One way that you can continue to improve both your job and your hire-ability (not a word but should be!) skills is to continue to learn.
Learning opportunities exist through a variety of means: online classes, workshops or seminars and in person coursework and gatherings that allow you to listen to teachers or speakers and take something away from the program that you didn’t have before you attended.
I am a self-proclaimed lifelong learner. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved attending classes and listening to speakers who are talking about subject matters that interest me. A while ago I took a darkroom photography class. Not that I take many pictures with my film camera any longer; in my business, it is much easier to work with a digital because I can stop the shoot, check the images and then go back to work again without hoping and guessing that the shots are going to come out okay. But I love the hands on process of developing pictures, and I love the darkroom aspect of photography, so I signed up at a local adult class and joined others in the darkroom for a few months.
Right now I am applying for a grant that will enable me to take more coursework in web design. I can design a site, but I want to learn more. I know that each time I take a class I get something out of it that I hadn’t learned before, which I suppose is the reason I continue to take classes.
Why might you want to continue taking classes?
1-To keep up to date, particularly if you are in a field that changes often. Technology, health care and teaching fields are just a few that keep moving on with the times. If you do not keep up with what is going on, your chances for finding a new job or even doing a great job in the one that you have now might be limited.
2-To learn easier ways to do things. In some ways we are all self taught. Though you probably took classes to learn what you are doing now, you might have missed a few things, and along the way taught yourself other ways in which to do things. If you take a class or two you might find that while you are doing things that do have a great outcome, you are not doing them as efficiently as you could be.
3-To meet new people. Honestly, taking classes is a great social event. You meet people with similar interests and you learn from them. If you are looking to change careers, you might even find new contacts.
4-To enhance your life. Learning something new always improves your life in some way or the other.
So if you’ve been considering taking a class or two, why not? Check out local community colleges, city colleges, online events and even associations such as your local chamber of commerce and NAWBO.