Certificates, Bootcamps and 4 Year Degrees: Why I Chose A Digital Marketing Certificate

On January 13th, 2023, I achieved a major goal in my life by graduating from my digital marketing certificate course. I started this course the first week of November, 2022, for what was supposed to be a three month course. However, I was able to finish the course one month earlier due to grinding hard with my coursework.

In the course of this writing, I would like to go over the thought process that led me to choosing the certificate(sometimes referred to as a bootcamp) route over the traditional 4 year degree route.

My Background

Just to give a little insight on my educational background, I only reached the 10th grade of school and was a high school dropout by age 17. I later found the inner motivation to pursue and complete a GED program at age 18.

Later, I was convinced that to make it, career wise, in society, I should attend college for a degree. I did this for a while, however my motivation for doing so wasn’t inner focused, but more so doing what others felt was best for my future.

Eventually, I gave up on college, but I had dreams of one day going back when I figured out what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Therefore, I have been a highschool dropout and a college dropout.

In my early twenties, I began exploring the idea of internet marketing and making money online. I started an online business during 2000 and made my first $40 online during the summer of 2000, which really showed me the possibilities of the internet and led me to my present course.

Over the next two decades, I would tinker with different online opportunities like blogging, affiliate marketing, self publishing ebooks, merch, social media marketing to make money here and there.

Along the way I was learning about internet marketing and digital marketing through my self study and usage on my own projects.

An amazing opportunity presents itself

Starting in 2016, I became greatly dissatisfied with my career and future trajectory as I began to stare at age 40. I knew I didn’t want to function in my present career for another decade, but I felt trapped, due to not having real skills that would allow me to transition into a better career.

I believe that dissatisfaction can drive you crazy or it can drive you to new realities. I chose the latter approach.

Five years later(Fall 2021) the answer to my desire would present itself to me. During the fall of 2021 I became aware of a new educational benefit that was available to all employees at my job. At first I thought I was too old, at age 43, to return to school.

However, I continued to think about this opportunity and eventually I took the leap and enrolled in a college start program for new or returning students. I felt alive and purposeful as I did my college studies and assignments. The college start program was only 5 college courses long to help prepare for further education, so I had to decide what was next after this level.

I knew from the beginning I wanted to get a degree in “digital marketing”, so I looked up if my job was offering that as a part of its educational benefits. Happily, I found out there were a few programs available for a 4 year digital marketing degree, so I made this my future goal.

Upon further research, I found that none of the degree programs, presented as digital marketing, actually would prepare me for that future career. I saw that they were putting one or two digital marketing college courses on top of a traditional marketing degree, but calling it a “digital marketing” degree. Yet, none of these degrees were teaching social media marketing, content marketing, SEO, email marketing, TikTok, YouTube, blogging, podcasting, etc. So a 4 year degree in “digital marketing” would look good on my resume, but it wouldn’t actually give me the skills needed to succeed.

So, what’s next?

I researched further into the offerings of my job’s educational benefit program and I discovered there were several options to get a certificate in digital marketing from several reputable online schools. I did my research by listening to those who had gone the certificate route and gave testimony of their career success after graduating.

I ultimately decided to pursue a digital marketing certificate instead of a 4 year degree for the following reasons…

1. Relevance! Since digital marketing is still a relatively new career field, there really isn’t a traditional educational program that adequately prepares one for this opportunity. A certificate allows you to get a great foundation in digital marketing.
2. Time! You can complete most digital marketing certificate programs in as few as 3 months, so you can get started in your career much sooner as compared to a 4 year degree.
3. Cost! Though my job paid for the digital marketing certificate program and was willing to pay for a 4 year degree, I would have paid more for the 4 year degree vs the certificate if I paid out of my own pocket.
4. Up to date knowledge! Online realities are constantly in flux and what is true today can be outdated by tomorrow. Therefore, the knowledge you gain during your 4 year degree could possibly be outdated by time you get started. In comparison, my digital marketing certificate program gave me the most recent techniques for social media marketing, email marketing, SEO, branding content marketing and video marketing.

These are the reasons why I went with my digital marketing certificate route. However, I am in no way discounting the value of a 4 year college degree program. It’s just in this instance, the certificate was a better route for me.

A four year degree vs a certificate: which one holds weight in digital marketing, tech, etc?

I know the value of a 4 year college degree, so there were times when I wondered if I would be denied employment due to having a certificate instead of a degree. However, my research led me to know I would be alright.

While many jobs require a 4 year degree, there are many hiring managers who are aware of the value bootcamp or certificate learning can bring. My educational mentor told me to always take a chance, because all they can say is no.

In the following article: No college degree? No problem. More companies are eliminating requirements to attract the workers they need, which was published 4-25-22 on the CNBC website, the author explores this new job reality…

“A growing number of companies, including many in tech, are dropping the requirement for a bachelor’s degree for many middle-skill and even higher-skill roles, according to a recent study from Harvard Business Review and Emsi Burning Glass, a leading labor market data company. More than 51 million jobs posted between 2017 and 2020 were analyzed for the study.

In place of four-year-degree requirements, many companies are instead focusing on skills-based hiring to widen the talent pool.

If a four-year-degree is less likely to be the first hurdle for people to get in the door, what are companies looking for? It turns out many are leaning more heavily on demonstrated skills and competencies.”

This article shows that while a college degree hasn’t been eliminated, there are other factors that will be considered in many jobs going forward.

Conclusion

I feel a great sense of accomplishment by achieving this goal of getting my digital marketing certificate. I look forward to a successful and happy career in this discipline.

I hope that my story will inspire someone to reach for their dreams and not quit.

The decision to pursue a 4 year degree, a bootcamp or certification is an individual choice that has to be made according to the best interests of the seeker. This path is what worked for me, but maybe another path works for you, which is fine.

However, whichever path you take, let it be your own decision and not the wishes of others.