Got Time? 5 Professional Development Ideas for Marketing and PR Pros in Quarantine
First, I want to acknowledge that quarantine looks different for all of us, and while many have gained hours of extra time each week without commuting to the office or getting ready every day, others have added new responsibilities like teacher or full-time caregiver to the list on top of an already heavy workload. This post is for the former group, as well as recent grads or workers who have been laid off or furloughed while facing what will likely be one of the most challenging job markets of our lifetime.
There are so many affordable or free professional development opportunities for marketers and PR pros out there right now. It’s a great time to learn something new or hone your skills.
Free Webinars
Our team has been soaking up the free webinar content on a variety of topics from diversity and inclusion to SEO and customer relationship management. Most of these webinars are either free or very inexpensive and they can be viewed live or on demand, so you can make them fit your personal quarantine schedule. Here are a few of our favorite organizations hosting free webinars right now:
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and PRSA Dallas
Dallas Regional Chamber and North Dallas Chamber of Commerce
Virtual Conferences
Gone are the days when travel costs, lodging and time commitment impact our ability to attend conferences with high-caliber speakers from all over the world. Now virtual, these conferences bring powerful and inspiring content to our living rooms at a much more attractive price point.
Books/Podcasts
All the screen time involved with work, virtual meetings and Zoom social engagements, books and podcasts provide a welcome change of scenery. Start your morning with a walk and a marketing or business podcast, or curl up at the end of the day with a business or personal development book. I’ve included a few recommendations from our team below.
Books: Creativity, Inc., Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Building a Story Brand, This is Marketing, How to Be an Antiracist, Good to Great
Podcasts: Akimbo from Seth Godin, Marketing over Coffee, HBR IdeaCast, Copyblogger FM, How I Built This – Resilience Series, Work Life
Pro-Bono Time
Nonprofits and small businesses have been deeply impacted by the pandemic, which means they could use all the extra help they can get. Volunteering your time to support organizations in need with marketing strategy, social media, media relations or community relations and fundraising needs will benefit great causes and help you build your skills in new areas.
Continuing Education and Credentialing
Have you been wanting to level up for a while? This could be the perfect time for you to pursue some continuing education courses or accreditation. With almost everything online right now, it’s easier to access and even more affordable, in some cases. Check out courses offered through Coursera, Lynda.com and Google Digital Garage to get started, or consider that MBA or APR!
If (and only if) you’ve found some free time during this pandemic, take advantage of the great content out there, but don’t forget to give yourself grace and time to recharge.
What have you been watching, reading and listening to? Let us know in the comments - we’d love to hear from you!