The route to your dream job often seems more like a staircase: up step by step, towards your goal. Courses are indispensable here. By focusing on your own development you get the best out of your career, but especially out of yourself. Continuing to learn doesn't mean that you should take random courses and classes. These four tips help you to make smart choices.
what does the course add to your career?
Think about what you want to achieve with the course. Do you want to improve in your trade? Or would you like to take a step towards a different profession?
How effective a course is for your career of course depends on a variety of matters. But you can always go to people for information who are on the same career path as you, and ask them what they took out of these courses or training.
know what your chances are on the labour market
Do you want to take a course because you want something different? It's then good to know in which job groups you have the best chance of finding your job.
learn proactively: don't wait until you really have to
Continuing to learn is necessary in any job. Those who don't do this, risk losing their job to someone who does keep up-to-date. Most employers have a training budget and want to draw up a personal training plan (PTP) for their employees – after all, this is also in their own interest.
However, it's also smart to look ahead without the stimulus of your employer. Especially if you want to take a step in your career development, want to switch or want to specialise. Proactive learning is good for your current – and future - jobs.
be critical when choosing
The quality of a course can make a huge difference in the extent to which it contributes to the goal you want to reach. This is why it is important to choose wisely from the larger offer. Also if your employer pays the course for you.
What should you look out for? A few basic points:
- Is the training centre certified and is the diploma recognised?
- Do you know how much it will cost or if there will be extra costs later on?
- How are the trainers assessed by the students?
- Which reviews can you find online (and not on the website of the course itself)?
- Do you know any people taking the course? Ask them about their experiences.
Don't lose sight of your dream job, but it can't do any harm to scrutinise the next course or training before you start taking it.
What should you look out for? A few basic points:
- Is the training centre certified and is the diploma recognised?
- Do you know how much it will cost or if there will be extra costs later on?
- How are the trainers assessed by the students?
- Which reviews can you find online (and not on the website of the course itself)?
- Do you know any people taking the course? Ask them about their experiences.
Don’t lose sight of your dream job, but it can’t do any harm to scrutinise the next course or training before you start taking it.