That’s right, I upskilled. Officially. Having recently successfully completed a course as a Certified Digital Marketing Professional. From the Digital Marketing Institute.
The question is, why? Why did I do a course in something I’m only slightly interested in and have no plan to make a greater part of my career?
I guess the answer is because I like learning. But especially, I did it because, way back in the Before Times, a colleague invited me to sit this course as they had some extra space. So I signed up. Nothing like saying ‘Yes, And’ to an unforeseen opportunity!
Although, to be fair, I did not really think it through. And I certainly didn’t anticipate the amount of work this course would be (I thought, I dunno… watch a few videos, do a worksheet, and bang you’re done). This perspective was inaccurate. You might even say naïve.
I also failed to anticipate the global pandemic. And the limited amount of time we had to do the course. And how difficult I would find it to do the extensive course work in the limited amount of time afforded me, while my children were at home with me, and while I had less than zero interest in doing it.
August 2020, my digital marketing month
However, around August the fog lifted and I negotiated an extension. Then I plowed through many chapters in a very condensed time frame, an extremely rigorous ‘online proctored’ exam. To give you an idea of how serious, this is the picture I took before writing the exam, which I had to submit along with a photo of my passport, so they could confirm the person sitting the exam is the person who is registered for the course.
This is that photo.
I didn’t intend for it to come out like a Renaissance portrait. But there it is. They instructed me to be neutral, and yet I look haunted.
I also had to send in photos of the room where I was sitting the exam, remove my (analog) watch, and at one point I was chided for holding my hand in front of my mouth. It all seemed to be a bit of overkill, but on the other hand, who doesn’t like drama?
Ryan Millar, CDMP
The main point here, however, is the following. I passed. And thus earned a modestly impressive credential? (Side note: the Digital Marketing Institute let me know that I can now put the letters “CDMP” after my name, I guess on LinkedIn and business cards.
I will not do that. But if you choose to address me as Ryan Millar, CDMP, I won’t correct you, for you will be right.
