Here's how you can expand your skill set and knowledge during a marketing operations layoff.

To expand your skill set and knowledge during a marketing operations layoff, you can start by assessing your current skills, identifying areas for improvement, and considering online courses to upskill. Additionally, self-assess your skills, focus on developing a combination of soft and hard skills relevant to your industry, and explore new certifications or training opportunities to enhance your employability and competitiveness in the job market.

Don’t wait for a layoff, always learn and improve your skillsets. MOps product landscape and best practices constantly evolve so you should always learn and deepen your knowledge. Data analysis is a great skill to have for a MOps professional so if you don’t master it, you should learn. Many tools also offer free trainings and certifications so ensure you are up to date with latest trends and new features.

On the hiring side, what keeps a between-job candidate fresh is seeing them take the initiative to continue to learn and better themselves. Upskilling during this time demonstrates the resolve to reflect, improve, and grow. On the layoff side, upskilling is one of the quickest ways to stay sharp while also giving a needed confidence boost. There are so many accessible ways to upskill - software certs and courses, community-led groups and events, and leadership trainings are great examples. Outside of MAP and CRM platform trainings, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy and YouTube are some favorite places to go. In regard to community, FB/LinkedIn Groups, Slack Channels and local Meetups are incredible upskill (and networking) opportunities!

A marketing operations layoff can be a chance to recharge and refine your skillset. Leverage free online courses to learn new areas like marketing automation or SEO. Consider industry certifications like Google Analytics IQ to boost your resume. Volunteer your expertise to non-profits to gain practical experience and stay connected. Build a personal marketing project to showcase your initiative. Finally, actively network with former colleagues and attend online events to stay updated on trends and explore potential opportunities. This period of self-improvement can position you for a stronger and more marketable future in marketing.

PSA ?? COMMUNITY IS CRITICAL FOR NETWORKING! Especially when you’ve been laid off. Applying online won’t cut it anymore. It’s not just what you know but who you know. Local or global, there are ample opportunities to network in ways that work for you. Focus on finding software, industry, career interest, function and function-adjacent communities. If in person networking is hard for you, lean on those digital communities and events, especially to start. Most communities have a social group presence and also a slack presence.

It’s a competitive market right now and your odds are already stacked if you’re between roles. Employers aren’t hiring candidates who have potential to grow into a role, but ones they feel confident can do the role and operate autonomously. Credentials act as that spot check. Depending on the organization size and vertical, some companies even require you to have certain credentials before you can access/work within a system. If you’re looking for a role that leans more on the individual contributor side, start with system-based certs first. If you’re looking for a collaborating role, focus on skill-based certs first. Also prioritize based on career priority, resources invested (time, money), and value add/payoff.

Certifications provide social proof to future employers. They are extremely important in a job loss situation to stand out from competition. Make a list of top three skills in your area such as marketing automation, email marketing, analytics, and set aside some time every week to upskill and obtain certification badges and add them to the LinkedIn profile.