How to improve your skillset during lockdown
Whether you’re a freelancer, contractor or independent consultant, expanding your range of skills a surefire way to help give you a competitive edge when looking for new contracts. But needless to say, due to the COVID-19 lockdown, right now, it’s not quite as easy to attend events and training courses to upskill as it once was.
That’s not to say upskilling is off the cards for the time being, though. Far from it, in fact. So if you’re looking for some simple and affordable ways to improve your skillset from the comfort of your own home, here are some ideas…
Online training courses
Whatever your industry or expertise, there are plenty of online courses to help you upskill remotely. Online training courses are a popular option as it’s more than likely that they’ll allow you to learn at your own pace and access materials as and when you need.
You don’t have to shell out for courses either, and there are a number of free and inexpensive options out there, such as Edx.org, a library of free courses provided by some of the world’s most prestigious universities, Udemy, which is designed to help you learn new industry skills, and FutureLearn, that offers free online learning from universities.
Many providers are also offering discounts in light of the lockdown, so it’s worth shopping around for a deal.
Business podcasts
Podcasts are a brilliant way to learn something new if you don’t have a lot of time to devote to your endeavour – making great background listening. If you’re searching for some new listening material, a couple of good starting points include Harvard Business Review Originals, Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders from Stanford University and TED Podcasts.
To upskill and stay up to date with all things contracting, tune into Parasol’s Under the Umbrella podcast.
In addition to being a useful tool for networking and sourcing new opportunities, LinkedIn also offers users an array of online learning. If you’re a LinkedIn Premium member, you can enjoy access to the entire LinkedIn Learning catalogue as part of your membership. Courses are built around your career and are taught by industry experts.
If you’re after more tips on how to utilise your free time and adjust to working from home, Parasol’s publication, WorkStyle, is here to help. It’s packed with advice from freelancers, who share information on how to stay productive when working from home. Head to the Parasol website to download your copy.
Leave a Reply