How You Can Improve Your Job Prospects With eLearning
So, can one really improve their job prospects with eLearning? Let us first take a look at the reality of post-grad life: Once high school seniors have finished with the hustle and bustle of college applications, scholarship interviews, and graduation requirements, they’re expected to leave childhood behind and enter the world of four-year universities and college degree programs. Unfortunately, however, those next four years don’t necessarily translate into a clear path to the future. Traditional undergrad and post-grad education has a tendency to become a very expensive pre-career placeholder that does very little to prepare young men and women for the jobs they hope to obtain.
Julia Freeland Fisher, Director of Education Research at Clayton Christensen Institute, says this about current educational process:
“Amidst debates about college access and affordability, we think the question of employer needs should sit at the core of higher education conversations. Without answering it, we risk pumping more and more students through a costly system that is not aligned in reliable ways to the job market.”
So many students finish their college careers and have limited hands-on training to fall back on. While they may hold an impressive degree, this does not stand up to the experience necessary to be a true success in the workplace. Nor does that education account for the upcoming changes that will take place in the world of employment (think in terms of technology and policy, for example).
Is eLearning A Better Alternative?
There’s no doubt that eLearning is an excellent way to maneuver the gaps within your education. When an individual is struggling to find a job or move up within their company, expanding on their skill set is an ideal way of setting themselves apart and becoming more equipped to handle the workforce.
The large variety of online courses available lends itself to the variety of needs amongst professionals. While the majority of online courses available fall within the realm of technology, science, and mathematics, there are other opportunities that may better suit a person’s circumstances.
The ways that eLearning courses may be beneficial can seem endless, but here are just 5 key reasons men and women can improve their job prospects with eLearning.
1. Resume Preparation And Interview Skills.
Great first impressions are a key part of finding the right job. Unfortunately, however, a vast number of adults don’t know what actually goes into putting together a proper resume or even how to handle themselves in an interview.
Thankfully, a large number of online learning institutions offer courses that cover subjects, including:
- Resume preparation.
- Cover letters.
- Interview etiquette.
These can make a significant difference in your success as a job candidate.
2. Real-Life Experience.
One of the advantages to choosing eLearning education is the ability to work the courses around your own schedule.
This provides students with the chance to pursue a wider range of employment opportunities and internships while expanding upon their existing skills. The potential to gain real-life experience in a person’s field of choice while still taking classes is an invaluable asset to employers.
Many managers have noted that while they do find traditional degrees impressive on a resume, they also recognize the amount of effort it takes to juggle full-time jobs and schoolwork. This type of effort speaks highly of the applicant and suggests that they’ve gained hands-on knowledge many graduates don’t receive in a normal classroom setting.
3. Development Of Management Skills.
When an employee is interested in climbing the corporate ladder and increasing their opportunities in the workplace, developing their management skills can be one of the most important steps to take.
Taking a variety of online management courses will exemplify your desire to do more for your employer and will help you to improve in areas, such as:
- Communication.
- Organization.
- Team Building.
- Supervising.
Not only will these skills prepare you for potential management positions, but also they will better equip you to take on team leading roles within your company.
4. Increasing Your Professional Skills.
The number of different skills needed to succeed in any job type can be endless. This idea is even more prevalent when you consider how often the way jobs are performed will change.
Each day companies are producing new software and processes that are better than the ones used in the past. In order to be the best employee you can be, it’s essential that you stay with the times and keep up with these changes.
Whether you’re vying for a promotion in your current job or looking to start a career in a different field, learning new skills is imperative to your success.
Let’s say, for instance, that numerous job postings require experience with a certain software program you’ve never worked with.
Signing up for an eLearning course on the subject can be a fast and simple way to learn the program and become a viable candidate for the position.
Within any given field there is bound to be an array of eLearning opportunities to help you move forward in your career.
5. Job Placement.
One of the most valuable assets gained from many digital classrooms is job placement assistance at the end of the course.
Many of the networks that offer these classes will provide you with contacts and companies that are currently searching for new hires. Utilizing your newly gained skills and relationships at the school to find your dream job is an excellent way to get the ball rolling and start your brand new career.
eLearning Could Be The Answer You’ve Been Looking For
If you want to further yourself professionally these days, you must look at the ways in which you can improve your skill set and become a better employee. Through the use of eLearning, professionals are presented with an ever-changing variety of educational opportunities that can help them do just that.
Those high school graduates discussed earlier are expected to go to college and earn a degree. While there’s nothing wrong with that plan, a successful member of the workforce won’t stop at 4 years of formal education.
The bottom line?
eLearning coursework can truly be a game changer when it comes to improving your job prospects.