Today is seems like everyone’s blogging and everyone’s offering social media services and using the label “expert” whether these activities are used to further their business, or simply for fun. Well, you’ll never hear my calling myself an “expert” in these areas, even if online content and blogging happen to be WriteSourcing’s main specialty and here’s why:

1. Social networking and blogging/online content development is evolving - to me, the term “expert” implies you know everything there is to know about something (just my interpretation, you don’t have to agree) and that can’t be the case when changes are being made on a daily basis that require us to adapt strategies for effective brand marketing through blogging and social networking. As far as I’m concerned, it’s trial and error with social networking and blogging, even if there are no drastic changes to methods. This is because what works for one business, won’t necessarily work for another, so no one can walk in and say “I’m an expert and here’s your solution”. What someone can do, is step in, do some experimentation  and come up with a strategy that will accomplish social media and blogging goals. There is no rule book for these things; you can’t know everything there is to know.

2.  An “expert” doesn’t need to learn - if you already know everything or think you do, then you’re not going to be encouraged to learn are you? Well, that’s a necessity today with blogging and social networking. You need to stay abreast of what’s happening and then do some problem-solving to develop an effective strategy.

3. Just because you blog or tweet, doesn’t make you an expert – I use a computer everyday too, but that doesn’t mean I’m a technology expert. Sure, you can share your knowledge with other and probably have some great insight, but you may find that you take just as much listening to someone else’s advice on the subject.

Let’s be honest, I just don’t like the term “expert”. You can say you’ve got “expertise” in a specific area all you like; you just won’t catch me labeling myself or anyone else an “expert”. It does seem like many people are applying this label to themselves though; so look beyond that title and let their track record and experience speak for itself. Don’t hire a blogger or a social media specialist just because they say that the title describes them; find out what they can bring to the table!

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As WriteSourcing continues to expand, I speak to new people on a weekly basis who are often interested in what my background is; they’re curious to know why and how I got started doing what I do and a curious about those personal, professional and educational elements that contributed to it. I’m not shy about sharing my background and my experiences, and I will talk about my post-secondary education if asked and I will say that yes I went, and yes I enjoyed it. But the question that I’m rarely asked is if it made a difference; did it help shape me to be successful (a definition I’m not sure I like to apply, but we’ll go with it) running a freelance writing and editing business?

I do value the importance of education, and while it taught me a lot; I truly don’t rely upon anything I learned to help me today at least not directly. I studied English, I over analyzed Shakespeare with the rest of them, was exposed to some literature I might not otherwise have picked up and participated in heated debates about the symbolism in some pieces of classic literature.  I can say that have more opportunity to write, and have more doors opened to me – like writing for an acclaimed student run newspaper distributed city-wide. But for the most part, my learning experiences don’t translate to what I’m doing today. I will never regret getting my Bachelors or taking continuing education courses as I started my career, but I can’t say it would have made a difference.

Running a writing business is about more than simply writing. I don’t have a business degree, and I don’t see how memorizing the definition of entrepreneur would have gotten me any further in my career – I am an entrepreneur and no education would have prepared me to live it. I learn as I go if there’s something I’m unfamiliar with. I rely upon my instinct and it rarely leads me astray. But when it does, I take those mistakes and learn from them.As far as I’m concerned, learning a concept in a text book can never provide the same experience for growth that living it can.

So what it boils down to when it comes to that question few actually ask – my education isn’t responsible for getting me where I am today. Perhaps that was a choice as I chose to do something for my personal enjoyment, not necessarily with a career in mind; also knowing that in today’s world just holding a degree can make all the difference whether or not it plays a role in developed skills and experience. Perhaps the reason I pursued an education for personal interest over career direction, is because I’ve always felt that hands-on experience and inborn intuition and aqcuired skill will go a lot further.

Education is important, don’t get me wrong. My kids will get a post-secondary education as they desire whether they choose to go to University or College for a skilled trade. Whether their experience leads them directly to their chosen career, or whether it simply provides personal growth as it did for me, really doesn’t matter. Whether it provides personal growth, or career growth, the benefits are there and more so in some fields than others. For example, you Get a masters in secondary education to become a better teacher or rise up the ranks into administration. In a career like that, education does count for much more, but it’s not the only success factor!

I think with any entrepreneurial opportunity, you’ve either got the drive and desire to do it you don’t and the same goes for confidence, because it’s a risk and it’s a wild ride. And you know what? Whether or not my education helped prepare me for where I’m at today doesn’t matter. People out there can keep scoffing at those English majors who don’t have a clear path to their career after graduation, because that’s not all it’s about.

Let me reinforce again, that I’m not undervaluing the importance of a good education, what I’m saying is that those labels don’t have to hold you back from what you want to do. So what if you don’t have a business degree, it doesn’t mean you’re not equipped to run a business. If you feel you need to expand your knowledge, that option is always available, too.

So to all of those people who didn’t ask the question regarding what kind of role my education played in getting me to where I am today, aren’t you glad you kept it zipped? Now you know.

I know there are others out there who share my experience, and others still who find that their education helped their career growth immensely. Where do you stand? I’d love to hear your experience.

Image via: Flickr Creative Commons

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Our website was recently migrated to a new server and as a result, we will be taking advantage of introducing a new blog, a new blog design, and a new website. As the new design for the blog is under development, we will begin regular postings on the blog once again, and will start by reintroducing some of the hottest posts that appeared previously on this site! As always, thanks for reading!

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