6 Certifications to Kickstart Your Career — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

Your classes can’t teach you everything. Set yourself above the rest and continue your education by earning these six exceptional online courses.

While attending the Public Relations Student Society of America’s International Conference in San Diego this past October, I had the privilege to listen to Brandi Boatner’s session, “The Hidden World of PR.” She exposed us to tips for solidifying a job, for negotiating a salary, how to solidify your personal brand, and how to embody confidence while doing it all. Among her heaps of advice, one piece in particular stood out to me: online certifications. Brandi encouraged us to scout out free resources and take advantage of them to boost our education.

Here are six online courses you should take to advance your knowledge and stay in-tune with programs that PR professionals use daily.

1. Facebook Blueprint eLearning

If you’re reading this, you know that this social media hegemony has been in hot water for its data collection and usage. One key reason Facebook collects this data is to understand its users and feed them content that they are interested in. Facebook bundles users into segments for advertisers to target their campaigns. You can learn all about these segments, how to place an ad set, what key performance indicators to track and so much more in the free Facebook Blueprint courses. It is crucial to take these courses if you have an interest in pursuing social media management, media planning, or if you simply want to understand why you keep getting that one ad for tacos on your feed right before lunchtime.

Resume perk: Shows you understand the ins and outs of paid social media campaigns.

2. Google Analytics Academy

Google Analytics Academy is a great way to get smart fast on how to measure the performance of websites. Taking these courses will help you better understand the metrics behind website performance and measure your clients’ interaction with the audience. The program offers 6 free courses covering Google Analytics for Beginners, Advanced Google Analytics, Google Analytics for Power Users, Getting Started with Google Analytics 360, Introduction to Data Studio and Google Tag Manager Fundamentals. The only requirements are that you need to begin are an internet-enabled device, access to a Google account, and using Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari internet browsers. So what are you waiting for? Get started on the Google Analytics for Beginners class today!

Resume Perk: Shows you know how to pull a story from a set of numbers and use data to determine your client’s next steps.

3. Google Ads

Log in to Google and get going on your Google Ads certifications. These courses will help you learn how to advertise a business online and how to track its performance. Google Ads provides a total of 15 possible certifications in six different categories: Google Ads Certifications, Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, Google Ads Video, Google Ads Measurement and Shopping Ads.

Resume Perk: Shows you know enough to be dangerous in digital advertising.

4. Hootsuite Social Marketing Training

Hootsuite’s Social Media Marketing Training will prepare you to optimize your client’s social media profiles, strategize their posts, build your audience, craft engaging content, and plan paid advertisements. Hootsuite is one of the most effective and commonly used tools for social media. Add this gadget to your toolbox and practice using it with your personal accounts, your student involvements, your side hobbies to develop your skill set.

Resume perk: Shows you have experience using social media tools efficiently.

5. Twitter Flight School

Leap into learning a new advertising platform with Twitter Flight School. Twitter has organized their courses in a concise “pick and choose” model for you to have the freedom to select what topics you want to learn on your own schedule. Watch live trainings, use downloadable resources, and learn from success stories on the best ways to utilize Twitter for your campaigns.

Resume perk: Shows you are in-tune with the latest trends of advertising on Twitter -- your client won’t want to miss out on this high-engaging community.

6. Hubspot Content Marketing

Hubspot provides you with 46 courses and approximately 142 hours of free online lessons. Topics range from email marketing, CMS, inbound marketing, SEO, artificial intelligence and machine learning, sales management, graphic design, social media, contextual marketing and so much more. Don’t miss out on this monsoon of resources to further your knowledge.

Resume Perk: Shows you have a high-level understanding of many aspects of public relations and the Hubspot software.

Each course listed one resume perk, however even having just one of these courses will show that you are a continuous learner always on the lookout for success. Don’t wait to start taking these courses. Digital marketing is always on the move and you don’t want to fall behind on the best way to connect with your audience.

If you found this piece of advice helpful, don’t worry, there’s more! Brandi Boatner is visiting Grand Valley PRSSA on Thursday, March 26 at 7 PM. Mark your calendars and look forward to an inspirational session that will leave you on fire for PR.

About Emily:

During her senior year at GVSU, Emily Gagnon is excited to gain new insights and experiences in the communications industry. Her digital studies minor complements her major in advertising and public relations as it allows her to dive deeper into website/social media analytics, technical programs, online identities and cultures. As the CEO of GrandPR, Emily is passionate about leading projects and client teams to create campaigns students are proud to share. She is energized by spending time outdoors. Biking local trails, camping in northern Michigan and snowboarding new slopes are a few things Emily looks forward to.