How do you upgrade your skill set while working a full time job?
What do you recommend to upgrade your skill set? (time management conference, people skills mastermind, IT training, customer service audit, pyschological assessment, etc)
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May 23, 2017
Doing online courses will be a great start , you also now get some self paced courses which will suit your schedule as long as you can spare an hour or two in the week . Also some sites offer free courses from reputable universities like Harvard and MIT check this out https://www.edx.org/ , there are many other options as well.
Apr 24, 2017
This really depends on the industry. In my case, I applied my craft after-hours on personal projects that allowed me to test different concepts to see what worked best. I've also read everything on SEO, media buying, and social media, so I've been able to pick up new tips and tricks that worked wonderfully for clients.
Conferences can be quite expensive, but very rewarding if you're still a novice in certain industries. That said, workshops are much better for you in the long run than some business conferences, as the main goal for 80% of people attending conferences is to generate new business.
Apr 24, 2017
I am a big believer in the value of LinkedIn to network. I've found my last three full time jobs through LinkedIn and now I as a consultant I use it extensively to prospect. Having said that, LinkedIn recently purchased Lynda.com, which is an online learning resource. With your paid LinkedIn account, you have full access to all of the Lynda.com courses. Their courses are top notch and cover everything from business software to new skills. It's two great resources for the price of one.
Jul 24, 2016
Have a career planning discussion with your boss. Let your boss know the areas you would like to develop your skills. A good boss will work with you to find ways to layer in responsibilities that help your develop at least some of those skills while also helping the company (plus maybe even helping your boss too).
Jul 21, 2016
I tend to arrange a knowledge exchange with someone who wants to know more about my role, so that at the same time I can learn more about theirs. This means that I usually end up better understanding how my current skill set applies to their particular role, and gives me a targeted angle on how to improve my skills.
Jul 20, 2016
Great Question: Online Courses save a lot of time and you can take them from anywhere. http://counterintuity.com/seo-sem/
Jul 19, 2016
Great question Denise! It is just as important to continue to work on personal development skills, as it is to continue to work towards mastering your specialized skills. I learn the most from my colleagues around me. Share resources with them, ebooks, helpful infographics you come across, go to networking events with them. Take advantage if your company offers any additional classes or seminars for attend. These recommendations are all easy to find time for when you fit them into your everyday work routine.
Sep 3, 2014
Learning while working - I thrive to implement new techniques or tools in my work :) e.g. MS Excel I learned completely alone, by reading help files
Aug 5, 2014
Don't put too many ball in one basket choose only two area to start with you can get lot of stuff on goggle read it compare with your present standard improve your weak point do it at least one month ,just do web searching
Jun 16, 2014
It definitely takes some,effort but I find tutorials on the internet can be very useful. One great site is Lynda.com. You can even do them during work hours at your desk during lunch. Although, you don't get certificates, you do gain skills that you can highlight on your resume and online profile. Also, I like to network with coworkers who have different skill sets than me and try to learn on the job, not just in my department but in other ones too.
May 28, 2014
A Google search for video training or webinars is a good starting point but eventually you will probably need to focus in on specialist sources by contacting a professional association, reading relevant books or magazines, surfing subject-specific blogs and forums or visiting an educational institution that specializes in your field.
May 24, 2014
Denise, while you specified where you desire to upgrade your skills, there are two similar answers, depending on where you desire to apply your upgraded skills:
If your upgrades are work related to your current job position, then speak with your senior management (yes, enlightened leaders welcome and reward this sort of question). Focus your network/research, even on company time, on the best resources within your group, company, industry and community (including social media: LinkedIn, Ryse, here on MosaicHUB etc).
If the upgrades are for something outside your current job position, then network for the same resources, this time on your own time ;-)
You will be pleasantly surprised that for the skills you specified, when you are guided by your inner truth (ignore the negative logic anyone attempts to throw in your way!), much or all of the upgrades you desire are already within you, just need to be tapped and plugged in. In my 36+ years, I've empowered several clients to do exactly that, in some cases, with a bit of study, they ace the certification challenge exam, becoming certified in weeks/months when others trudge through years of financial and mental struggles..
How soon will you decide to let me know how I can be of further support?
Paul
May 24, 2014
for me, I have done a lot of seeking out online courses and training for my technical professional development. It is extremely convenient in that the coursework is available when you are; in addition many entities are providing low to no cost coursework for free (even universities.. Carnegie Mellon University, MIT off the top of my head)
May 23, 2014
Conferences (both online & in person), books, webinars, classes, meet up groups, Kahn Academy, newsletters, LinkedIn groups, etc are all good ways to keep your skills fresh/current. Good luck!
May 22, 2014
Ah you have obviously found that time is the biggest expense in life. Money will always come and go, but time is finite.
As a start, I would suggest you prepare your mind for new learning experiences. You need to learn how to learn effectively again. Self-help books, self-hypnosis and brain training would be an ideal start, but remember, far more than anything, a good diet, lots of water and a good night sleep should be your primary concern.
May 22, 2014
Hi Denise,
It sounds like you understand the value and importance of keeping your skill sets competitive. Every one of us has a need to be continually growing and stretching ourselves to be the best we can be at what we do. There are numerous online programs available, as well as college level courses both online and evenings. When I was going for my associates degree, I worked for a company who was flexible and worked with my schedule to take evening or early morning classes. They also offered tuition reimbursement and the school I attended had scholarship and grant opportunities. I was the first person in my family of any generation to graduate with a college degree, and I did so without having student loans (it took me six years to complete the degree). Most Colleges and Universities offer accelerated programs as well. In the new world of MOOCs there are also free or low cost alternatives to continually increasing your knowledge and skill sets. Joining local industry specific associations and volunteering your time to project teams, or community non-profit organizations - also helps build skill sets such as leadership, time management, accountability, teamwork, project management, etc. There are numerous free industry specific webinars and Youtube training video's available too.
The key to any of these learning opportunities is to make goals for yourself to immediately implement what you learned and build accountability partners / mentoring / coaching relationships to keep you on track with making sure you do what you promised yourself that you were going to do.
It is possible to work-full time and continually build skill sets. While I was going to school part-time, I also worked full-time, and managed a house-hold as a full-time single parent. At one point, I also even added a part-time job to the already full mix mentioned above for about 6 months. It's all about balance, time management and having the goal/desire to grow.
Hope my thoughts and suggestions helped! :)
Jennifer :)
May 22, 2014
please get on line courses by coursera on any skills required to upgrade your trade /profession.
Thanks
May 21, 2014
We all should thinking; changing; learning depend on situation. Firstly thinking what u want to do & how u can do. Implement as per your plan with effort. If someone want to famous in life , should equal job & hobby . It can success all of you .
May 21, 2014
It would be highly desirable for you to think very hard about what you want to do and whether you would be highly capable of achieving the necessary skills before you start any development process.
There are tools available to help with this that are sophisticated, and reasonably priced (below $200).
It is like NASA planning to go to the moon: If they aimed the rocket for the moon where it was today, they would miss. They had to allow for movement both by the earth (where you are starting from) as well as for the movement in space of the moon (where you want to end up.
Do this homework, set some goals, and then determine how to close any gaps you find.
Time is our most precious asset.