A Year In Review

Hey, so I know it’s been a while. I took a brief hiatus to finish my masters and now that that is done and I’ve taken steps towards starting the next chapter of my life I’m back. I originally planned another post for my comeback blog but I realised that it has been a year since I started my digital marketing journey, so with that in mind I thought I’d share with you some things I have learned.

1: Just Start

Honestly, if you want to get into an industry, hobby, lifestyle getting started is the most important step. It can sometimes be the most daunting as well, especially if you are changing from one thing to another but if it is meant to happen it will. Regardless of what happens, you can say that at least you tried and if it goes the way you planned, you will be proud that you took the leap. So just start.  I wouldn’t be where I am today without taking my leap so you can do it too.

2: Uni Doesn’t Teach You Everything

I remember going to uni for the first time and thinking that it will teach me everything I needed to go into the “real world”. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sure it teaches you what you need to know but there is so much more to learn. My latest working experience taught me areas in the industry that I knew of but was never confident in and it opened my eyes to how much I actually love digital marketing. Also, doing additional courses and certifications greater empathised the points I had been learning in class. Now don’t get me wrong going to uni (both times) was amazing and I learned a lot but just know to get far in what it is that you do, you NEED to put in the extra work.

3: Have Experience in CMS

Almost every job I have applied for in the past year has placed some importance in understanding Content Management Systems, mainly WordPress. So don’t be afraid to dabble in CMS, create a blog or help someone manage theirs. Even if you think other people do it better than you or there is already people blogging about what you want to blog, just write. Do it for yourself and don’t get worked up if you aren’t immediately getting readers. Understanding the platform is important and has much more weight than how many people read what you write.

4: Use Interests To Your Advantage

I have previously talked about how my interests have helped me over the years. This year I’ve noticed it so much and as a marketer, it is what has set me apart. So use your interests to guide, motivate, and inspire you. Even if you don’t believe they will play a part in getting a career etc., you won’t believe how something so simple that you do in life impacts other areas in it. So have interests and don’t be afraid to share them.

5: Accept the Bad Days

Life comes with good and bad days. There is no escaping that reality but the one thing this year has taught me, it is that bad days are just that.  They will pass and they are a lesson in themselves. Everyone has them. They are crucial to helping us feel joy in those good days.  So accept them and try not to let them get to you, use them to push your motivation on the good days.

I hope my short list of lessons/ year in review has been somewhat helpful to you. If you have any thoughts on these areas for yourself be sure to comment.

I promise my next blog will be with you real soon (this time next month).