Everyone knows that upskilling (or reskilling) is hugely beneficial. These tips will help you examine your current skills, interests, and talents – and help you figure out a new path to explore.
You may be “over qualified” for a job but you can never be over educated. Every bit of knowledge, know-how, and even trivia about your role and others’ can give you the edge in a competitive world. With so much information available out there, what criteria do you use to decide how to upskill?
Ask yourself these 4 questions before you adopt any strategy.
What do I not know about my current role?
We tend to focus on our strengths while ignoring our weaknesses because it is just more convenient. Look back on your typical day and you will find that the same pain points recur virtually every day.
For some, it may be a new platform or technology with which they are uncomfortable. Others may abhor the prospect of speaking in front of a group despite that being a requirement of the role into which they have been promoted.
Instead of blithely pretending you can do your job without the requisite skills, focus on these areas and perform in every aspect of the position you hold.
What do I need to excel?
Once you have the basic requirements down pat, venture into areas that go beyond the basics. Look at those in senior positions whose career paths have led them through your desk. What particular skills and education do they possess?
The answer may be formal qualifications such as a Master’s degree in a particular field or a unique skill set that combines expertise in a multitude of them. In which ways do their immediate bosses and immediate subordinates rely on them? Develop a similar set of skills tweaked for your own desired career progress.
What do I want to learn?
Learning is a lot easier when it doesn’t feel like learning. Do your natural interests pull you in a direction that leads away from your work obligations? Perhaps that is the path that you were always meant to take.
Naturally, taking any specific course, qualification, or webinar does not immediately render you beholden to that field. Delve deeper and discover how you can apply the skills from that arena to your current work. A new perspective can often add a unique dimension to your work personality and propel you ahead of your peers.
Am I looking at this correctly?
It is easy to get drawn towards a particular vision of yourself and your future, and overlook how things work out best when there is balance. Before deciding on what you need to know for your current role, to excel, and what you want to learn, consider whether you are too focused on one aspect or another. For example, some executives throw themselves headlong into acquiring hard skills but forget that soft skills are the grease between the cogs. Others focus on technology, overlooking how face time can solve problems that seem insurmountable on Zoom.
Take a holistic approach and get the best of all worlds. Contact me today to learn how to upskill into the role you want.
