placements to an SEO Executive role at KPI Partners before his course even ended, and to a permanent job a month ahead of schedule. A degree opens the door, but skills and proof get you the job. If you are ready to build both, start with the course syllabus at Digital Market Academy, Bangalore.
Rajesh Menon is a digital marketing trainer and strategist based in Bangalore, with over 15 years of experience in SEO, paid advertising, and digital growth planning. As the Founder and CEO of Digital Market Academy, he combines hands-on execution with long-term strategy, and is known for turning complex marketing ideas into skills his students can actually apply.
At the academy’s Kasturinagar centre, he leads classroom training programmes and digital marketing bootcamps, and mentors undergraduate and postgraduate students through on-campus sessions. He also delivers corporate and government digital marketing training, including digital skilling programmes for central government organisations such as India Post, along with digital enablement workshops for MSMEs and startups, a client list that continues to grow.
He writes regularly on the Digital Market Academy blog, breaking down real strategies, tools, and case studies for learners and business owners across India.
