Now that working remotely is becoming a growing trend for many professionals – this makes it the perfect time to invest in your work, so why not use those extra hours to advance your professional career?
Here are five ways to upskill while working from home:
Online Courses
There are plenty of online courses out there that focus on almost any topic.
Here are a few platforms that you can use:
These online courses have over 100,000 topics focused on different industries and present a flexible schedule to do it at your own pace. It allows you to keep up with changing trends and improve or gain valuable skills.
Podcasts
Podcasts are one of the most convenient ways to learn something new because it is like listening to music -you can tune in at almost any time!
The benefit of podcasts is that they are not limited to a single "type" of person or age group. You can listen to industry leaders or experts in the field and gain valuable insight on a specific topic or industry.
Here are some podcasts platforms that you can use:
Webinars
Webinars are short however very informative and highly targeted. Participating in webinars allow you to gain new sources of information from professional influencers such as industry leaders or peers. It is an excellent way to expand your network by actively participating in group discussion, voicing opinions, and asking questions during the webinar, where you can receive a response or feedback straight away. In contrast, to live events, webinars are typically recorded and can be accessed as many times as you like.
Read A Book
Read business books or one that is related to your industry. You can purchase a book from your local bookstore, read a book online or even listen to one, making it possible to upskill at any location. If you admire a particular industry leader, see what online resources they have available that you can read and learn from or even purchase an autobiography to learn about how they became successful and an expert in their field. Reading books is a great way to expand your awareness and improve your skills.
Mentor
Communicate with your mentor regularly and ask for advice on areas or skills you wish to improve. If you don’t have a mentor, you can reach out to a colleague or friend who is more experienced in the same industry or a field that you are interested in. Try to organize one on one monthly catch-ups and ask them questions, clarify which skills you wish to develop or ask for advice and see how they can assist you. For example, you can ask them how they got to where they are, what they learnt along the way and what advice they could give to you to achieve your professional goals. You can gain a lot of insight by talking to someone with more experience.
Summary
Don’t let the pandemic stop you from your professional career growth & development! There are plenty of free tools available to help you upskill.
Upskilling provides many benefits and is vital for your long-term employability and career progression. It enables you to discover new passions, skills or talents and gives you that extra boost in confidence to step up to the next level and succeed.
While working from home, it is crucial to establish a routine, so try and incorporate these tools to improve your learning and development, even if it’s 30 minutes. Block out this time daily or monthly to focus on your career progression to enhance your standard of work and advance your career.
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