Upskilling is the process of learning new skills to advance your work. Many companies will host workshops to upskill their employees because it’s more cost-effective than hiring new workers. Moreover, upskilling can result in a higher pay raise or promotion in your workplace.
You might be wondering how to upskill if you don’t have a job right now. Thankfully, there are many ways to improve your prospects from home in these strange times.
Some venues for learning new skills can be through online conferences, workshops, books, or courses. Since COVID-19, many Master’s Programs are available for you to take online, too.
But what else can you do to upskill your resume? Below, we’ll give you extra details and tools to help you grow your career path.
Keep Up with Current Trends
Staying up to date is important because it can give you case studies for success in your field.
For example, imagine that you work in freight movement management. By keeping up with the news, you discover that hiring new truck drivers is getting more difficult. But by researching case studies, you also begin to tap into trending tips and programs to improve your hiring process.
Tools like Google Alerts make it easy to stay up to date. You can enter a keyword like ‘medicine’ or ‘Javascript’ on this app and see all recent publications with that keyword.
It’s a great idea to follow industry insiders on LinkedIn or their blogs, too. You can use Google Bookmarks, Pinboard, or Evernote to save helpful skill articles for you. And nothing is more valuable than the experience your professional peers have to share.
Speaking of people, networking in your current job and environment can be fantastic for upskilling, too. If you’re employed, ask your company if they have someone available to mentor you. If not, look to LinkedIn, Meetup, or even Twitter to find peers interested in sharing their knowledge.
By working with other people, you not only get feedback to develop new skills. You also foster a sense of community and find stepping stones for promotions.
Continue Your Education
Online venues like Coursera, Lynda, and Udemy offer certificate-based courses on niche topics. You can take introductory courses on issues like health, coding, design, and much more.
Although these venues don’t reward you with an academic degree, they give you assignments to put your new skills to the test. Plus, you meet new communities of people willing to exchange peer feedback with you.
However, some careers require you to have a Master’s Degree for higher pay. For example, healthcare workers like nurse practitioners or physician assistants need certain Master’s to become certified. Librarians also require a Master’s Degree in Library Science to work in the field.
Other fields don’t need a Master’s but have significant pay benefits if you pursue one. Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that teachers and STEM workers can make much more with a Master’s.
If you work in business, a Master’s can help you specialize in subfields. Plenty of commerce happens online now, so courses adjust to how companies can adapt to new technology.
One such course is UNSW Sydney’s Master of Management. It’s completely online and teaches topics like Strategies for Disruption to become a better manager when unexpected events strike.
So, if you like your industry but want a higher-level job in it, research what Master’s can upskill your role.
Specific Ways You Can Upskill
We looked at the benefits of upskilling. But it can be tricky to know what upskilling looks like depending on your field.
Below, we’ll look at some of the most popular skills you could learn for higher pay.
Programming Languages
Learning to code has a lot of benefits for digital fields. If you work in technical writing, content marketing, analytics, or even customer support, coding can be useful.
You can learn tools like HTML to improve your company’s website designs and brands. Otherwise, more background languages like Python make it easier for you to troubleshoot and understand tech issues.
Design Software
Social media, public relations, and communications all need you to make a brand identity. But making an identity is hard if you don’t have programs for designing ads.
Many places offer certification programs for you to learn Photoshop and other Adobe-based design programs. Even if you’re not the main designer, understanding these tools can help you implement feedback and make better software investment decisions.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SE is the process of identifying ways to make your content rank higher on search engines. Doing so involves detecting keywords, creating valuable content, and producing accessible designs for people.
By reaching that combination of features, you can put a company’s services in the spotlight. If you already work in an in-person business, learning SEO skills can help you step up the digital work ladder.
Learn Another Language
The demand for bilingual speakers depends a lot on your field. A New American Economy report from 2017 showed that Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish were the most sought-after languages.
Furthermore, the primary industries that needed bilingual people were finance, legal services, customer service, and healthcare. Health services are especially important because language barriers contribute to lower patient care.
Upskilling in the Big Picture
As of January 2021, about 6.3% of the population was unemployed. As a result, many of us are looking for jobs at home. Whether you want to continue in your career or change your path, now is a great time to upskill with these online tools.
Of course, it’s not only the hard skills you could learn for upskilling. It’s also a good time to focus on your personal growth. Tools like meditation, time management, and self-discipline all help you develop as a person. Plus, they make you feel more confident as you learn new and challenging things.
Most people don’t want to stay in the same role their entire lives. Even if you’re not changing careers, upskilling gives you a way to find new, exciting opportunities. It can help you make more money, and importantly, also give you a newfound sense of confidence for your career.
