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Develop Your Work Skills

You are in charge of managing your career. An important part of moving up in your career is developing your work skills.

Why should you develop your work skills?

The best way to move up in the workplace is to improve your work skills.

Businesses have to compete with companies all over the world, so their employees must also be competitive. You must continue to improve your work skills in order to compete with workers at other companies and in other countries.

You are expected to continue to develop your skills whether you work for the same employer for many years, or for different companies.

You cannot count on anyone else to manage your career. You must do it yourself.

Here are some ways to develop your work skills.

Learn Technology

  • Know how to use computers. Learn how to type on a keyboard.
  • Be able to use the Internet effectively. Be familiar with e-mail and how to use websites.
  • Get training on common software such as Microsoft Word (word processing) and Excel (spreadsheets). Adult Basic Education Centers, WorkForce Centers, and many public libraries offer free computer classes.
  • Take advantage of any training offered by your employer on computers or other equipment.

Go Back to School

  • Finish your GED or high school diploma.
  • Take a training class that gives you a certificate related to your job. These are occupational certificates. Many schools offer programs where you can learn things like truck driving, computer repair, hair styling, or other careers.
  • Look into community colleges which offer two-year associate degrees. These degrees can qualify you for a job or lead to a four-year degree.
  • If you cannot be a full-time student, many certificate and college programs offer part-time and/or evening classes.

Stay Current

  • Pay attention to your job and career field. Learn about new ways to do your job better.
  • Watch for information about new technologies on TV, the Internet, and in newspapers.
  • Think about joining a trade or professional association. You can hear about what people with similar jobs are doing in other companies.

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