For any job since the origin of mankind, possessing the relevant skills has been a mandatory aspect of executing the task in a proper manner. That later transformed into having a certain set of skills to perform a specific job, where only qualified and certified professionals were supposed to do those jobs. Later, the workforce started becoming multidisciplinary and the workforce started getting equipped with multiple skills.
In the current scenario and market, skills have started to matter more than degrees or qualifications. Companies have started focusing more on the skill set of their employees more than their academic qualifications or certification. Skills have started to matter since the advent of the Internet where those with the right skill set for a specific task can do it while others will have to spend extensive resources to get a task done, in comparison to the person with the right skill set. Regardless of the industry, sector or job, the Gig economy is gaining popularity by the day.
Upskilling became the buzzword during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when the world got locked down. All of a sudden, people worldwide had more than enough time to learn and acquire more skills. Upgrading their skill sets became a priority for the majority of the workforce worldwide after Netflix and Chill became boring. Many ditched the Netflix and Chill lifestyle to an upskilling spree, watching every other tutorial available online.
Here is how you can upskill yourself and motivate your team to do the same:
Brush Up your existing skill set
Like acquiring new skills, enhancing your existing skills is also important. If you are a content creator or designer, you might already have the skills relevant to a design career. Explore the latest design trends and tools, update yourself with the latest tech. It will help you go a long way in the upskilling journey.
Have a deep understanding of your current skillset
Having a deep understanding of your current skill set is an important step in the upskilling process. Online courses, webinars, and workshops are a great way to do that.
Selecting relevant courses online
There is no dearth of courses online these days, regardless of the topics. Choosing the right course is important to the upskilling process. A good number of employees who wish to upskill themselves make the mistake of engaging in course collection and sign up for umpteen number of courses online and end up not completing any of them. Just like every person is unique, every course is unique in its own way, based on the tutor and the way of teaching a topic. Selecting the course that’s relevant to your industry and work profile is another aspect to focus on.
Many courses are available on platforms like , Udemy, Edx, , and more that have thousands of courses from independent tutors worldwide. Signing up for the relevant courses and following the courses as per the curriculum is important.
Put learnings to work
Knowledge acquired and not implemented is of no use. Create a side project based on the skill being learned so that you have a space for experimentation and implementation of the newly acquired skills. By doing so, result-oriented learning becomes easier. Joining various online communities related to the topic helps to troubleshoot easily since the issues that might crop up are likely to have been previously experienced by other members of the community. It reduces boredom with the topic.
Sharpen the soft skills
In the year 2021, soft skills are as important as possessing technical skills. Soft skills include but is not limited to communication skills, teamwork and much more. Recruiters value soft skills as much as technical skills. Do research on the skills required for the job being applied for or being considered mandatory at the companies on the watchlist. Possessing the relevant soft and technical skills make the job search process more concise and targeted. Confident applicants tend to land their dream jobs. Motivated to improve your soft skills?
Build and expand your network
Your network is your net worth. Building and leveraging personal and professional networks is an important factor in career growth in the 21st century. Online and offline networks help in growing yourself as a professional. Professional networking platforms, social media, local networking groups, and other platforms contribute to this. Linkedin being the prime source for many, there are various other platforms that help build and grow your network online and offline.
Summing it all up, are you ready to upskill your self?