The world has changed a lot over the past few months. Personally, I’ve gone a bit stir crazy at home since you can only watch so many shows in a row before they all fade together. It might seem like everything has come to a standstill but it hasn’t. Companies are going to keep needing workers and hiring new employees, they just don’t have the bandwidth to train them.
So how do you make yourself one of these hires? If you can show how you’ll add value when you walk in the door, then you’re going to be much better off in the hiring process. Take some of the time you have at home and reinvest in yourself. Tons of online resources exist, both free and paid, to help you flesh out every part of your resume. From picking up a new language (coding or world) to rethinking your communication style, you have plenty of opportunities to learn some great job skills.
Learn Some In-Demand Tech Skills
It seems that every job could be made easier with a little bit of programming knowledge these days and this is only going to become more true in the years to come. Not everyone is a hardcore programmer, trust me my grade in Business Programming shows that, but everyone should at least go through a programming course to learn how a computer thinks.
University of Michigan’s Programming for Everybody (Python) on Coursera
This course is a great place for any beginner who wants to learn more about programming. First, Python is a great starter language thanks to its simplicity and how it can be applied in so many different ways (data analysis, game design, web development). Additionally, this course doesn’t dive too deep into the math that scares off most people so if you’ve ever used a computer, give it a try.
Basics of Web Development on Coursera
Every business needs a website to survive these days. Even if you’re not going to be a web developer, you should still learn the framework and design elements that make up a webpage. This course is a great introduction to how a website “Front-End” (the part of the site you see) works and some of the basics around formatting with CSS.
Free Code Camp
If you enjoy either of the previous courses, then I highly recommend diving into Free Code Camp. This is an entirely free site designed to teach you every part of the web development process, from the basics of HTML/CSS to the intricacies of the MEAN development stack. Since being founded they’ve helped nearly 40,000 people get tech jobs, so if you want to dive deeper into coding then look no further.
Get Creative
People would rather be shown than told ten times out of ten. There is no better way to up your presentation and communication skills than by learning how to create an eye-catching design. You don’t have to be a fine art major to use the Adobe Suite, you just need a computer and some determination to practice a little every day.
Adobe Photoshop CC: Your Complete Beginner to Advanced Class on Udemy
In any marketing role, you will have the advantage if you are comfortable with Photoshop and it makes sense why. You can edit photos, create business cards, posters, and basically anything visual. This course helps you understand the basics behind the app so you can start thinking visually for more of your projects.
InDesign Quick Start on Linkedin
The next step towards thinking visually is to learn the in’s and out’s of Adobe InDesign. This app allows you to make much more precise edits to any document such as adjusting the leading, kerning, and many other formatting options to make your project look even better. You can even import data into your designs using industry-standard formats like excel sheets or .csv files. This course is a great starting off point for anyone who wants to create high-end presentations or documents.
Introduction to Graphic Design on Udemy
This will bring together the skills you’ve gained in the first two courses to their full potential. This course will build up your skill as an overall designer and teach you the importance of managing and building out your portfolio. If you want to pursue a career that involves graphics then you need to take this course.
Broaden your Communication
Writing for the Web on Udemy
No matter how great a writer you are, this course will help you so much. Writing for the web is an entirely different animal than what you’ve written in school with entirely different best practices and technological aspects (e.g. SEO) that you’d never think about. This course will expose you to all these things and more that will take your content to the next level.
Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking on edX
Almost everyone is afraid of getting in front of a crowd and speaking, but this course helps you understand the art beyond public speaking of all kinds. Whether you are interested in politics or just want to be more confident at a meeting, I highly recommend going through this course to become a more engaging communicator.
The University of Texas at Austin Spanish Proficiency Exercises
We live in an incredibly diverse world so the ability to communicate should never be stopped by a cultural divide. One of the most powerful ways to broaden your opportunities is by exposing yourself to another language. While you might not be a master after this course, I highly recommend going through it as a start.
You have the skills, what’s next?
It’s time to start building your resume, applying, and interviewing the correct way. Applying to jobs nowadays comes with a lot of questions and your resume shouldn’t be the thing keeping you back from the career you want. Our flexible plans offer varying degrees of support to help you every step of the way, from career discovery and matching to resume optimization and interview prep. PathMatch programs are designed by a former recruiter to give students like you an insider's look at what top companies are looking for these days. Never get ghosted by a job application ever again!
Want resume building tips to fit in your pocket for on-the-go resources? Download our PathMatch app today!
