No matter what industry, service, or product you work with there will always be innovations. Leaps forward in knowledge, technology, or techniques that will start to set those who use them apart from the rest. There are some that say, “well, I have my degree, or certification, or etc, etc, etc,” but does that really cut it anymore? I don’t think it does, and by the way, you don’t need to get a degree or certificate just to continue learning, although it is nice to receive recognition. You should want to continuously learn because it is what you are going to need to do to survive.
Whether you work a skilled trade, in an office, or in retail one thing you can count on is change. Change is inevitable. That means if you want to keep up, learning is inevitable as well. T22 Media works with internet marketing, SEO, SEM, Content, Graphic Design, and Web Design to name a few. During any given day a new process, software, or technology can spring up that could help us do our jobs better and we need to learn about it. The reason we need to learn about it? Well, because chances are our competition is learning about it too, and if they aren’t then that puts us in a better position.
One of the most important aspects of any successful operation is positioning yourself as a content matter expert. If you have an issue with your air conditioner, you go to an HVAC technician. Why? Because they are the experts. Do you think because it is a skilled trade that there is less learning involved, because if you do you would be very wrong. In order to be an expert you have to know the basics of course, but as an HVAC technician you would need to learn about new models, new electric wiring techniques, and even automated systems in today’s interconnected world.
You don’t need to get a degree to continue learning. Yes, a degree helps in a lot of areas. However, there are plenty of ways to learn without dishing out that big tuition bill. I have a degree but I also take free courses from Google, SEMrush.com, and other sites about SEO optimization techniques. My degree is in English so I have the basics of grammar, writing styles, and techniques. Does that help me with SEO? Not necessarily. I need to know what Google is looking for when it searches websites to find the right one. My job is to get your website ranked as high as possible. So in order to do that I need to understand the ranking criteria. I learn about that through online classes, tutorials, and webinars. I don’t always get a shiny certificate with my name on it. Then again, sometimes I do. The point is that I am continuously learning, gaining skills and knowledge, in order to adapt.
If you want to be the best at what you do, then you need to know that you can never be satisfied with your amount of knowledge. You can always find a better, faster, and more efficient way to do things. The industry doesn’t matter. What matters is you. Are you positioning yourself as a product or service expert? If not, would a potential customer want to go with your service or a service that offers the latest techniques, styles, and variety of innovations. I think the answer is obvious. Be a lifelong learner and never stop learning.