We all want to find ways to grow our careers (not to mention our bank accounts) and maximize our opportunities. After all, those new Tory Burch shoes aren’t going to buy themselves! One of the best ways to broaden your horizons is through professional development. Fine-tuning your skills, staying on the cutting-edge of your industry, and hobnobbing with the big-wigs are all great strategies to help you bump on up the career ladder. But with limited resources and a tight schedule (you can’t skip Pilates again!), adding professional development to your to-do list can seem impossible.
If only there were a way to reap the benefits of professional development without taking out a loan or giving up your weekly girls’ night out. Surprise – there is! You no longer have to languish in the entry-level muck you thought your degree would help you bypass. Thanks to a veritable smorgasbord of free and online options, you can finally take ahold of your career and ratchet it up to the next level. Here are four fool-proof ways to broaden your skills, sharpen your resume, and move on up.
1. Virtual Webinars and Summits
Many industries have groups that offer online webinars and summits completely free of charge. The group or person presenting the information benefits from gaining exposure to hot, young professionals like you, and you benefit from adding a new skill to your toolbox or learning a how to keep the floor at your next brainstorming session.
Resources like Free Webinar Wednesdays can help you get a leg up in your current career or even find a new direction that makes you feel more inspired by your work. LinkedIn also offers a boatload of information about free webinars, seminars, and summits.
2. MOOCs
Don’t let the slightly bovine acronym scare you off. MOOCs (massive open online courses) are legitimate, totally free online classes offered by schools across the country – including some of the most prestigious. If you’ve always wanted to see Harvard on your resume, this could be your chance. Search for MOOCs in your industry, sign up, and start broadening your mind.
Most MOOCs offer a certificate of completion and you’ll be able to add that baby to your professional portfolio and your resume. New MOOCs are starting all the time, so even if you missed the start date for that Stanford course you had your heart set on, chances are you can catch it when it starts again in the next month or so.
3. Let Your Boss Foot the Bill
Whether you know it or not, most companies have money in their budget that is earmarked for professional development. If you’ve found a conference or training you’re convinced will benefit you and the company, go ahead and ask if you can go.
Increase the chances of your proposal’s success by carefully researching the promised outcomes of the conference and then outlining how those outcomes will directly benefit the company. You can even offer to share the information with the whole team when you return. Focus on knowledge gained at the event that will solve a current problem, reduce costs, or increase profits. Nothing’s more likely to get your boss ready to pull out his checkbook than the promise of a healthier bottom line.
4. Find a Mentor
If you have a clear idea of where you’d like to take your career, there’s no better way to learn how to get there than looking at someone who’s already made it. After all, it’s harder to succeed without strong relationships. Find a professional you admire and approach them with your career plan. Ask them if they’d be willing to let you job-shadow for a day, review your resume, or otherwise provide guidance as you embark on the path they’ve already blazed.
You can look to senior-level employees at your current company, or approach others who are working in an environment you aspire to join. Even though it can seem intimidating to approach someone you view as strong, powerful, and successful, you have nothing to lose. Most people are flattered to have someone admire them.
Now that money is no longer an issue, there’s nothing holding you back from taking the next step toward career domination. If you need extra incentive, post a strategically-placed picture of those gorgeous shoes or that bag that announces, “I’ve finally made it.” Remember, you’re engaging in professional development for you – don’t forget to reward yourself for the effort.
Image via Levo League
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