I first heard of the Professional Development Certificate in Digital Content and Community Management in 2017. At that time, I was working in marketing, and I was eager to expand my expertise in the rapidly evolving field of digital marketing. After researching the program, I decided to enroll.
Communities Are an Integral Part of my Immigration Journey
The program had a personal ring to it.
On the one hand, as an immigrant, community has been pivotal to my integration in Canada. I understood and adhered to key Canadian values by engaging with people from various communities.
On the other hand, I still have family back home and spread around the world. I also love to travel. In both cases, being able to connect with these local communities has helped me to create or maintain a sense of belonging.
As a result, I was enthusiastic at the prospect of understanding how communities would translate in the ever-growing digital world.
I can say without a shadow of a doubt that, through this program, I acquired a comprehensive set of skills and knowledge that have been instrumental in my journey to becoming a successful digital marketer, career and productivity coach, and a community nurturer.
The program not only demystified the digital landscape for me but it also opened my eyes to the influence well-organized communities can yield in this world. Most importantly, I learned how I could be a part of it.
An Educational Journey
The program was made up of five practical classes that have profoundly influenced and evolved my life, career, and perspective on the digital landscape.
Through the Current Trends in Digital Communication class, I understood the dynamics of the digital world, the impact of emerging technologies, and the evolving preferences of online audiences. It forced me out of my prejudice against the use of technology, and taught me to keep an open mind.
We know it very well today, but content has always been the lifeblood of digital marketing. The technologies we use, no matter how evolved, are vehicles that need content as fuel. I have always thought that I could not create content because I am a data-driven individual. Well, lo and behold, the Content Creation course was actually my favourite class. It debunked the myth of creativity I held onto by teaching me that “compelling content is the content that resonates with the audience”.
Combined with the Content Management and Architecture class, I acquired skills that changed forever the way I approach digital marketing. I have used these skills many times over the years to build and nurture online communities: helping my church to nurture its members with the pandemic-induced digital shift, planning the digital announcement and launch of the Girls in Tech Montreal Chapter, providing digital marketing services to female-owned small businesses as a consultant, etc.
A Transformative Career Introspection
None of these projects would have been possible if I hadn’t grown confident in my ability to foster brand loyalty, develop and implement effective digital strategies, and increase community engagement.
More importantly, through these involvements, I realized that I deeply cared about sharing what I knew if it could help people around me. As a matter of fact, curating content about career, productivity or personal finances comes naturally to me to this day. I am that person in the group chat who shares links all day long.
Over time, I naturally transitioned to creating my own content around those topics on my website and my podcast. I started to receive coaching requests from strangers who had stumbled upon my content, even sometimes from friends who were willing to pay. Although I had been doing mentoring as a volunteer for different organizations, I never thought about venturing into formal coaching.
Yet the knowledge I gained from this program has since allowed me to provide valuable guidance on digital personal branding, content creation, and community building. Here I am today: planning for my International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential as an Associate Certified Coach (ACC).
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Writing these words, I can’t believe the journey I have been on since I graduated in 2018. At McGill, I discovered my passion for connecting the dots through digital content. I came out of this program with a more profound respect for communities and how they can change the trajectory of someone’s life or business.
The impact of this program is not limited to my professional life; it has also brought about personal transformation, fostering adaptability, a global perspective, and a sense of digital responsibility.
Since then, I have embraced my desire to contribute to the sense of belonging, success, and partnerships within my own communities. Hence I now help individuals to navigate their professional journeys, enhance their productivity, and make strategic career decisions.
Just like I did when I decided to enroll at McGill University.