I hoped that in launching and cultivating an online presence, I would establish benchmarks to speak to in conversations with potential hiring managers and clients.
Coming up on a year ago, I launched this site as a professional showcase and narrative framework. My intentions were manifold: I was navigating the depths of a career transition and eagerly seeking to highlight the value I could offer new industries and organizations. Feeling trapped in the classic career changer’s paradox of “needing experience to get experience,” I hoped that in launching and cultivating an online presence, I would establish benchmarks to speak to in conversations with potential hiring managers and clients. Perhaps even more important, I craved to carve out an environment in which to process my questions and fears. Writing has always served as an outlet for me, and having previously been involved in building audiences around digital stories, I found myself itching to revive those creative flows. While the journey since I first clicked Publish and irrevocably unveiled my aspirations into cyberspace has often been challenging, upon reflection I’m inspired by the successes I have achieved and how these motivate me to continue forward:
Joining the Publio Team
I joined the marketing services firm Publio in February, and am closing in on eight months with the company. I first connected with the organization while completing a content marketing program they facilitated last year. Following the course, I maintained connection to the core team through our local coworking community, and even piloted the company’s own Publisher’s M.O. Masterclass in its development stages. I wrote and published two blog articles based on these experiences, and I’m thrilled that this current opportunity has evolved. Currently, I’m developing an analytics framework for the company and contributing toward multiple internal and client-facing campaign initiatives. I hope to extend my role with the company over the coming months while supporting its growth and business development.
Circulating Long Form Content and Thought Leadership
In addition to discovering new work opportunities, another goal has been to share my perspective through written analyses and reflections. I have developed these ideas into three original pieces, available here and the popular online blogging site Medium. These articles have collectively amassed thousands of views, and in February I achieved a Medium follower count surpassing 100 readers, qualifying me for the site’s Partner Program and the ability to earn revenue for articles I publish on the platform. I plan to continue writing and exploring the potential to monetize my work through the Partner Program and other avenues available.
Extending My Skills and Expertise
A final aspect of my professional aspirations has entailed enriching my knowledge base and technical abilities. I’ve previously written about my experience completing online coursework encompassing topics within computer science, data analytics and online marketing. Since then, I’ve finished additional courses in areas including Snowflake Data Warehouse Fundamentals, dbt Fundamentals and DataCamp’s Understanding Cloud Computing. Each course bridges new connections from previous learning and builds clarity surrounding the optimal combination of skills and technologies I wish to employ in my career. Up next: I’m looking at Google Analytics and Google Data Studio as I seek to better understand visitor traffic on the Publio website to maximize prospective customer reach.
Looking Ahead
It’s been an active year of expanding my skill sets, professional knowledge and platform proficiency. I express my sincere thanks for the support of my network, including colleagues, friends and family, in this journey. Over the coming weeks and months, I’m excited to see where this exploration continues to lead and share my discoveries with you. Should you wish to share your goals and wins with an empowering community, I’d love to hear what you are working on and see how I can help promote these initiatives. Let’s keep each other striving and excited to pursue our passions each day!