Personal development. If you could put what drives career success into one phrase, that would be the phrase. Personal development is the conscious pursuit of self-growth by expanding self-awareness and knowledge and improving personal skills. Basically, what it takes is for you to be aware of your personal drawbacks and strive to make yourself better – in every area, be it in personal or professional life. The key component of personal development is self-awareness. If you do not know yourself, you […]
Category Archives: Skill building
Jan
21
Sep
28
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5 tips for getting the most out of online training
One of the reasons people choose online learning style is that it’s very convenient. This advantage, however, means you have to take some extra steps to successfully learn online. You need to dedicate a significant amount of your time, consistently take the sessions, be concentrated while studying, and fully commit to your learning process, just as you would do for a regular course. It’s important to realize that online learning is not an easier way to learn, but rather a […]
Apr
5
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Career advancement: The inadequacy of hard skills
To get and keep a job, you typically need hard skills. For example, Dentists need to know how to fill cavities, Computer Programmers need to be able to write functional codes, and Accountants need to be certified. However, beyond the hard skills, which dentist do you go to? The one who is pleasant and takes time to answer your questions; or the one who treats you like a number in a long line of numbered mouths? Which programmer do you retain when the […]
Sep
30
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Why Online Learning is a viable alternative to Classroom Learning
About 16 years ago, online learning was in its infancy, whereas being taught in a classroom in a systematic form has been around for hundreds of years. Little wonder that it’s not been easy to translate the pedagogical methods used in the classroom into those adopted in online learning. Yet there is evidence that suggests both methodologies can deliver comparable learning outcomes (notwithstanding that both methodologies can be subject to poor implementation and delivery). A number of things are different […]
Mar
6
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3 major signs of soft skills gap in your organization
Soft skills, also known as people skills, are the skills you use to interact with others at work. They make up who you are, generally encompassing your attitudes, habits and how you interact with other people. Examples are communication skills, interpersonal skills, business etiquette, etc. In contrast, hard or technical skills mean subject matter expertise like computer programming, accounting, financial analysis, or chemical engineering. Hard skills are generally easily quantifiable and measurable but not as transferable as soft skills. Both […]
Feb
6
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Seven great ways to employee development
Coaching and mentoring Demonstrated benefits of these approaches include improved quality and quantity of work, transfer of learning and, for employees, improved communication and problem-solving skills. Effective coaching and mentoring programs depend on the skills and personality of the mentor or coach, adequate time for coaching and mentoring sessions and established timelines and goals. Job rotation and cross-training Job rotation moves an employee through one or more different positions. The rotation can last several hours, several months or even a […]
Jan
23
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The business case for skills development
Ask employers what their biggest challenge in running and growing their business is, most will tell you it is the inability to find the right employees. The reason for this is not difficult to figure out looking at our low quality education and a value system that supports sub-optimal work culture. Small- and medium-sized businesses are the most affected because they lack the brand and sometimes the resources to attract the few skilled and ‘already-made’ employees that are available. So […]
