Career and education skills are grouped together here because your education typically provides the foundation for your career, and throughout your career you will likely need to learn new things. However, this section isn’t limited just to people in school or upgrading their career skills. The learning and education skills, techniques, and strategies presented here will help anyone effectively increase their knowledge.
Being a student or working full time represents a significant portion of your time. Because of this, it is important that you like what you do — this helps contribute to your greater satisfaction and keeps you motivated. Choosing an area of study or a career path is not always easy because it isn’t always obvious how to decide what we like to do.
Education skills
There are many skills that can help you acquire knowledge more efficiently, improve your marks, or help you study effectively. Here are a few skills that can help you with whatever kind of education you are pursuing:
- Study skills
- Effective Learning Strategies
- Time management
- Goal Setting, planning and scheduling
- Timing and pacing — don’t leave things to the last minute
- Memory techniques
- Note taking techniques
- Communication skills — both written and oral
It is important to develop good skills when you are in school as they set the foundation of your work habits for your professional life.
Career Skills
Regardless of what job you have or career you are pursuing there are skills that can help you perform better at work and help you move forward in your career.
Here are some skills that you can learn that will help you move forward:
- Learn tools that help you perform your job better — e.g. software, presentation, etc.
- Read articles that keep you up to date with your industry. Read journals specific to your industry
- Read books that can improve your effectiveness. Take relevant courses.
- Become familiar with what your clients need or what your competitors do
- Make your company goals your goals. It can be especially effective if you align yourself with your boss’ goals
- Read your company reports to get an idea of what the company is trying to do
- You can often pick up useful information studying unrelated fields
- Social and communication skills are always good skills to learn and can help in many ways: finding new opportunities, finding a mentor, generating new ideas — almost anything. Learning peoples names helps in this area also.
It can be helpful to talk to your supervisor and set appropriate goals. You supervisor can help ensure that your goals benefit both you and the company, and can also help you determine ways to increase your pay or move up the corporate ladder.
Many companies allow their employees to devote a certain amount of company time towards professional development and may even pay for relevant courses that you want to take. Ask at your company if these opportunities are available for you.