As a new year approaches, advancing professionally is a top goal for many. Maybe you’re coming off a strong year-end performance review with momentum, or you’re reflecting on your long-term career development goals and eyeing a fresh opportunity. Whatever your circumstances, you certainly won’t be the only one wondering how to get promoted or how to change jobs this year. So how can you show you’ve earned the opportunity to move up the ranks?
Make this your year by earning digital badges that validate your skills. These fast and affordable online classes and credentials from the University Learning Store can help you differentiate yourself from similarly qualified professionals who all have their sights set on the same goal. Facilitated by top higher ed institutions, badges are the perfect choice for experienced workers who want to move to the next level but don’t necessarily need a new degree. Show you have what it takes to excel in a new role with these top skills for 2017.
Telling Stories with Visuals
As attention spans shrink and workloads grow, employers are more strapped for time than ever before. The busyness trend shows no sign of stopping in 2017, making the ability to share ideas quickly and visually an in-demand skill. Even if you don’t have a design background, you can build an eye for the aesthetic by earning a few digital badges. Start with the basics in Creating Effective Visual Presentations, where you’ll learn how to use design and structure to deliver a compelling message. Next, grow your skills with the soon-to-launch app, Incorporating Data and Visualizations in Presentations, which can help you use numbers accurately and effectively to drive home your key takeaways. Badges are fast—most can be completed in hours or a few days—so you can start putting your new skills to work right away.
Bridging the Divide
Tech is already helping workers worldwide bridge physical divides, but professionals in 2017 should also feel confident bridging the cultural divides that can impede teamwork. As international collaboration becomes the norm, your emails, meetings and presentations will have global audiences and you’ll need global communication skills to match.
So with both physical and cultural boundaries at play, how can you make sure everyone on your team is on track and on the same page? Get certified for Global Business Communication by earning three quick digital badges that can help you facilitate collaboration across borders. Start with Speaking Effectively in the Global Workplace, which can help you strike the right tone in any professional setting. Then keep going with badges that can help you refine your presentations and emails for the global workplace.
Tracking Every Last Detail
With demands on employees increasing at all levels, project managers can expect to balance more responsibilities with the same or fewer resources in the new year. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or developing your project management expertise on the job, prove you can keep your projects on time and under budget with digital badges that reinforce your strengths. With a suite of project management badges offered at the University Learning Store, you can stick to only the technical skills that are most relevant to your role. Agenda setter? Try Creating Meeting Agendas & Announcements to help you stay sharp. Project lead? Defining Project Requirements and Scope can help you refine your existing skills so you can deliver even better results this coming year. Every detail counts, and with badges you can make this your (and your organization’s) best year yet.
Make this the year you achieve your career goals and then some with digital badges. Subscribe to receive updates on badges that can help you get ahead in 2017.