5 Ways To Boost Your Skills And Increase Your Career Opportunities
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Professionals who want to reach the top of the career ladder face a challenging climb. The combination of a competitive labor market and the ever-increasing automation of workplace activities mean it’s going to be tough to stand out from the crowd.
Also: 6 ways to ace a job interview, according to these business leaders
One great way to give yourself an edge is to develop your experiences and capabilities. So, what’s the best way to hone your skills? Five business leaders give us their top tips.
1. Take a risk on something new
Lalo Luna, global head of strategy and insights at Heineken, says experimentation is the best way to hone your skills. “We always say that taking on new things and new roles will give you more capabilities and professional experiences than just taking a training course,” he says.
As a large global business, Heineken also has a range of formal mechanisms to help workers develop their capabilities.
“Of course, we provide training in many ways, where you can get access to different kinds of sources to continue your learning,” he says. “We have coaching programs that are very helpful for different personas at different stages of their careers,” he says.
Also: 5 ways to step outside your comfort zone at work, according to business leaders
Yet even with all these opportunities in place, Luna suggests there’s nothing quite like getting outside your comfort zone and trying something new.
“I truly think that the most important part of development is to take a risk,” Luna says. “Really jump and learn from your experience.”
2. Take time to learn for yourself
While internal courses play a key role in training and development, Mayank Goswami, assistant vice president at Travelex, says the onus for personal improvement often rests with the individual.
“I think it’s about self-learning,” he says. “Nobody will come and teach you. Nobody will do the work for you. You must learn for yourself and know how to do things on your own.”
Goswami says the requirement to take charge of your own professional development is particularly acute in IT.
“Technology is changing so fast that you can train people and two years afterwards, things change, and new technology comes, and people start adopting it,” Goswami says.
Also: Generative AI Is changing your technology career path. What to know
He says continual advances in IT — such as the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation — mean professionals must stay ahead of the curve.
“During my career, I’ve seen some major changes. Now, with the introduction of AI, a lot of vendors are adding tools to automate tasks that used to be completed manually. The key message is that things are changing — and everything’s changing fast. You will have to adopt; you must learn and then you will be successful,” Goswami says.
3. Spend time with external experts
Alex Hibbitt, engineering director at albelli-Photobox Group, says professionals should look beyond the enterprise firewall for training and development opportunities.
“I think there are lots of organizations out there that can help,” he says. “I personally believe talking to those who have a wide range of experiences is one of the best ways you can do it, and you should look for organizations who provide networking opportunities.”
He says professionals at his company are lucky to work in labor markets — the company has offices in London and Amsterdam — that have strong, supportive ecosystems.
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“Both locations boast huge meetup communities, with people willing to share information about what they’ve done across all sorts of areas, but also across leadership lessons in terms of the challenges they’ve overcome.”
Hibbitt says one-to-one guidance from business experts can also boost your skills base.
“I’ve been lucky in the past to have mentors, externally as well, and they’ve been instrumental in helping me understand how I can grow and where I should be focusing my learning,” he says. “I think there’s a certain element of education on the job as well. If you can get into an organization that’s going through change, there are always opportunities to learn.”
4. Stay open to new opportunities
Adam Warne, CIO at retailer River Island, says every professional — no matter how far up the career ladder they climb — should always feel like a work in progress.
“I’d like to think that I’m still up-and-coming and learning,” he says.
For people who are looking to hone their skills, Warne says the sources of inspiration — such as online-training courses — are now much wider and deeper than in the past.
“I think the market for free material is better than it’s ever been. If you want to learn a new skill, there’s lots of stuff out there to help you go and develop,” he says. “There are lots of different methods now, which are probably non-traditional if you looked at where we were 20 years ago.”
Also: How to flawlessly answer the ‘Tell me about yourself’ interview question
What’s more, not all those methods are online. Warne advises professionals to look for innovative ways to train and develop, especially if they’re looking to boost their digital smarts.
“I could decide, as a non-technical professional, to go to several organizations and say, ‘I want to get into tech’. And the opportunities that exist can range from a 12 to 18-week boot camp through to a two-year apprenticeship. So, I think there are lots of positive ways now for people to develop their skills.”
5. Work for someone who develops talent
Bev White, CEO at recruiter Nash Squared, says the onus for training and development rests squarely with senior executives. “You can only keep people in your business if you’ve got a good culture, where people feel listened to and they’re developed,” White says.
In addition, White says managers must recognize that keeping professional skills fresh is also crucial to success. “If you’ve got legacy systems, but you’re not going to have them in three to five years, start reskilling people that are working on those legacy systems, so that they can help you with the future tech as well,” White says.
Also: ‘Find something you’re passionate about.’ Five ways to build your career path that works for you
And if you don’t feel like you’re receiving the training and development you deserve as a professional, then it makes sense to look for someone who will give you those opportunities.
White says the lesson for managers who might lose talent is simple — invest time and money in your people: “Don’t let them walk out the door because that’s crazy.”
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Well-Seasoned, Sales-Free Parenting Advice
Source: Wendelin Jacober/Pexels
I recently discussed creating a parent program for a popular app. The project fell through. I’m glad; as it turns out, they craved content that was flashy and sensational, not reassuring and proven. More concerning was the implication that “exciting and new” is better. This all-to-common, headline-driven approach increases stress for parents.
Raising kids can be hard, even without the push for quick fixes. Much of what children need is easy to describe and yet a grind to implement. The understandable urge is often to reach for “new” or maybe “easier.” But an enduring analogy for parents is the famed little engine that could; plans can feel hard to move forward but become more effortless once over the hilltop. Muster the energy to stay the course, and you’ll often find a smoother track ahead.
In fact, cutting-edge research suggests that raising resilient, kind, and independent kids still relies on “the modern science of getting back to the basics.” You don’t need to buy or hear anything brand new. Sticking to what you know most often works to set your children up for success.
Lots of well-seasoned, well-tested guidance. These proven principles cannot solve every challenge but set down a dependable foundation. In our chaotic world, maintaining this path is hard, but something we all can do for ourselves, our families, and our children.
What follows are answers to several common parental questions, with details in the related links. Much of it, you may know, but it is also a reminder: Push back against the pressure to buy more and do more, and trust in what generations of parents and decades of research have found valuable instead.
- Build Resilience. Even amid challenging circumstances, a focus on resilience is possible for each of us. Resilience starts with emotionally supportive relationships and developing a growth mindset (emphasizing the value of effort). Protect time together in the family calendar, prioritize compassion and communication at home, and aim to be a reliable presence for your children. When things happen out of our control, that presence can be a healing gift in and of itself.
- Set Boundaries. Anyone selling parenting advice based only on positive feedback and discussion misunderstands brain development. Our kids benefit from an overall positive environment, as you might imagine. Without limit-setting tools, parents often disempower themselves and miss an opportunity to teach valuable skills. Balancing positive relationships with limits and boundaries is not only normal—it is educational. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
- Pick up Books, Put Down Devices. Books and reading correlate with language and academic skills: Screen time does not. Educational technology, particularly in early childhood, has no proven benefits. Kids are more likely to learn to read for fun if parents model reading themselves, set screen time limits, and if schools teach reading well (in fact, this type of direct instruction is useful for almost any new academic skill set). A well-used, free library card is worth more than a tablet for a child’s growth. And reading together also builds relationships, as it turns out.
- Go to Bed. Sleep training is safe and effective in almost any situation as long as we parents follow a consistent routine. It’s grueling as an adult, but there are, unfortunately, no other shortcuts. Since kids (and many teens) typically don’t care all that much about healthy sleep, it’s up to us to prioritize healthy sleep habits.
- Go Play. Free play builds a self-management skill set called executive function. Strong executive function correlates with better social, academic, and health outcomes. Screen time does not build executive function and potentially undermines it. Protecting open-ended playtime (where children take the lead independently, with peers, or with caring adults) can be seen as one practical “intervention” to support child development, free and possible for any family.
- Keep Moving. Physical exercise is a vital part of both physical and mental health as well as supporting sleep and learning. Our culture has become less active, but for any body type, athletic or not, exercise helps. For most of us, this routine requires constant reinforcement. Getting kids moving relies on the lifestyle we model, expectations we set, and, again, clear screen limits (a tiring theme for the modern parent for sure). Discuss exercise as something that’s simply part of life: It doesn’t matter how you want to move your body, but you’ve got to move.
- Stay Involved. Executive function skills grow into our mid-20s, so even teens rely on parents to stay healthy and safe. This doesn’t require over-parenting. Instead, create a “safe container” by giving them space to explore while protecting children from extremes. Let them learn from mistakes to a point, then step in and, for example, fix a dysfunctional homework routine or set up a household electronics bedtime. That’s the boundary of the safe container you’ve created.
- Seriously, Unplug. As is probably clear by now, excessive and unmonitored screen time has negative consequences, particularly around social media. Since, by definition, self-management skills only mature in our mid-20s, teens and children usually require adult guidance and limit-setting to develop healthy screen time habits. Devices are literally designed to distract us and influence behavior and powerfully accomplish both. Nowadays, this topic alone may be the most vital and difficult to handle in our homes.
- Don’t Go It Alone. Lastly, for more specific challenges and stresses, speak to an expert (like your pediatrician), and seek evidence-based interventions for common conditions like ADHD, learning disorders, developmental delays, and autism. Overwhelming and upsetting as they may understandably feel, aim for early interventions whenever possible.
See through any sales-driven approach to family advice. Cutting edge is not inherently better; quick fixes and false promises are rarely valuable. Focus on what works and let go of all the extra, whatever your family faces this upcoming school year.
Five Tips For Mastering Business Scalability
In the dynamic world of business, scalability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the key to sustainable success. Whether you’re running a start-up or managing an established enterprise, the ability to expand without compromising performance is a game-changer.
Understanding the Concept of Scalability
Scalability is something that gets talked about a lot, but it’s rarely understood as well as it should be. So before we dig too deep into how to improve scalability, let’s make sure we’re on the same page.
“Scalability in business means an organization can perform well as its workload expands,” Indeed explains. “A company that scales well can maintain or even improve its performance and efficiency despite operational demands increasing. It is a company’s strategy to ensure growth and adaptation regardless of its organizational structure by implementing new processes for efficient operations.”
The benefits of scalability stretch far and wide. When a company is truly scaling, they’re able to meet market demands, ensure efficient growth, and save some serious cash. Companies with scalability are also able to better weather fluctuations in demand and/or the larger economy.
5 Tips for Improving Scalability
The great thing about scalability is that it’s something businesses can learn to embrace over time. While you might not currently be where you want to be, there are ways you can put your organization in a position to be more scalable down the road.
Here are a few tips:
1. Choose the Right Business Model
It all starts with having a scalable business model in place. In other words, a business model where the cost of producing and delivering the product actually decreases as volume increases. This positive inverse relationship allows you to increase profitability exponentially.
2. Get Your Financials in Order
There’s something to be said for getting your finances in order so that you have the capital required for scaling. Take some time to study and address proper cash flow management. If you need outside funding, explore that avenue as well. A solid financial base will help you weather the unforeseen challenges that inevitably occur during the scaling process.
3. Conduct Thorough Market Research
Don’t underestimate the role of market research in scalability. You need a clear and articulate understanding of precisely who your customers are, what their needs are, and what sort of competitive landscape exists. You can uncover a lot of this information online by browsing the places where your target customer spends the most time (message boards, social media groups, blogs, podcasts, etc.).
Use this information to shape your decisions around marketing, sales, product development, pricing, and customer service.
4. Build Out the Right Tech Stack
Technology is paramount to your organization’s ability to scale efficiently and cost-effectively. But with so many different technologies on the market, choosing the right ones is challenging.
It’s impossible to speak to every business and their individual needs in this article, so you’ll have to do some research to identify the solutions that make the most sense for your organization.
However, as an example, something like Umbraco 11 is a great example of a scalable platform. It makes it easy for businesses to scale their tech to meet growing demands over time – which is exactly what you want.
5. Build a Scalable and Flexible Team
People are always going to be the backbone of successful organizations. So, if you want a scalable company, you need a flexible team that’s willing to embrace your pursuit of scalability. By keeping your team engaged and incentivized, good things are able to happen.
Investing in employee training and development is one of the central keys to building a scalable team. As your business grows, your employees should be able to take on new responsibilities and adapt to evolving roles. Providing continuous learning opportunities can help build a versatile and capable team, while also improving staff morale and retention. Training programs can range from leadership development to technical skills enhancement, based on your business needs.
Set Your Business Up for Success
There’s no perfect prescription for molding your organization into a scalable company. However, if you implement some of the tips outlined above, you’re much more likely to find success.
Here’s the challenge/takeaway for you: Don’t just read this article and tuck the information away somewhere in your brain. Pick one thing and put it into action right away! If you do that, you’re much more likely to be successful.
ENDS
Hugh Grant
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