Why upskilling is the secret to career success
What does career success mean to you? Does a successful career also mean that you’re going to excel in life? Or are job success and life success completely separate entities?
How you define success will depend on your life view and your career experiences so far. For most people, success in work is a really important element of a happy and fulfilled life. In this article we take a look at how we measure success, the importance of upskilling to success at work and how to be successful when your life is already super-busy.
How is career success measured?
Our definitions of success aren’t set in stone. They change throughout our lives and are profoundly affected by our values, our achievements, the people around us and the general climate in which we live and work. Today’s career paths are flexible and unpredictable, which means that we need to keep an open mind when it comes to career success, especially digital career success in Australia.
If you've ever been asked the question, ‘What is career success to you?’ and struggled to answer, we have some more defined questions below that might help.
- How important is a job title to your self-esteem?
- Do you have big spending ambitions that require a good salary?
- Do you need a role where your opinion is heard and responded to?
- How important is learning new skills to your self-satisfaction?
- Do you need a job role that allows you to be creative?
- Are relationships with other people one of your key motivating factors?
Once you’ve answered these questions honestly, you’ll have a better idea of your career ambitions. The next step will be to assess your current position and decide how you’re going to start moving towards your career for success. It's time to start upskilling.
What are some essential steps towards upskilling?
When you first look at education for successful jobs, you might be surprised and a bit confused by the number of options available. When it comes to training for career goals, one of our top tips for success would be to take a logical approach. By following the five steps below, you’ll make sure your choice of training program will support your career development.
1. Understand where you’re going If you have a specific job role in mind, finding the right training can be relatively easy. But if you have a more general idea of your next step, things can seem a bit trickier. Take some time to research different career paths and talk to other people about their experiences.
2. Identify the gaps in your knowledge or skills One of the easiest ways to do this is to browse job listings in your chosen job or career field. Once you’ve read a few job descriptions and person specifications, you’ll be able to compare these to your own current skillset.
3. Choose a course that suits both your education goals and your lifestyle. Don’t be daunted by the prospect of continuing your education; upskilling really can help you make a career change. One career tip would be to see this first course as a beginning; one that you can build on as your working life continues.
4. Enjoy your learning experience This learning time is for you so it makes sense to make the most of it. Get involved with your learning and see it as an opportunity rather than a chore. You’ll get plenty of support from your online tutor so don’t be afraid to ask if you need help.
5. Make sure you use any new skills you learn
Doing and learning go hand in hand so seek out opportunities to put your new skills into practice. Talk to your boss, start a hobby, join a club. Do anything that will build on your learning experience and boost your resume.
How can I upskill even while working full time?
Being used to being busy can actually be an advantage when it comes to upskilling for your career. You’re probably already skilled at doing lots of jobs at once, and setting aside some time for yourself. Which means that fitting in something as flexible and manageable as an online course will come very naturally to you.
Online study encourages you to be an independent learner by allowing you to choose where, when and how you want to study. Before you start you might want to think about setting up a study location, agreeing some study time with your family and making sure you have a computer and internet access available. One of the very best things about online study is you don’t have to worry if your study plans don’t work out every time; family and work emergencies happen but you’ll have plenty of time to catch up when you’re ready.
If it’s been a while since you’ve studied or you’re unsure about fitting in time for your course, why not consider an online short course or bootcamp program to get you back into the learning groove.
Embark on your career success program today
In a constantly changing work landscape, career success and upskilling go hand in hand. At Upskilled we are the experts in providing future-proofed, nationally recognised online courses in a wide range of subjects and qualification levels. Get in touch with our team of experts today to find yourself climbing the career ladder of your choice.
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