Over the course of the pandemic, millions of people lost their jobs. Even though this is a global crisis, you can also use it to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, professionally.

FIRST STEP

Your first step should be to create a career roadmap, where you determine what kind of job, promotion, or career you want to pursue. Take into account short-term and long-term goals. There are no right or wrong answers, and you can always change your mind.

But clarity is power, so having a clear idea of what you want to achieve will help you move forward. Next, find out what jobs are available that match your interests on the job market. Examine the qualifications of those jobs to determine whether you have any skills or knowledge gaps.

SKILL TYPES

Hard skills, such as technical abilities, are essential for every job, as are soft skills like communication and organizational abilities. A new position, promotion, or opportunity will require both of these skills.

Hard skills can be acquired through classes or professional training. These skills are often specific to your field of employment and are defined by diplomas, certificates, and degrees and can be measured. For example, consider courses in human resources management, payroll, social media management, butler training, fine dining, caregiving, CPR and First Aid, foreign language, housekeeping, waiter training and excel training courses.

A soft skill, on the other hand, is a characteristic or quality that you display through your reactions, work habits, and relationships. Develop them by taking courses in problem solving, caring for others, creative thinking, decision making, public speaking, effective communication, conflict resolution, critical thinking, stress management, persuasion, leadership skills, emotional intelligence, teamwork, negotiation, and professional networking.

It isn’t easy to measure these skills, but they can be taught and learned. The best part is that so many of them are available to learn for free, from experts willing to share their knowledge.

HOW TO SEARCH

• Explore a wide range of platforms to find classes related to your goals.
• To keep everything organized, create a spreadsheet with your findings.
• Take the time to read reviews. Students’ reviews can help you determine whether you will learn what you need or if some elements of the course are lacking.
• Be sure to ask faculty and staff any questions you may have before enrolling. The class will usually make a syllabus available to read before you sign up, but if you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
• Consider taking free courses first to see if you like the content and the platform. If you do, then upgrade to get a certificate, specialization, or a degree as it becomes available.
• Take notes! As a result, you will absorb the material better, and don’t discount studying or paying attention because the class is online.
• Network with your classmates. Take part in the discussion and remember that one of the benefits of online learning is meeting a wide range of people with different backgrounds and experiences.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU ENROLL IN A COURSE

When you’ve chosen a course or a service you’d like to use, consider these tips to get the most out of the platform you choose, especially before you give your credit card information for a certificate or certification.

1. The cost of the course: If you are paying out of pocket then you need to consider if it is affordable.
2. Benefits of taking the course: Analyze the advantage of taking the course. Are you able to justify the cost of the course when you compare it to the benefits?
3. Reputation of the institute: It’s preferable to choose a reputed institute for quality education.
4. Course duration: If you are doing a full-time course and losing out on your salary, the time it will take you to complete the course is crucial.

AFTER YOU’VE ACQUIRED THE SKILL

After you have acquired the skills needed to take your career to the next level, you should build or upgrade your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect those skills. After that, all that’s left is to prepare for upcoming interviews or to negotiate for that promotion you’ve always wanted.

Access to free online education is empowering. You have complete control over when and how you build your skill set, as well as what your desired outcome is. Candidates often inquire about gaining further knowledge or skills in their craft. We encourage our candidates to work on themselves in their down time. We found these resources that could be helpful-