Whether you’re chasing a promotion or you want to feel more confident in your job, working on your skills and experience is important for your development.
While your workplace might have a training program to take advantage of, there are ways you can improve yourself outside of the office to help you progress in your career.
If you’ve got dreams of reaching the top, take a look at these five ways to boost your career outside of work that will help you move up the ladder.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Gustavo Frazao
1. Volunteer
Volunteering has many benefits for your career. While helping others, you’ll develop skills and experience that you might not get in your job, which will look great on your resume. Meanwhile, volunteering will help to introduce you to more people and widen your network, which could lead to some exciting career opportunities. Volunteering will also help to boost your confidence, helping you to shine at work.
2. Learn a language
Learning a new language or improving your existing language skills can make you a desirable candidate for many roles, particularly in companies which have overseas operations. If you’re not very confident with your English, for example, the Effortless English Club can provide you with a way to develop your skills outside of work and help give you the boost you need. Learning other languages can make your mind sharper and give you more opportunities to travel, helping you to enjoy different experiences that will benefit your career.
3. Freelance
Freelancing can be a great way to boost your skills in a way that’s not always possible in your job. Getting started with freelancing is easy, and through freelancing, you can use your talents to take on different projects and give yourself experience that you might not be able to get from your current job. Having additional interests outside of work can look great during an interview, while freelancing could set you off on a different career path altogether!
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4. Go back to school
Furthering your education is another great way to improve your career prospects – especially if you want to go into a more specialist area. Taking on a part-time course or even distance learning can enhance your qualifications and make you a more desirable candidate for a job or promotion. Some employers will fund your education through dedicated grants and funds, so it’s worth speaking to them about your ambitions to find out what support is available to you.
5. Network
Networking is a great way to meet new people and provide you with many opportunities if you’re serious about moving forward in your career. Meeting people from within your industry will give you contacts in case an exciting position arises, while it could also benefit your current role. Find out which events are taking place near you and start attending regularly.
Taking charge of your career will open up new opportunities as well as boost your confidence at work. Look for ways to boost your career outside of work to help you achieve your goals and work your way towards a more successful career.