If you’re like one of the 72% of people who are working in a job unrelated to their college degree, then you understand the importance of experiential learning. However, acquiring new skills doesn’t have to be limited to what you learn on the job. Even though your school may not offer a degree or course on how to get a specific job, you can seek out online learning resources to help you achieve your goal of entering or pivoting into a new career path, and ultimately achieve your career goals.
There are countless resources available online. In order to choose the best option for you, think about what job you are seeking and define your skills or knowledge gap. If you know you need to learn a specific skill, search online for the best resources available to learn that skill. If you would like to earn a certification, search online for your options or ask someone you know who has that certification. You may even be able to find a free resource that meets your requirements.
Here are a few of the online resources we recommend, however by no means is this a comprehensive list of all that's available:
Lynda.com - Lynda is an online learning platform that is aimed to help people achieve personal or professional goals by learning new business, software, creative, and technology skills. A basic subscription starts at $19.99/month.
Life hack: Check your local library to see if they provide free access to Lynda!
Coursera - Coursera’s goal is to create a world where anyone, anywhere can transform their life by accessing the world’s best learning experience. They offer courses, specializations to master a certain skill set, and online degrees. Prices vary.
edX - edX is a nonprofit, open-source education platform that provides access to high quality education for users around the globe. Courses vary in price.Codecademy - With a more technical focus, Codecademy is a free platform where users can learn technical skills such as coding languages, data analytics, web development, and more.
Duolingo - Duolingo is a fun and free platform to learn new language skills. Users can choose from 24 different languages and begin their unique learning experience.
You have completed your online certification, now what?
In order to increase the likelihood of reaching your goal of entering into a position that is different from your degree or previous work experience, you should apply what you learned to your own experience and discover the overlap.
Let’s say you completed a Lynda course on project management, and you have set a goal of becoming a Project Manager. This isn’t something you studied in school and you certainly have never been in a project management position. This does not mean that you have never used principles of project management during your internship, prior work experience, or even during a group project at your college.
Think of a time when you have used any of the new skills you just learned in your past experience, and be sure to highlight that experience on your resume or during an interview. If you cannot think of any examples from any of your past experiences, then take on a personal project at home and apply what you learned as you complete your project.
You will be able to apply the fundamentals of your training and get hands on experience while completing your project at home. You will have many learnings along the way, big or small, and these will help you land your next job as a Project Manager, and give you the skills to be successful in the role.
Whether you are looking to make a career change or simply learn a new skill, online learning may be the best option for you.
Be sure to do your research and discover what resources will be the best fit for your needs and learning style. Take your new skills, combine them with your work experience, and go after that job you have dreamed of having!