Hassiba has worked in hospitality and restaurant field marketing for 20 years, providing support to restaurant owners. As the industry has shifted to be more enterprise-centric, there is a growing need for digital marketing, especially SEO and knowledge of digital advertising platforms. Hassiba had been aware of the shift, but in previous roles, he hired agencies who knew how to work the necessary tools and platforms. He understood the goals and strategies, but he was not the person who executed them. Hassiba, who aspired to be in a senior-level position, began to realize that he needed to have a complete, in-depth understanding of digital marketing.
Hassiba researched programs that could provide him the training and skills he needed from continuing education programs, junior colleges, and online-only opportunities. He realized that short-term programs that only last 3-4 days weren’t sufficient to get the depth of knowledge he wanted. The 10-week Kennesaw State University Digital Marketing Science certificate course gave the opportunity for in-depth insights on a wide range of subjects, and this depth and breadth aligned with his goals.
Hassiba knew quickly that he’d made the right choice. The assignments at the end of each week were really helpful, with a consistent company to focus on and build upon lessons each week. The course had so many subject matter experts that brought unique perspectives to each lesson and conversation, he felt he was learning as much from others in the course as he was from the instructors and lessons.
Prior to completing the course, Hassiba certainly felt comfortable talking about digital marketing and strategy in interview settings, but he could only answer questions with vague, high-level responses, and felt a lack of confidence knowing that he couldn’t go into detail if asked. After the course, he now feels confident when speaking to any level of detail of digital marketing, from the platforms he’s used in the past, to the tools and strategies he’s partial to, to what he’s learned from past campaigns, in detail. Hassiba is also able to emphasize in any interview situation that analytics are the most important strategy any company could execute. Expanding his previous tactical perspective to one that’s more strategic, he knows and can communicate the reasons that measurement and insights matter most.
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