School's out forever - but your education is just getting started

It’s graduation day. The grades are in. The robe is on. Diploma/degree in hand. A future with endless possibilities in sight. Elementary, high school, and college/university are completed. Congratulations on conquering the education system.

Cue Alice Cooper: “School’s out forever!”

You might be done with the classroom, but you’re not done with learning. It may not be obvious at convocation, but that career you’ve been building toward requires a new level of knowledge to achieve.

That’s what they don’t, and can’t, teach you in school, industries change, trends come and go, tools that are yet to be invented become crucial, and sometimes accumulated knowledge becomes obsolete.

“Never stop learning" is some of the best advice I have ever received. A former manager and long-time industry friend, Brad Furtney, imparted this during the early days of my media sales career at the CBC. And its advice that has stuck with me ever since.

A bit about myself: I started in TV sales at a time when broadcast was still the dominant medium, connected TV wasn’t a thing, social media was in its infancy, Blackberry was the must-have phone, and Netflix was still slinging mail-order DVD rentals.

I made the decision to move into digital sales when it became clear opportunities were trending in that direction. But the move was much harder than expected. Prospective employers considered my lack of digital experience a weakness, making it clear this was a gap I needed to plug.

This is where things get tricky. Knowledge is a must for personal growth, but we live in a world where learning is optional. The onus is on you to seek out opportunities.

Finding these opportunities can take time, and by no means should it be considered finite. As mentioned earlier, things change quickly and what (and who) you learn from will also evolve.

With that said, I’m going to give you a peek into where I turn for insights, tips, tricks, and learnings. Keep in mind this is from the perspective of a long-time media/adtech sales professional who also happens to be a budding podcaster. Feel free to use this as your jumping-off point, but make sure you build out your own roster of voices that speak to your specific challenges and industry focus.

LinkedIn: Follow people who post about topics relevant to your career and ambitions.

Josh Braun - Sales professional who made so much money that he was able to retire early. He’s currently a professional sales instructor who gamifies his posts with mini case studies.

Jen Allen-Knuth (aka DemandJen) - A former enterprise seller turned sales-trainer, Jen’s LinkedIn content focuses on buyer-centric frameworks and story-first messaging.

Eric Tilbury - Inuvo’s Head of Ad Operations, Eric has an abundance of experience managing programmatic campaigns of all shapes, sizes, and budgets. He isn’t shy about sharing his experience and tactics while routinely interacting with the comments section.

Matthew Whol - Founder of Recruitment Made Easy, Matthew offers advice on resume writing and mastering a job interview.

Don’t know where to start building your own mentorship network? Search LinkedIn for professionals in roles you want to aspire to, "Head of Digital Marketing," "Programmatic Manager," or "Marketing Director,” who regularly share insights and engage with their audience. Follow hashtags like #MarTech, #AdTech, and #DigitalMarketing to discover voices that consistently add value. Look for people speaking at conferences, contributing to industry publications, or leading discussions in marketing groups. You don’t need to follow passively either, you can engage meaningfully with their content by asking thoughtful questions or sharing your experiences. The goal isn't finding one perfect mentor, but to curate a diverse feed of industry wisdom that keeps you ahead of the curve and always learning.

YouTube: The perfect source for visual learners who prefer classroom style content.

Charisma on Command - A channel dedicated to helping you become more confident, charismatic, and generally likeable. What makes the channel so effective is the use of research overlaid onto examples of celebrities navigating difficult social situations.

A Life After Layoff - Run by a veteran HR professional, this channel provides insights into what hiring managers look for and how best to grab their attention.

Media People Podcast - If you’re like me, then you tend to learn by example. I started this podcast in 2015 to fill a gap I saw online. It features yours truly having 1-1 chats with the people who power the media, marketing, advertising, creative, and adtech industries. Each episode is organized into three acts: The guests' early life and education, their career, and a rapid-fire question session designed to uncover things that wouldn’t be discovered in the first two parts.

Reddit: An underrated source of information.

The r/marketing, r/advertising, r/adops, and r/sales subreddits allow you and your peers to share experiences, ask questions, and seek advice on a variety of topics anonymously. There is a good chance that what you’re curious about has already been asked & answered on many of these subs.

Professional development

There is no shortage of formal programs and certifications. The Canadian Marketing Association does a fantastic job curating sessions led by seasoned professionals. These range from online webinars to conferences to the Chartered Marketer designation, with each option designed to cater to your individual needs. Check with your employer to see if they offer tuition reimbursement. If not, ask your accountant if it's possible to claim (tuition) as an education credit on your income tax return. Your learning journey didn't end at graduation; it just shifted gears.

The resources are out there, from LinkedIn thought leaders to YouTube and podcast deep-dives to the CMA's professional development programs. The key isn't trying to master everything at once; it's about picking one area that excites you or fills a gap in your skillset and diving in. Maybe it's finally understanding programmatic advertising, sharpening your sales techniques, or exploring that new marketing trend everyone's talking about. Whatever it is, commit to learning something new this month. Because in a field that evolves as fast as marketing, standing still isn't just stagnation; it's setting you back. Your future self will thank you for taking that first step today.