Md Altaf Hussain :
In today’s economy, professionals need to keep their skills sharp.
While employers are struggling with a skills shortage, this means that professionals who have the right skill sets will find many opportunities in the job market. However, the practice of actually keeping your skills up-to-date is often easier said than done.
Between full-time work and personal responsibilities, many professionals wonder how one finds the time to continue working toward their next career goal. As a result, finding new ways to continue learning on the job is crucial to not just staying up-to-date with current industry trends, but also keeping yourself marketable for future opportunities.
Be passionate
No one wants to seek counsel from someone who doesn’t care about the topic as much or more than they do. Passion is effort; passion is exertion. Passion is never giving up. Without it, you cease innovating and stagnate. When you display authentic enthusiasm and passion for the end result, your people will keep moving toward their goals.
Employees respond to those who are eager to help them learn and grow. Show passion for everything you do, including in your pursuit in learning how to develop leadership skills. Your desire will be clear to your employees, and inspire them to improve leadership skills, too.
Ask for more
In addition to finding new projects or expanded responsibilities on your own, it is important to ask your supervisor for assistance. Even if you’re unsure of how you can gain new skills, your supervisor may be able to guide you into learning new skills you didn’t even anticipate. When you keep an open mind in regards to building your skill set, your manager can often identify new areas that make sense for your career growth.
Analytical and research skills
As much as you think a question/problem presented to you is a piece of cake, be very wary of giving a rushed answer.
Take the time to analyse the situation, think of all possible scenarios, and if possible ask for some time to go and do some research to find out more.
Being analytical, but also having strong research skills, differentiates one employee from the other. It demonstrates your determination, your ability to assess different scenarios, and your commitment to be 100 per cent sure before giving an answer to your employer. It could mean the difference between a badly thought out idea and something that may gain the company a huge profit!
Ability to make decisions and solve problems
Decision making and problem solving is another skill that is high in demand. The ability to identify complex problems and review related information in order to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, can distinguish one employee from another. The ability to use critical thinking to rationalise a decision will set an individual apart.
Strong work ethic
Employers always look for employees that are passionate about what they do and are very committed to their assignments. They need to be assured that their employees will keep at a problem until it is solved, and they will do what is necessary to complete all tasks.
Arriving at work on time and willingness to work and take responsibility are basic indicators of an employee’s commitment. These factors can show whether an employee is cut out for a specific role.
Inquire about what else you want to learn
If you are interested in learning a specific skill and you’re unsure of how you can gain this experience on the job, consider consulting your manager or HR department about how they can help you gain this skill outside of the office. Many organisations will invest in keeping their employees’ skills up-to-date, so long as they see a clear benefit to the company as well. As a result, if you can find a way to make it worthwhile for the company, you may just get the assistance you need.
In today’s economy, professionals need to keep their skills sharp.
While employers are struggling with a skills shortage, this means that professionals who have the right skill sets will find many opportunities in the job market. However, the practice of actually keeping your skills up-to-date is often easier said than done.
Between full-time work and personal responsibilities, many professionals wonder how one finds the time to continue working toward their next career goal. As a result, finding new ways to continue learning on the job is crucial to not just staying up-to-date with current industry trends, but also keeping yourself marketable for future opportunities.
Be passionate
No one wants to seek counsel from someone who doesn’t care about the topic as much or more than they do. Passion is effort; passion is exertion. Passion is never giving up. Without it, you cease innovating and stagnate. When you display authentic enthusiasm and passion for the end result, your people will keep moving toward their goals.
Employees respond to those who are eager to help them learn and grow. Show passion for everything you do, including in your pursuit in learning how to develop leadership skills. Your desire will be clear to your employees, and inspire them to improve leadership skills, too.
Ask for more
In addition to finding new projects or expanded responsibilities on your own, it is important to ask your supervisor for assistance. Even if you’re unsure of how you can gain new skills, your supervisor may be able to guide you into learning new skills you didn’t even anticipate. When you keep an open mind in regards to building your skill set, your manager can often identify new areas that make sense for your career growth.
Analytical and research skills
As much as you think a question/problem presented to you is a piece of cake, be very wary of giving a rushed answer.
Take the time to analyse the situation, think of all possible scenarios, and if possible ask for some time to go and do some research to find out more.
Being analytical, but also having strong research skills, differentiates one employee from the other. It demonstrates your determination, your ability to assess different scenarios, and your commitment to be 100 per cent sure before giving an answer to your employer. It could mean the difference between a badly thought out idea and something that may gain the company a huge profit!
Ability to make decisions and solve problems
Decision making and problem solving is another skill that is high in demand. The ability to identify complex problems and review related information in order to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, can distinguish one employee from another. The ability to use critical thinking to rationalise a decision will set an individual apart.
Strong work ethic
Employers always look for employees that are passionate about what they do and are very committed to their assignments. They need to be assured that their employees will keep at a problem until it is solved, and they will do what is necessary to complete all tasks.
Arriving at work on time and willingness to work and take responsibility are basic indicators of an employee’s commitment. These factors can show whether an employee is cut out for a specific role.
Inquire about what else you want to learn
If you are interested in learning a specific skill and you’re unsure of how you can gain this experience on the job, consider consulting your manager or HR department about how they can help you gain this skill outside of the office. Many organisations will invest in keeping their employees’ skills up-to-date, so long as they see a clear benefit to the company as well. As a result, if you can find a way to make it worthwhile for the company, you may just get the assistance you need.
