Thought of the Day for Work: Getting out and Learning

 Career Plan, Ponderings  3 Responses »
Apr 302013
 



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As part of my ongoing exploration of career growth and learning more about myself, I’ve decided to try and get out and learn more after work.

Frankly, it amazes me all of the talks and learning opportunities that are offered after 5pm in Toronto. Yesterday, I had the chance to attend DevTO, an organization for Toronto developers and people working with (or interested in) technology.

It was a free event, and they gave out food, so I didn’t even need to buy dinner. The net cost was only a few hours of my time, but the benefits were incredible. I got to listen to two talks from interesting people in the field of technology trends and open information, and I had the opportunity to meet a number of other fascinating people and enjoy some great conversations.

DevTO puts presentations up online as well, so you can learn even if you can’t make it to an event.

So, my first time time to DevTO was a success. I’ll definitely be going again. Do you attend any events after work where you live?

The Magic of Enjoying Your Work

 Career Plan, Ponderings  8 Responses »
Apr 122013
 




I had to fly to Washington DC for a conference this week. Aside from the fantastic weather and the amazing cherry blossoms, there was something else that made my trip.

I met a gate unit manager named Quinn, who worked for US Airways at DC International airport.

There was a crazy storm front going from the US to Canada, delaying flights all over and leading to a lot of tired and frustrated passengers. So, with our flight facing a potential delay from a need for a crew shift, we could have easily joined the delay situation if not for the quick work of Quinn.

He took the initiative to check luggage that wouldn’t easily fit on the plane, and did it while cracking jokes and keeping everyone entertained. His jokes led to everyone giving up their luggage without a fight, and saved us time in loading and kept everyone moving on time.

Quinn obviously enjoyed his work. Either as a result of this enjoyment, or as a byproduct of it, he was VERY good at it. And, as a result of him enjoying his work, the rest of us really enjoyed our flight experience. He was able to make an entire plane load of people happy, and I’m certain that those people went and did nicer things with the rest of their days as a result of it. His actions created a ripple effect.

So, the magic of enjoying your work let him have an amazing impact for just doing his job. He could have done his job without being pro-active or entertaining. It would have cost him nothing to not overperform, but by doing so he made magic happen.

What could you do if you really loved the work you did?

Networking is as simple as getting out there

 Career Plan  2 Responses »
Mar 032013
 




I know a number of people who have an issue with the concept of networking.

I won’t lie, I’m sometimes one of them.

Connecting with people over social media can take a lot of the sting out of networking, but I don’t think it ever really substitutes for interacting with people. To be honest, since I’ve started getting out and about for more in-person interaction in my field, I’ve had more happening in the last 6 months than I’ve had in the year previously with just social media.

Not to sell social media short. I know a number of people who have accomplished amazing things with social media. I just think that adding the element of personal interaction helps anchor the relationship you build and gives them a foundation to grow further. Let’s face it, we’ve interacted in person for thousands of years, we’re not going to move to a completely online species overnight.

So, I think I’ll continue with this strategy of getting out and about. Don’t get me wrong, it can also be a pain. It means more late nights and longer days, but the end result seems to be a richer and more exciting life!

Career Planning: Getting More Certifications

 Career Plan  2 Responses »
Feb 072013
 




As part of developing my career plan, I’ve been monitoring job ads for different skills and certifications that are in demand, and seeing what I can do to learn these skills if I don’t have them.

One challenge I face as a person working in digital marketing is the Google AdWords Certification. The Individual Google Adwords Certification Exam costs you $50 US, and all the studying information you could want is available online.

If $50 is a bit pricey for you right now, you can get Bing Ads Certification for free.

Given the cheap costs attached to getting these certifications, I think I might just get both of them!

If you don’t work in the marketing field, but you’re considering it, these are cheap and easy ways to add a few more lines on your resume that might catch the interest of the hiring person at your next job.