Transform Or Transition: Gaining Career Skills Online

Are you feeling stuck in your career or are you looking for ways to rise up through the ranks?

14:25 31 May 2021

If so, you’re not alone – but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy to do. That’s because not all businesses provide equal opportunities for growth to all employees and, if you’re not happy in your current industry, moving into a new role may not be the right choice. 

 

Regardless of your situation, though, there’s plenty of good news to be found, particularly in the form of online courses. By independently identifying skillbuilding and certification programs, you can set your own course forward in your career.

 

Look To The Pros

 

If you’re looking to build relevant professional skills to boost your resume but you’re not sure where to start, one of the best places to check out is LinkedIn Learning. One of the older online learning platforms, LinkedIn Learning can help you master topics as varied as how to use Excel’s visualization tools to basic coding and electronics, and because it offers platform-wide subscriptions, the site is designed to be explored. Look around, see what catches your eye, and try out some lessons. The platform is also ideal for professionals who are happy in their field, but who need to upskill in order to stay competitive.

 

Seek Out Certification

 

On the other end of the spectrum from those professionals who are just exploring the options available to them are those who are looking to pave a whole new career path or make a big jump. These are people who know they need a particular set of skills or qualifications, but might feel like they missed out – and it could mean everything from getting a nursing degree to pursing a degree in finance. Well, it’s important ot know that it’s never too late. You just need to chart a path forward.

 

First, you should determine whether pursuing a new career requires going back to school. This varies widely between fields, but the more high-stakes the role, the more likely you’ll need at least some college credits, if not an upper-level degree. To sit for the CPA exam, for example, you need to have completed 150 hours of coursework to earn your license. While there aren’t college requirements to take the different brokerage exams, you’re likely to have a hard time getting hired without a degree.

 

Whether or not you need to go to college or take particular courses to take a professional exam for certification, you’ll likely want to invest in a test prep course – but be sure to do your homework first, so that you choose a well-regarded program. Wiley’s CPA test prep program is one of the best in that industry, while UWorld is considered the best test prep program for future nurses taking the NCLEX.

 

Identify The Gaps

 

Sometimes the best way to move up in an industry is to recognize areas in which the field needs more professionals. This is very much the case in many tech-focused industries, as well as more generally, due to a lack of cybersecurity professionals. Pursuing independent courses in these areas, even if they’re just introductory programs or standalone classes, could give you an edge in hiring and promotion and even encourage your employer to pay for future career development.

 

There are a lot of ways to take your career to the next level, and it’s never too late to try something new, so embrace being a beginner. The most innovative and intelligent people know that sometimes you have to try something new to discover your calling, and this is your chance.