As I start to settle into 2010, I sit back and look at those resolutions I put together a month or so ago.
Professionally, one of the things I do every year, whether I’m working for a big company or am doing it solo, is try and understand what skills I need to develop over the course of the year.
After I graduated, I thought that was it – I got the overpriced piece of paper, put in my time and now I could practice what I spent so much time studying. Not until a year or two into working, did I realise how fast the world of marketing moved and that it actually wasn’t over – it was just beginning.
Most people in most careers will say how important it is to invest time in continuous professional development and I agree completely. With technology moving at such a rapid pace and with it influencing almost every aspect of our lives, I think we all need to spend more and more time learning.
It is crucial in marketing to be on top of the game. We need to invest time in honing our skills, learning something different or refreshing our memory about something we learned back in that classroom years ago.
After I hopped over to the other side of the pond, I was presented with the opportunity to do a professional postgraduate diploma. Since I’m a bit of a geek at heart, I jumped on the opportunity. Even though at face value this diploma covered a lot of aspects of marketing I’d already done in university, the content was very different. It dug deep into something that has a great influence on our world today – marketing in the digital world.
Don’t get me wrong, there were computers when I went to university – I’m not that old. But the internet was not what it is today - that’s for sure. I think most of my graduating class knew how important the internet would be to our chosen profession but, to be fair, we didn’t have many good examples to drawn upon.
Doing the postgrad, gave me some renewed understanding of the power of the online world and its impact on my work.
Since graduating with my postgraduate diploma – just a couple of months ago – I bet marketers who are just starting this same program now will be seeing even newer content than I did just over a year ago.
So... why is it essential to invest time in learning as a marketer?
The only answer I can give to this is a personal one. I am passionate and when I complete a project, investigate a new industry or prepare a communication I want to deliver a superior product – for my clients or for the company I’m working for. By refreshing what I already know, finding out new things I don’t know and learning from best practices out in various industries, I’m able to be the best I can be.
Someone once told me that knowledge was the key to success. Success means different things to different people. By empowering myself with knowledge, I know that when I sit down to do my “day” job I’m doing it to the best of my abilities. That is part of the secret to my success – that’s for sure!
So...how do you feel? Why is it essential for us to invest time and energy in keeping our skills up-to-date? Tell me your thoughts...I want to hear your views.
Have a great marketing week,
Miriam Berger
AppleCrisp Marketing Solutions
Professionally, one of the things I do every year, whether I’m working for a big company or am doing it solo, is try and understand what skills I need to develop over the course of the year.
After I graduated, I thought that was it – I got the overpriced piece of paper, put in my time and now I could practice what I spent so much time studying. Not until a year or two into working, did I realise how fast the world of marketing moved and that it actually wasn’t over – it was just beginning.
Most people in most careers will say how important it is to invest time in continuous professional development and I agree completely. With technology moving at such a rapid pace and with it influencing almost every aspect of our lives, I think we all need to spend more and more time learning.
It is crucial in marketing to be on top of the game. We need to invest time in honing our skills, learning something different or refreshing our memory about something we learned back in that classroom years ago.
After I hopped over to the other side of the pond, I was presented with the opportunity to do a professional postgraduate diploma. Since I’m a bit of a geek at heart, I jumped on the opportunity. Even though at face value this diploma covered a lot of aspects of marketing I’d already done in university, the content was very different. It dug deep into something that has a great influence on our world today – marketing in the digital world.
Don’t get me wrong, there were computers when I went to university – I’m not that old. But the internet was not what it is today - that’s for sure. I think most of my graduating class knew how important the internet would be to our chosen profession but, to be fair, we didn’t have many good examples to drawn upon.
Doing the postgrad, gave me some renewed understanding of the power of the online world and its impact on my work.
Since graduating with my postgraduate diploma – just a couple of months ago – I bet marketers who are just starting this same program now will be seeing even newer content than I did just over a year ago.
So... why is it essential to invest time in learning as a marketer?
The only answer I can give to this is a personal one. I am passionate and when I complete a project, investigate a new industry or prepare a communication I want to deliver a superior product – for my clients or for the company I’m working for. By refreshing what I already know, finding out new things I don’t know and learning from best practices out in various industries, I’m able to be the best I can be.
Someone once told me that knowledge was the key to success. Success means different things to different people. By empowering myself with knowledge, I know that when I sit down to do my “day” job I’m doing it to the best of my abilities. That is part of the secret to my success – that’s for sure!
So...how do you feel? Why is it essential for us to invest time and energy in keeping our skills up-to-date? Tell me your thoughts...I want to hear your views.
Have a great marketing week,
Miriam Berger
AppleCrisp Marketing Solutions
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