When you've had years of experience in a job, or even if you're just starting out on a new career path or in the job market, often people assume that getting a job secured is most of the career advancement done. Impressing an employer at interview, and performing well in your job, is an important attribute and may make you feel comfortable. However, many people spend years in the same job, watching promotions or career progression slip away in front of them, for no explicable reason. Career progression can often seem understandably elusive. And when there are sometimes hundreds of people in one company, hard work won't necessarily be the thing that marks you out from the crowd to a potential head hunter or for a promotion.
Career progression will always involve learning or challenging yourself in a new area, and this is the secret to progressing your own career- taking the initiative over your own learning rather than have somebody tell you. Showing this initiative by undertaking your own training is one thing you can do that not only takes you towards the career of your dreams, what better way to impress your employer than being able to demonstrate that for a skill they need, you already have it. When you think about it, it makes sense- it saves your employer money in training budgets, but it also eliminates a lot of the leg work they have to do when selecting their next promotional candidate; they can instantly see the proof that an employee has initiative, has skills, and is committed to learning new skills- something vital in career progression as you move through more and more demanding roles.
However it's not just a current employer that likes to see commitment to learning. It is possible, from home, to learn all sorts of new skills and gain new qualifications which will look outstanding on your CV and also enable you to apply for jobs that may have previously been closed to you. In addition, the ability to demonstrate that you have spent your time constructively making steps to advancing your knowledge marks you out as conscientious, as someone who truly cares about their career- a quality that is not so easy to find! Before you even get to interview, from your CV, an employer can assume that you can demonstrate initiative, that you are committed to the job, to the principles of the job, and to hard work. With an increasing number of applicants for jobs, a qualification or home learning course on your CV really adds weight to your application in difficult market, and will help you stand out from the crowd.
Employers like to see a commitment to learning because hard work, and demanding jobs, require an awful lot of just that- learning. And when you can study at home for a qualification or skill at a time and pace that suits you, what's to lose? If you undertake your own home learning, you might also find not only your CV and career progresses, but also your confidence and job security takes a big boost.
