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I plan to take a course or further training.

Staying Current

By Maureen Latta
Tuesday, May 21, 2013What skills do we need to stay current in a changing world throughout the course of a long career? Those with the best-developed skills are likely to land more opportunities and achieve the most within their careers. As a student, I depended on my teachers and the school curricula to teach me what I needed to know. As a young adult, I relied heavily on my first employers to train me in the skills I needed to do the job right. As time goes on, however, I need to rely more on my own initiative to learn skills that will help me have more to offer in the workforce.

Here are 5 key areas where you might want to up your game:

Computer skills
The basic word processing and spreadsheet skills that would have served you well in the past might not be enough now that cloud-based productivity applications are on the rise. Do you know how to work on a shared document in a team
environment? Are you comfortable storing and accessing data on a cloud-based filing system? Taking some intermediate or advanced training can help you become the go-to person in your organization.

Communication skills
The way you listen, speak, and write when communicating with friends and family members often hurts you when applied in the work environment. A higher level of communicative abilities are required if you want to be a valued staff member. Whether dealing with a disgruntled customer or co-worker or composing a business email, there are skills you can learn to make all your contacts feel respected and heard - and other people's estimation of you will climb.

Leadership skills
Did you know that the best leaders usually exhibit a positive attitude and are able to inspire other people? If you've never had any leadership training, you might have some common misconceptions about the skills involved. You might think leadership is about being aggressive, punishing slackers, and imposing ideas. I know a departmental head in a large school system who says she never praises her staff or colleagues because she doesn't believe it's necessary, and yet she wonders why she is frequently passed over for the choicest positions. Great leaders aren't always born that way. Even if you don't see yourself as a leader, you can learn leadership skills and become a bright light in your organization - whatever your position.

Conflict resolution
I recently interviewed a man who was living at a homeless shelter a few years ago. He had learned some conflict resolution skills and even though he had no job, no family, and a history of drug addiction, he started applying those skills in every interaction - with kitchen staff, front desk managers, security staff and other residents. One year later, he was offered the paid position of Resident Services Manager based on the positive results of his influence with everyone at the shelter. Conflict resolution skills are valuable in any workplace and your skills in this area will really make you stand out.

Social media
Do you know what a Tweetup is? Do you know the dos and don'ts of Facebook business etiquette? There's a certain amount of anxiety caused by the need to build buzz in social media. Marketing with a Facebook business page is not like using your personal Facebook page - not exactly. There's a lot more involved, and since it's a relatively new marketing field the technology and practices are constantly changing. Your employer (or prospective employer) will appreciate it if you've received advanced training in social media marketing because chances are there will be few (or no) other employees in your workplace with these skills.