The Art of Networking

As my course Digital Media Marketing is coming to an end, an exciting learning seminar series will also end. But before that, I would like to pass on the knowledge of the tips-tricks shared by diverse speakers and inspire other individuals to pursue Digital Media Marketing as their career. Also, I would like to thank Wendy Greenwood for inviting such great minds from marketing who inspired budding marketers like me.

The following article will summarize all my learnings and share career tips to grow as a marketer, adapt to new market changes and find suitable employment from this platform.

What have I learned?

Almost all speakers created an impact and introduced me to new doors of marketing; Blair Roebuck , vice president of Marketing Science at Valtech, inspired me the most. She discussed marketing science and explained how business and technology work together. She further explained how Marketing Scientists use different strategies to transform raw data into business insights and later use those points to generate ROI.?

While presenting, she emphasized collecting third-party data and how it will become difficult to gather such data after the demolition of cookies. As a marketer and computer science engineer, the topic of data excited me the most.

But, for marketers, this can be an opportunity, she explained. As a marketer, I liked how she took something positive out of the vanishing cookie. Marketers can now collect first-party data that users share directly with them instead of spying on them via cookies. This will allow us to be more strategic in our campaigns and the next steps, as the user will share data with consent to convey the correct data. So, the data quality improves and gives Marketing Analysts a chance to improve personalization.

The most important thing I learned from her seminar was to focus on your audience, follow component-based architecture, and personalize your audience's journey. Personalization is essential because,?as a marketer, we gain insights from the first-party data, check their preferences, strategize and give users tailored experiences.?

Networking on LinkedIn?

After attending Aadhar Mehta , a GBC Alumni seminar, I got inspired to make more connections and change how I interacted with my contacts. During the whole semester, I made several quality connections –

• Guest Lecturers – Before attending any guest lecture, I always connected with the speakers, checking their experiences, expertise and how they contribute to the marketing sector. This way, I was updated with their latest developments, read insightful articles, and reflected on them. Every guest lecturer has a journey, and connecting with them virtually and being in their network group is a bonus for an aspiring marketer like me.
• Peers – After attending GBC Alumni's seminar, I started connecting with each of my classmates on LinkedIn. Also, I work for the Student Association of George Brown; I created a few quality connections to gain knowledge and get advice from individuals from the same industry background.
• George Brown Alumni – While connecting with my peers, I came across several alums who have either graduated from my college or my course. Connecting to my alums helped me gain references for new job roles and expand my network base.
• Hiring Managers – I connected with several hiring managers on LinkedIn while looking for a co-op internship. Connecting with the hiring managers helped me to gain exposure to new jobs and showcase my skill set.
• My professors – All my college professors, have years of experience in Marketing, and being in their network group introduced me to the Canadian Marketing Sector. Professor Rochelle Latinsky and Don Christie (my WIL learning coordinator) shared several job postings for co-op, and it was beneficial for me to connect with them.?

Events and Networking

While working with the Student Association, I attended, participated, and volunteered in several events hosted by George Brown College, Student Life of George Brown and the Student Association of George Brown College. This helped me grow my network both professionally and personally. Not all the people I connected with were from marketing backgrounds but connecting with them on LinkedIn helped me grow my professional network and increase contacts.

While sending connections on LinkedIn, I always sent a personalized note saying where I met them and how adding them to my network would expand my professional base.?

Job Resources

Talking about the job-finding resources, I heavily relied on LinkedIn learning. All the LinkedIn Learning courses are designed keeping industry trends in mind. After finishing any class, I always share my learning certificate on LinkedIn. This would always catch the eye of potential employers looking to hire with similar skills.

I have expertise in MS Office, so I gained badges from LinkedIn to showcase my skills.

Keeping the connect

I have always kept my connections solid with my previous employers and colleagues. Even back home, I have worked for 3.5 years, and throughout the course, I developed several quality connections on LinkedIn. My previous colleagues have endorsed my skills, which benefit me here in Canada. My potential employers can get approval for my skills via those endorsements, and I could be a potential employee.?

Employment Search?

LinkedIn and George Brown's work portal are where I look for co-op opportunities. Some tips to improve the LinkedIn profile are –

• Customize LinkedIn Profile – In my Social Media Marketing class, Professor Professor Lilly Buchwitz helped us to improve our LinkedIn profile with a compelling and professional heading and a summarized 'About' section.
• Following Company Pages – I have started to follow the companies/brands I have worked with and the companies/brands I want to work with. This helps me understand the type of content they are publishing and keeps me updated with their campaigns.
• Send personalized LinkedIn notes – Personalization is the key to success as a marketer. Following Aadhar's advice, I started sending personalized notes before sending a connection.
• Make meaningful connections – Connections should not only be on your LinkedIn contact list. One should always stay in touch with their relationships, for example, sending them holiday greetings or reacting to any update they post on LinkedIn.