Opportunities for professional growth should never be passed up. Whether done in the workplace or at home, upskilling can make you more marketable and help you advance in your career. Fortunately, networking platforms such as LinkedIn offer many opportunities to expand your knowledge or refresh your skills. If you’re looking to be more effective in the workplace or more marketable for a new role, here are six LinkedIn Learning courses* that will benefit you in any industry:
Throughout your career, you are likely going to come across people with many different personalities—and sometimes you may not always see eye-to-eye. That’s why emotional intelligence (EQ) is critical to success. Having a high EQ not only means that you are able to recognize and react appropriately to your own emotions, but that you are socially aware of other people’s. Being in tune with the emotions of yourself and others will help you better handle relationships, overcome challenges, and ultimately, do your job better. Everyone has a unique work style, and being able to understand their work “language” will help you better acclimate yourself to the many scenarios that you’ll come across in your career.
The success of a business relies on the teams within it. Effective team members are facilitators, creative thinkers, and embody an all-around positive attitude that allows them to drive results through collaboration. They do more than the bare minimum to get the job done. These are go-to people for questions, brainstorming, or problem-solving—and they are open to feedback and change. Possessing these skills will set the stage for success and leadership throughout your career, and help you be more effective in the workplace.
Although the first email was sent in the 70s, email is still very much a crucial element of managing tasks within the workplace. However, just because you hit “send” on an email, doesn’t mean it’s going to get someone’s full attention, and this can delay your work efforts or cause unnecessary follow up. Whether your emails are being sent to executives, team members, hiring managers, or external parties, using the right language and structure is key to getting your message across. Knowing how to format your communications will help you be more effective in the workplace and get the desired response you need for success.
While public speaking can be a daunting task for many, as you climb the ranks in your career, you may be presented with more opportunities to speak in front of large groups. Learning what attributes make a good speaker will not only help you pull off a successful presentation, but it will make you more confident in your future speaking opportunities. Whether presenting an idea in a meeting or leading a full panel discussion, if you know the ins and outs of public speaking—you’ll be more engaging, confident, and successful.
Making decisions is inevitable in the workplace, and a key attribute of a strong leader is the ability to make reasonable, successful ones. Great decision makers rely on critical thinking to come to educated conclusions, and do not let personal bias deter them from making the right move. Critical thinking skills allow you to understand challenges more clearly and evaluate your options before jumping the gun. With these skills, you can make responsible, and sometimes tough choices that are required of leaders throughout their careers.
Due to COVID-19, we experienced a high level of disruption in the workplace and adapting to a new way of working and living came easier for some more than others. Change, while inevitable, is usually unexpected. Being able to embrace it and pivot on a dime can help you thrive and lead in times of uncertainty, and be more effective in the workplace.
*LinkedIn Learning may require a paid subscription to access the courses mentioned in this blog post.
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