There are so many free resources online that can truly bring an edge to your job search. They would help equip you with skills to help in a job interview and function well in your workplace.
With online courses, anyone from any part of the world can gain knowledge in any field of interest for free or almost. All you need is a computer; laptop, tablet or Smartphone – internet connection, commitment and a self-made schedule. You can even get a certificate on completing the course.
The following courses would give you a competitive advantage over other candidates in a job interview:
1. Public speaking
This course offered by the University of Washington through the platform of Coursera is part of a four course Public Speaking Specialization.The coursework consists of about an hour of lecture per week, readings, and quizzes. Skills to learn through the class include confidence and presentation planning. Full access to the course requires paid membership, but completion of the four course sequence will unlock a specialization that can be added to your LinkedIn profile or CV.
2. Better cover letter and resume = Better Job
Lynda.com (run by LinkedIn) is an online course provider that offers 30 days of free access to their multitude of courses. The particular class we are interested in is in the Writing Resumes and Cover Letters section. This course is designed for college graduates, but many of the lessons are useful at other career points.
3. Digital marketing
Google Online Marketing Challenge is a program for college students at any level to gain real world marketing experience assisting a participating nonprofit with their online ad campaigns.The students work under a faculty member and ideally build a relationship with the client and provide a Post-Campaign Analysis at the end of the program.
4. Copywriting
Writing of any kind needs to be clear and concise with a strong voice. Copy Hackers can help you take the prose you construct for pay to the next level. In their introductory page, they offer free ebooks that offer how to write newsletters that get read and a guide for “Conversion Marketers” to achieve marketable copy.
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5. Microsoft Word
LinkedIn offers 30 days free access to their 10k+ classes taught by experts in the field. They have multiple courses on Microsoft Word that can get you inserting charts and using macros, no matter which version of Word you are using. LinkedIn helpfully points out that many employers find this a valuable resource and will reimburse you for expenses in this area.
6. PhotoShop
TUTS+ is a good choice for the top site to learn the ins and outs of Adobe Photoshop online for free. They do offer paid content as well, but the freebies offered here will get you well on your way being Photoshop proficient. With how-to tutorials and reviews of new effects packages, this site will keep you abreast of best practices in the field of photo manipulation.
7. SEO and/or Google Analytics
A lot of people are currently making their living writing for the internet and anything that you write for the internet needs to be cognizant of search engine optimization and that is a field that is CONSTANTLY changing. A good way to stay abreast of best practices as they now stand is to read a blog that posts daily on the topic.
Search Engine Journal is a blog that runs regular webinars on new topics and sponsor a weekly podcast, the Search Engine Nerds.