Learning has always been one of the greatest qualities we have had as human beings. It has transformed our existence from non-intellectual to professionals and educators. The ability to create new things and processes to change what we have known as the norm. Learning should be a continuous activity that can become an advantageous skill in this journey called Life.
In the business world, we should not get so comfortable as to think that there is nothing else for us to learn to keep our jobs. There are tons of courses we can take from; Project Management, Presentation Best Practices, Conflict Resolution, Communication Strategies, Public Speaking, Cybersecurity Awareness, to how to become an Effective Manager. Competition increases exponentially. Every day, college graduates become new candidates to the market place. Businesses are evolving and sometimes requiring a fresh look to implement new processes or technology. While on-the-job experience is critical for business success, so is professional continuing education.
If you are unemployed, think about the positive side of your current and temporary situation; you have more availability than you had when you were completing your 9-to-5 responsibilities. Define, pursue, and achieve goals that will help you get back to the market place. Learn a new set of skills, taken an online course, attend classes led by subject matter experts. Learn from others that can share best practices and experiences you can incorporate to update your professional profile. Do not be defined by your current employment status. Instead, use your time wisely and focus it on productive activities. Increasing your inventory of qualifications can put you “in front of the line” when competing for the next job opening.
Complete the following 5 question self-assessment; (1) How long has it been since I graduated from college? (2) When was the last time I attended (any) training? (3) What certifications do I hold? (4) What was the name of the most recent webinar I attended, and how relevant is it to my career? (5) Did I get any training since my last job change? If it has been longer than six months to a year since your last professional development activity, it is time to allow your brain to grow your frontal lobe and sharpen your decision’s skills.
Another opportunity to continuously learn is to become a knowledge seeker. Read a book, a newspaper, a magazine, or a blog that is aligned with your objectives, professionally or personally. Just remember, the quality of your reading correlates to the quality of your decision-making ability. Subscribe to a professional mailing list (email) where you can receive curated business articles into your inbox for your reading convenience.
Take advantage of technology and download a mobile app that can allow you to listen to or watch concise presentations about innovation, professional/personal development, creative ideas, or any other topics of interest to you. Also, consider listening to Podcast shows that can stimulate your thinking. Your brain will thank you for it.
Regardless of which method you use to increase your knowledge, never stop learning. Remember this quote from Vanessa King (Psychology Expert – Action for Happiness); “Learning also fuels our creativity. Ideas can come from making connections between seemingly unrelated things”.
If you are still unsure about taking the journey of learning, know that you can walk away with these three benefits;
A return on your investment
A sense of completion
Additional knowledge
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