Why Studying Could Be the Best Way to Get Ahead in Your Career

“How can I get ahead in my career?” It’s a question those hungry for professional success should be asking themselves. The answer? By continually chasing new learning opportunities! Whether it’s going back to uni, completing a short course or attending a seminar – studying and constantly upskilling are bulletproof ways to get ahead in your career.

Continual Learning Is Non-Negotiable For An Amazing Career

“Learn continually – there’s always “one more thing” to learn!” – Steve Jobs

Becoming a lifelong learner is one of the best ways to get ahead at work. 

Employers want those with lifelong learning mindsets working for them. They need people on their teams with the most up-to-date market knowledge, the capabilities and mindset to succeed in their specific job role.

If you’ve been working in the same role for a long time, it’s all too easy to become complacent and let your skillset plateau – a big mistake if you want to get ahead in your career. 

Instead of slowing letting your knowledge slide (and your employability factor along with it!) you need to commit learning new skills and invest in your professional development on a regular basis.

Whether you choose formal study or take a more DIY approach, you’re never too old to learn something new and open up bigger and brighter career opportunities. 

Adopting the attitude of a lifelong learner won’t just make you more employable it will also improve your quality of life.

Short Courses Will Help You Upskill Or Fill Knowledge Gaps

To climb to the top and truly become a master in your field, professional development needs to be continual, not just something you tick off once a year.

Short courses are an excellent way to build on your current skill set or fill in knowledge gaps.

Identify knowledge gaps 

Take time to identify what areas in your field of work mystify or overwhelm you – which key elements, activities or responsibilities leave you feeling out of your depth?

Once you know exactly where your shortcomings lie, you can target those specific areas with a short course. 

Build on your current skillset

Short courses can also build on your current skillset and take you to the next level to get ahead in your career. 

Boosting your skills and keeping your knowledge up to date – especially in industries like technology and marketing – makes you more valuable to an employer, putting you on the path to a promotion or a new role. 

A skillset is the combination of abilities, qualities and experiences you bring to the table to deliver results. 

Remember, it isn’t all about your technical skills. You need to build on soft skills like communication, organisation and leadership too if you want to get ahead in your career and increase your salary. 

Three of the most desired skills for any industry position are critical thinking, correct decision-making, and complex problem-solving. 

Studying An MBA or PhD Can Be Career (And Life!) Changing

Beyond a shorter course, you can also choose to go all-in on your professional development by completing an MBA or PhD.

With an MBA under your belt, you’ll position yourself as someone with strategic thinking, problem-solving, and ambiguity management abilities and fast track your move to more challenging and prominent positions. These skills make you highly marketable to employers. 

Hot jobs for MBA graduates with knowledge gained from the program include executive and mid-level management positions across a range of industries.

An MBA also opens up an awesome opportunity to expand your network and networking (not in a cringy way) should definitely be a high priority if you want to get ahead in your career. 

Knuckling down and completing a PhD can also open the door to career breaks that would otherwise remain closed. 

With entrepreneurship and innovation at an all-time high, organisations need professionals who can create information–to bring knowledge into existence for the very first time, not just repackage what already exists.

Choose to complement your PhD by honing your soft skills and you’ll become a magnet for success in your industry!

Take A Course To Help Your Transition After A Career Break

You might have been out of the workforce for a while but that doesn’t mean you can’t still get ahead in your career. 

Whether you’re reigniting your career after a sabbatical travelling the world, raising a young family, or an unexpected break, reentering the workplace can be challenging. 

If there are new products or programs available that aren’t familiar to you, it makes sense to take a class or a course to get yourself up to speed. The jobs market and technologies are moving at such a breakneck speed that even six months off can put a big dent in your confidence coming back into the workforce.

Having up-to-date knowledge will really improve your resume and boost your return-to-work confidence too.

Don’t Rush Into A Study Commitment

It’s clear that continued studying and upskilling is a great way to keep your career opportunities wide open, but you need to be smart about it. Rushing in and making a wrong decision can waste time and money. 

Before you start looking for a course, establish exactly what you want to gain from it. Ask yourself these questions: 

• Are you looking to develop a specific skill, what is it?
• What career outcomes /opportunities do you expect to gain after the course?
• How does the course fit in with your 2 – 5 year career plan?
• How long can you spend learning a week?
• How would study fit into your current schedule 

The thought of ‘going back to school’ can be stressful, especially if you’re already juggling a full calendar of work and personal commitments. 

This is where online courses step in and save the day! They give you the ability to complete study options remotely –  from postgraduate degrees with Universities to accredited short courses – and work around your existing schedule. 

Find A Course To Get Ahead In Your Career

We’re here to help you find the dream course to supercharge your career growth. View hundreds of accredited course options, from Universities, TAFE/VET, and private course providers here.

Don’t miss more tips on how to future proof your career and make the most of your study time.