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Fight Stagnant Feelings Through Professional Growth

By Morgan Sanderson

Add Value To Yourself, Add Value To Your Agency

Morgan Sanderson Pinckney Marketing Head in Tree

Have you ever achieved a goal, celebrated, then had an immediate feeling of “what now?” I’ll give you an example:

I tried for months to become a part of the Pinckney Marketing squad. I sent in my resume and called incessantly for two months leading up to my interview–always checking in for updates.

After a few months I eventually had a few interviews and secured an internship. Now what? I had achieved my goal, was really happy, but had an immediate need to make a new goal, to get out of my feeling of stasis.

This happens to many “nine-to-fivers.” As they go through the motions, day in and day out, they don’t feel like they are growing professionally as they should be.

Don’t get me wrong, you could be great at your job, perhaps even fantastic. But you have this sinking feeling like you just aren’t growing as a professional.

Luckily, there’s a solution to this.

Through a strong commitment to self-growth and a vested interest in professional networking, you can shape yourself to be an invaluable asset to your agency, and in turn, become the best version of yourself.

Self-growth

“Invest in yourself, and your employer will invest in your future”

Lifelong learning is essential to increasing your value. Much like continuous improvement is important for optimizing websites, a commitment to yourself will pay dividends.

For marketers, HubSpot is a great resource. Have an interest in learning about content marketing? There’s a certification for that. Want to master the intricacies of growth-driven decision? Grab your certification, and while you’re at it, check out this blog for a deeper dive on the topic of growth-driven design.

Obtaining various Hubspot certifications in conjunction with Google Analytics and Adwords make you a powerful asset to your agency. Most importantly, it proves to your employer you are serious about your career and have a vested interested in lifelong learning.

Perhaps most enticing, obtaining a number of professional certifications can increase ones salary by upwards of $5,000 annually. Think of it as a bargaining chip. Invest in yourself, and in turn, your employer will invest in your future.

Morgan Sanderson Money Infographic Pinckney Marketing

Network

You already have a job, why network further?

According to LinkedIn, eighty-percent of professionals consider networking important to career success. An overwhelming majority of those surveyed (79%) agreed that professional networking is valuable for career progression, yet only 48% indicated they would continue to keep in touch with their network while busy in their career.

This represents a sharp juxtaposition between the acknowledgement of the value in a strong professional network, and those with the willingness to continually tap into it. Think of it in this way, example:

Your agency is looking to secure a new client.

You think your presentation went well, but it’s a tight competition between the agency you work for and another local agency.

You log on LinkedIn and check your messages for the first time in months. You realize “Jeff”, an industry professional you recently met at a marketing meetup, actually works for the client you’re looking to secure.

Unfortunately, in this scenario, you didn’t respond to Jeff’s messages regarding reconnecting at a local American Marketing Association event and the opportunity to build a strong relationship is most likely lost.

This is why it’s important to not only build a strong network, but continually interact with it and actively seek to expand upon it. You never know what doors may be opened by doing so.

Morgan Sanderson Pinckney Marketing Statistic professionals networking career success

You are not stuck in a stasis unless you allow yourself to be. We live in unique times where, at on a moments notice, we can access and learn from a number of resources. Don’t take them for granted. Commit to a habit of self-improvement, and reap the benefits from doing so.

Need a place to jump-start your professional growth? Check out our SEO Guidebook. Search Engine Optimization is integral to modern day marketing, and having a solid understanding of it will make you an invaluable asset to your agency.