Category: Uncategorized

Why do people seek out digital marketing training—or any form of professional development? The answer is always the same: to do their job better, build new skills, and advance in their career. 

So, it’s easy to judge the value of a professional training course. You just have to look at the outcomes. Does the course actually help people learn the skills they need to perform better at work, or take their career to the next level? 

In other words, is it truly useful and directly beneficial to each and every student? This has always been our measuring stick for the online Digital Marketing course at Kompass. 

This year, the marketing certificate program turns 5. Five years of helping people navigate the wild west of online marketing. It’s been quite a ride! 

ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL MARKETING TRAINING NO LONGER WORKS

Marketing has changed so dramatically over the last 10-15 years. It’s become an industry where ongoing learning is crucial to survival. It’s fair to say that if you’re not learning, you’re lagging. 

And if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that “one-size-fits-all” marketing courses simply don’t work anymore. People in this field need very personalized training solutions, so they can build skills in a particular niche, or resolve specific marketing issues they’re facing at work. 

Every company is different. Many marketing roles have similar titles, but involve very different responsibilities. Each industry has its own marketing obstacles and opportunities. 

Kompass marketing instructor, Javier Schwersensky has risen to the challenge. He’s done an incredible job of tailoring his online marketing course to fit the needs and goals of individual students. 

“Over the past 5 years, I have had the distinct privilege of working with hundreds of students with a wide variety of backgrounds, job titles, and expectations. From students ready for a career change, to corporate managers in charge of social media and online marketing, our classroom has always been incredibly diverse. I like to believe each student was able to succeed and get exactly what they needed from the program.

Our secret? We do not structure the classes in a traditional way, where you read or listen to material and then answer a quiz or write an assignment. The way our program works is different. We focus on a real challenge each student is facing, and we build their assignments around that challenge.So at the end of the program, every student has a personalized strategy and the tools needed to execute that strategy.”

To celebrate our first 5 years, we would like to share with you some real success stories from students in Javier’s online marketing course. It is so gratifying to see students overcome real marketing challenges in class—and then hear from them months later, talking about how well they’re doing at work! 

SUCCESS STORY #1: BOOSTING ONLINE SALES THROUGH BETTER CONTENT & SEO 

One of our first students owns a specialty store in Ottawa, Ontario. This student had two main goals in mind when she decided to take our digital marketing course:  

1) To be the number one shopping destination in her city 

2) To generate online sales from customers who live further away 

Up to that point, she had been using an agency to handle her website, search engine optimization (SEO), and content. To her surprise, when the time came to audit the site and look at SEO, very little had been done to support her goals.  

With the skills she learned in training, the student was able to take back control of her own website. She learned how to optimize it, add videos, identify buyer personas, and develop a distinct voice to engage with her customer base. Her sales and reputation improved dramatically.  

Best of all, she is no longer dependent on an expensive marketing agency for basic website management, content creation, and SEO. 

Javier tells us,

“I am still smiling thinking about the leaps and bounds this student made in just a few months of training.” 

SUCCESS STORY #2: BUILDING A FAN BASE ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Another successful student is the marketing manager of a company that owns several car dealerships across Canada. The company was struggling to gain social media followers and to utilize online advertising to their advantage.  

As we worked together, the student realized what the problem was. The company had been using a “generic” national messaging strategy on social media.  

What they needed was a more personalized, local approach. They needed to tailor their messaging to the different target audiences in each community—to prove the company really understands those distinct regional needs and goals. 

So, the marketing manager set out to recruit content creators for each dealership, and ensure each team had their own social media presence. By recruiting assistance at each dealership, and using a social media content management protocol, this student saw social media followers and relevance increase by more than 20%!  

SUCCESS STORY #3: FINDING THE RIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO TARGET  

One very different case was a student who started a blog in 2013. And while the blog was growing, it was not doing as well as she had hoped. On the other hand, her Instagram and Twitter accounts were growing very nicely.  

During the digital marketing course, the student learned she had to stop dividing her attention between the 2 social networks. She decided to focus her efforts solely on Instagram. With this strategy, she was able to attract over 26,500 followers on Instagram—not too shabby!  

She is officially an influencer now. This is a really good example of a concept we reinforce in our classes: you cannot be everything to everyone.  

Digital marketers have to make choices, particularly when it comes to social media, where there are literally hundreds of platforms. This means identifying the platforms your users are most likely to be on—and knowing exactly how to connect with them on those platforms. 

SUCCESS STORY #4: BUILDING CREDIBILITY IN A CONTROVERSIAL, COMPETITIVE FIELD 

One of our students faced the very tricky task of transitioning a company which previously sold medical cannabis, to the new legal framework, where cannabis is available for recreational use. 

Stores needed to close to transition to a different marketplace, and this company needed to contend with new competition, concerns from the public, and a new set of regulations.  

Through our training, this marketing manager was able to re-calibrate the marketing messaging, and establish a credible voice in a controversial industry. 

The student developed a content strategy that highlighted the knowledge of store managers—while educating the public about the responsible use of cannabis. 

SUCCESS STORY #5: TAILORING A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY FOR GOVERNMENT 

Another student we worked with is responsible for online communications for a Canadian municipality. This is no easy task, as government communication can be quite complicated. 

There are privacy rules, elected officials, administration, the public… many factors must be considered. Plus, there’s the obligation to provide meaningful information and updates, and respond to public concerns.  

After completing the digital marketing course, the student was able to craft a whole new communications strategy for the municipality, concentrating on the residents and visitors while securing buy-in from councilors and the mayor.  

This outcome was especially impressive! 

SUCCESS STORY #6: USING ONLINE MARKETING FOR HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT 

We also had a recent program graduate who doesn’t even work in marketing. He actually works in the Human Resources department of a large organization with hundreds of franchises.  

The challenge for him was to develop a marketing strategy that highlights the corporate offices as separate from the retailers. He also wanted to entice talented individuals to work for the company.  

Throughout the course, he realized that the leadership of the company was well-known and liked, so utilizing them as corporate bloggers would make a lot of sense.  

Additionally, in order to show what an excellent employer the company is, he crafted a content strategy celebrating loyal staff who have been with the organization for a long time.  

It was a simple strategic move, but as Javier points out, highly effective.

“This tactic really paid off! The organization is growing very well on LinkedIn, and I am extremely pleased to see how quickly he is getting the results he was hoping for.” 

SUCCESS STORY #7: LEARNING HOW TO “LISTEN” ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

And last, but not least, we have a student working for an amazing charity in Montreal, who strives to become a better social media manager.  

We quickly established that instead of thinking about “managing” social media, it was a lot more advantageous to think about building a community on social. 

This is actually a big shift. No more following the traditional media model and broadcasting messages from the charity to the public. Instead, this strategy involves listening to followers and clients, and advocating on their behalf inside the organization.  

What do donors want? What are volunteers saying? How might you entice new followers to become volunteers?  

The more a company listens to the needs and wants of the community, the better the results. By changing the approach, the organization made significant improvements in social media engagement – and continues to thrive providing great expertise to international communities in need of help. 

WHAT MARKETING CHALLENGES ARE YOU FACING?

These are just a few examples of students who benefited from our tailored approach, and solved real digital marketing challenges they were facing at work.  

This is how we evaluate the effectiveness of the digital marketing course at Kompass. And it’s how any good professional development training should be judged—by the real world outcomes students achieve. Javier points out, 

“It’s not really about what I know about online marketing. It’s about exploring what is new, how things are evolving, and ensuring each student completes the certificate with an actionable plan they can use immediately to achieve their goals.” 

Are you facing a marketing challenge and could use some help designing a practical solution? Click below to learn more about the Digital Marketing Certificate offered online, at Kompass Professional Development. 

 Courses fit around your schedule, and Javier is ready to offer guidance, expertise, and support every step of the way.  

Thanks for reading and… see you in our virtual classroom! 

Explore the online Digital Marketing Strategy Certificate at Kompass

Wondering what it’s like to become a medical office administrator (MOA)? Want to know more about training, careers, and getting started in this field?

Who better to talk to than Priscilla Grant? Priscilla recently completed the Medical Office Administrator program at Herzing College Ottawa. She went straight into a full-time medical office position after graduation, and has transitioned very smoothly into her new career.

And she did it all while working part-time and caring for two children under the age of 6!

We interviewed Priscilla earlier this month to learn more about her story, and see how things are going at work.

Find out what Priscilla thought of Herzing’s MOA program, her most and least favourite parts of training, and how she landed such a great job at Carefor Health and Community Services.

Here are the highlights from our conversation.

Q: Can you share a little about your background and where you’re from? What were you doing before heading back to school?

Priscilla: I am originally from an island in the Caribbean called Saint Lucia. I spent most of my childhood there. At the age of 17, I graduated from high school, and then went on to community college.

I graduated at the age of 19 with an Associate degree in Business Administration. From there, I went to work as a receptionist at various organizations – including the Meteorological Office with the Ministry of Communications. But, at that point I decided I wanted more.

So, I applied for school in the United States. I received a partial academic scholarship to attend Grambling State University in Louisiana, where I earned a Bachelor degree in Computer Science.

After I graduated in 2011, I moved to Canada to be with my family.

I chose to take some time off from furthering my studies because I met my husband and we were starting a family. My son was hospitalized a few times after birth, so I decided to stay at home until he was better.

After having my second child 3 years later, I realized that I liked caring for others and wanted a career in the medical field. That’s what led me back to school.

Q: Why did you choose the Medical Office Administrator program? What drew you to this particular health care career?

Priscilla: I chose the Medical Office Administrator program because I love helping people, but I am scared of needles and not fond of body fluids. So becoming a nurse or doctor wasn’t right for me.

Plus, in the future, I may combine my knowledge of computer science with my medical office training to pursue a career in medical computer systems security. I may decide later to stay with medical office administration or move on to the security aspect of it. Only time will tell!

Q: There are a lot of medical office colleges in Ottawa…why did you choose Herzing? What was your admissions experience like?

Priscilla: I chose Herzing because it fit with my busy life. It was the closest college to my home, work, and kids’ school. I had a very good experience during admissions. I met with Isabelle Copeland. She made me feel welcome, she listened to what I wanted, and she gave me good advice.

Q: Can you tell us about your experience in the MOA program? What made the biggest impact on you?

Priscilla: I had a very good experience in the MOA program. I loved some of my instructors, such as Craig Kennedy. He was amazing with Microsoft Office courses. Doing those courses was more like a revision for me, but I loved it anyway. His classes were fun and engaging.

Another instructor I enjoyed having was Ellie Rock. She helped me to get my cover letter and resume at a professional level. Bob Orser was amazing with Medical Terminology, too. I thought I would not do well, but because he was an amazing instructor, he taught me to understand what all those terms meant. He took the time to answer all our questions.

What impacted me most about the MOA program were the instructors. They really understood me and my drive to do well.

Q: What was the most challenging part of medical office administrator training for you?

Priscilla: The most challenging part of training was balancing my time. I went to school full-time, worked part-time, had homework to complete every night, plus take care of my 2 young children (6 and 3 years old). My motivation was not only to get a good job, but also to provide for my family.

Q: And the best part of training? What aspect did you enjoy most?

Priscilla: I liked the hands-on work. If I’m just watching and listening, I tend to get bored. But we did a lot of hands-on, practical assignments. It really helped me get a better understanding of the material. And the instructors were there to help out whenever I had questions.

Q: Can you tell us about your internship experience? Where did you do the work placement, and what was it like?

Priscilla: I did my internship at Carefor Health and Community Services. I worked in the medical records department. I retrieved files for discharged occupational and physical therapy clients, to be boxed and shipped to a storage location.

I started with 3 sections for each program, each having 5 shelves filled with files. At the end of the 4 week internship, I was able to make 59 boxes on my own. I spent 2 weeks on each program.

Q: Was it hard to find your first job after graduation? Where are you working now?

Priscilla: While I was at my placement, I saw there were job vacancies. So, I applied, and on my last day of the internship, I got a call to come in for an interview. After the interview, I was offered the job, and started working at Carefor Health and Community Services full-time as a Client Service Coordinator.

Q: In your opinion, what does it take to get hired in this field? What are the most important skills to become a medical office administrator?

Priscilla: I believe hard work and having a great personality will get anyone anywhere. Also, being able to work well with others is a tremendous skill to have in the medical office field.

Q: Any words of advice for someone who’s considering this career path? Would you recommend Herzing’s MOA program as a good first step?

Priscilla: Yes, I would recommend Herzing as a good first step. My best advice to anyone who’s considering this career path would be to come ready to work and have a positive attitude. Anything worth having is worth working hard for!

Thank-you Priscilla, for taking the time to talk with us. We’re so proud of your success in the MOA program, and out in the field. You’re an excellent example of the smart, hard-working, very determined students we have in this program. Wishing you all the best as you advance in your career.

Learn more about Medical Office Administration training at Herzing

Herzing College Ottawa offers a 7-month Medical Office Administration diploma, which includes a 4-week internship. This program teaches all the knowledge and skills needed to start a medical office career, including clinic software, administrative procedures, and patient records management.

Vital Signs Clinic, First Aid, and CPR certificates are included in the training.

If you’d like to learn more about the MOA program, we invite you to fill out the Request Information form on this screen.

Or, click below to explore the training for yourself. See a detailed course list, and chat live with an Admissions Advisor. We can answer questions about financial aid, class schedules, how to apply, booking a campus tour, and more. We’re here to help!

Learn More About Medical Office Administration Training at Herzing

If you’re reading this post, chances are you’re seriously considering a career in medical office administration. Maybe you’ve already decided on a training program, or you’re still.

If you’re thinking about studying medical office administration, there are likely 3 big questions on your mind: 

1) What exactly will I learn in this program? 

2) Will I find a job quickly after graduation? 

3) Am I a good fit for a medical office career? 

In fact, these kinds of questions apply to anyone who’s going back to school, and wants to make sure they choose the right program. To find your answer, you need to know what to expect in class, what skills you’ll need to succeed, and who’s teaching the course. 

We’re tackling all of these questions here today by going straight to the source—Ayo Adetoro, instructor for the Medical Office Administration (MOA) program at Herzing, and a healthcare professional with decades of experience. 

We interviewed Ayo to learn more about the program, career path, job outlook, and more. By the end of this post, you’ll have a much better idea of whether MOA training is right for you, and what steps to take next. 

Q: Ayo, can you share a little about your professional background in health care? 

Ayo: My professional background is in pharmacy and business management. I am a member of the Ontario College of Pharmacists, Ontario Pharmacist’s Association, and the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists. 

I’ve been teaching for over 15 years, in both the Medical Office Administration program, and in the Business Administration program at Herzing College Toronto. 

I have a passion for sharing knowledge and preparing the next generation of healthcare providers. 

Q: What are the most important skills students learn in your Medical Office class – the skills that get them hired after graduation? 

Ayo: The most important skills we teach in the MOA program break down into two categories: 

1) Administrative—How to triage clients, coordinate and review diagnostics, liaise between physicians and other healthcare providers. 

2) Clinical—Educating clients, assisting as required during examinations, measuring and documenting vital signs, computer skills (MS office applications), and interpersonal communication. 

These are the skills you need to get hired as a medical office administrator. 

Q: What parts of MOA training tend to be most challenging for students?  

Ayo: It’s usually medical transcription and terminology. We study human anatomy and medical terminology, so students need to learn all the different structures and systems of the body.  

Plus, we learn diagnostic and treatment procedures that apply to those different body systems. They need to understand the basic language of medicine, which is new for most, and can be difficult at the start. 

Q: Do you need some experience in health care to join the Medical Office program? 

Ayo: No experience in healthcare is required. All you need is a desire to learn, willingness to work hard, and a passion for caring for others. Being motivated to help and care for people is the key. 

Q: What aspect of medical office training do your students enjoy the most?  

Ayo: Students really enjoy understanding disease processes—the ways different diseases impact the human body.   

They also enjoy learning how medical office administrators help patients navigate our complex healthcare system—how MOAs help patients access the services they need. 

Q: What’s demand like for MOAs in the Toronto area? Is it hard for students to find jobs after graduation? 

Ayo: There is strong demand for medical office administrators in Toronto. Some of our students get hired straight out of their internships!  

There are employment opportunities in many different settings— like family clinics, dental offices, walk-in clinics, hospitals, and insurance provider companies. 

Q: How does someone know they’d make a great MOA? What basic qualities do students need to succeed in your program? 

Ayo: The qualities needed to succeed in this program (and career) include: 

• organizational skills 
• logical and critical thinking 
• problem solving 
• dependability 
• desire to care for and help others 

Q: In your opinion, what’s the best thing about becoming a Medical Office Administrator? 

Ayo: Navigating the healthcare system is complicated for most people. MOAs work with patients to make the experience less stressful. They help patients get the right care, at the right time.

Plus, they help the entire medical team by ensuring the clinic runs smoothly.  It’s an important role, where you can really make a difference. 

A big thank-you to Ayo for talking with us, and offering an inside look at MOA training and careers. We’re very lucky to have you on the faculty at Herzing!

Is Medical Office Administrator Training Right For You? 

Herzing’s MOA program is 7 months long, including a 4-week internship. Students learn medical office procedures, healthcare computer software, billing, appointment scheduling, medical records, transcription, and medical terminology. 

This diploma program also includes certificates in Vital Signs Clinic, First Aid and CPR. 

Learn more about the program by filling out the Request Information form on this page. Get fast, free information sent straight to your email. 

Or, click below to browse the Medical Office Administration program for yourself. See a detailed course list, learn about careers, and chat live with an Admissions Advisor.  

We can answer all your questions about applying, financial aid, start-dates, class schedules, and more. Find out if this career is right for you, and exactly how to get started.