Being settled in a career can make you comfortable and you might not think of learning more or stretching yourself in terms of what you can do. Knowledge is power. Improving your understanding of your career has many benefits, but, learning skills that do not directly apply to your current career are a bonus for you. There are numerous advantages to learning more especially because you can easily learn new skills. Here are 5 reasons why you should be keen on learning new skills, even when they do not apply directly to your career.
1. You become a problem solver. Organizational and management skills will do wonders for your career. You become aware of problems and you solve them for your company. You also become cautious of activities you participate in, making it easy for you to ensure they are done properly. Organization and management skills also help you get to work on time and be able to prioritize work. You learn to engage in things that are urgent and important first then you move on to those of less urgency.
2. Equips you to fulfil company expectations. You need to find out something about sales and marketing. Most working people assume sales and marketing skills because they are not in that field. What we don’t always understand is that we sell ourselves and our ideas. When you are giving a presentation, you need people to buy into what you are saying; learning selling skills will come in handy for you. Most companies have marketing activities and conferences where you need to get people interested in what your company does.
3. You get to save money. Most people spend plenty of money when it comes to technology, especially in repairs. Learning computer and technology skills will help you save that dime. When you are aware of what goes where and what is what, you are able to solve small problems for yourself. Informing yourself on how basic technology works ensures you only pay an expert when absolutely necessary.
4. Skills make you more valuable to the company. An employee who shows up in areas where most don’t is valuable to an organization. Being able to do more than is expected of you will make you more marketable. Computer skills, sales and marketing skills, and organization and management skills, will all positively help your career. You could invest in research and analysis skills; you will then be able to find more information about a subject. You will also be able to recognize patterns in cases where most people will not.
5. You are more likely to get better deals and benefits. During interviews and interactions with your employers; you get to show your confidence. Having skills in negotiation will not only help you land a job, it will also help you get better deals and a better salary. While you are interacting with your employers, you will be able to get better positions.
6. You will get more opportunities. There are skills that will automatically open doors for you – like networking skills. Learning how to best communicate, whether in English or Kiswahili, will make you the first choice in assignments that require maximum interaction with clients. Inter-personal skills which mostly deal with how you cope with co-workers will help you with networking. These skills will help you land promotions. How To Network Successfully
This article by Forbes can get you started in the right direction – How To Develop Your Skills Outside Of Work.
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