Self Improvement: Keeping your skills updated

Employees who find themselves working in the same field for an extended period of time may find that their skills may need updating. Their skills will not be as fresh as someone who just finished college or technical school. Sometimes employees feel as though they are stuck in a rut in their job or may want to seek a promotion, but do not have as much experience or knowledge as their competitors. This is where updating your skills comes in handy. There are many ways a worker can update their craft. Here are a few ways in which individuals can make their experience and knowledge fresh again either in a new career or in their current job.

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1. Take a course offered through your employer. Many big companies offer courses so workers can update their skills to improve them. The course offerings can often be taken online in the employee’s spare time or after work. Ask your HR director or manager about course options.

2. Look into enrolling in a class at a local college or university. Many times companies will pay for workers to go back to school or take classes related to their field. If the company does not pay for the course there is also employee reimbursement at some companies of which employees may want to ask about if they have the funds to pay for the courses first and then get tuition reimbursement. Colleges also offer night classes, online, and telecourses which can be worked around your schedule.




3. If you are a teacher or professor, take a sabbatical or brief time off to research or study something new. Check with the school, college, or university you are teaching at to see if they offer paid or unpaid sabbaticals. Teachers can learn abroad as well as attend local seminars in their area. The choices are endless.

4. Try learning a new aspect of your career on your own. I was self-taught Adobe Photoshop and QuarkXPress when I first started out as an editor and it was a very rewarding experience. Find the right self learning technique for you and get ready to learn a new skill or computer program to enhance what you already know. There are trial versions on the web of various programs you can use to hone your skills if you cannot afford the full version of the program. If you are a teacher companies sometimes offer educational discounts to those who work in the world of education.

5. Get certified. Many employers like to see their employees certified in different computer programs like Microsoft Office, Excel, or PowerPoint. Employees may learn programs on the job or they can take a course through a university or college as mentioned earlier in this article.

There are many ways in which you can enrich and enlighten you life on the job. Taking courses can improve job performance, increases your chances of getting a promotion, and also a raise so enrolling in some form of continuing education is one of the best things an employee can do to improve their skills and career performance. To learn more about updating your skills and finding the job that is right for you go to www.hound.com.



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