Expand Skills

Get Job Skills

Increasing your job skills is one of the best things you can do to improve your chances of finding a job and being competitive in the workforce. Employers like applicants who learn new skills, and they also like employees that are constantly learning new skills on the job.

There are some things you can do to expand your skills now.

Get to know people in your field and network.
Go to your library and read books about your field.
Volunteer in your field or in a field that interests you.
Find out about free or low cost classes offered by your local Career One Stop office. They may know of computer or other job skill classes.
If you don't have a high school diploma, finish your GED.

Online Resources to Expand Skills

Gaining new skills by going back to school.
How you can pay for your education.

How to Gain Skills

Do you have the skills that employers want? Not sure? One of the best ways to expand your skills is through education. Make sure that your education connects to occupations that fit your interests and skills. Here are some steps to help you explore the right education for you.

Identify the skills in occupations that interest you.
Using the Occupational Skills (pdf) list your desired occupations and the education needed. List the skills you possess that are required for that occupation. List the skills you need to acquire. Use the School Research Worksheet (pdf) to organize your research on schools.

If you are currently working and looking for a better job:

What opportunities may be available within your organization?
What can you do to improve your skills and marketability at your current job?
Network within your organization.
Meet people throughout the organization, so you understand the big picture and how all of the parts fit.
Talk with your supervisor and the Human Resources staff.
Find a mentor, someone who is doing the job similar to the one you would like.
Find out what steps that individual took to get to his/her position.
What education, training, skills, and experience does he/she have that you would need to qualify for a similar position?
After you have identified your goal, ask your supervisor for more responsibility doing work that can improve the skills that you want to gain.
Stay current with the technology.
Take professional development trainings offered at your job.

Going back to school if your desired occupation requires it.
Advancing your career.

Pay for Your Education

Can you afford the education you need to achieve your goals? You have many options to get training or a degree. Start planning how to pay for your education.

Before you apply to schools, update your budget. Know how much you can afford to pay for training.

What are your financial aid choices?
Many students get financial aid that is used to pay for tuition, books, or other costs.

Types of Financial Aid
Grants and scholarships are awards you don't have to pay back. Grants mostly come from the government, such as the Federal Pell Grant. Scholarships can come from a school, community group, business, or the government. Some scholarships are for people who don't have much money. Others are for people who are good at sports, have good grades, or have a special talent. Check with the school you want to go to for scholarships that fit you.
There are many kinds of loans. Each has a different interest rate and rules. Some well-known loans are the Stafford, Perkins, PLUS, and SELF.
Work study might offer you a method of working to pay for some of your tuition or the cost of books.

Online Financial Aid Resources

What you can do to keep advancing your career.
The best methods to find a job.

Keep Advancing Your Career

Successful people keep learning. At every step, think about how to expand your skills. You’ll impress employers. You’ll also feel more confident.

Expand your skills while in school.

Getting good grades is not enough to impress most employers. Get involved in activities to expand your skills now. When you graduate, you'll be better prepared to look for jobs.

Look into school and professional groups.
Connect your assignments to your career.
Get experience. Participate in career activities. Your school’s career center may have ideas for you to get experience. Ask about where you can be an intern or volunteer.
Update your career plan with these tasks.

Stay current in your field.

All workers should look at their skills and improve them.

Explore the job market to learn about trends that affect your field. You can check out your local library for these trends.
Learn from others working in your field through networking. Learn about networking in Find a Job.
Use online social networks. You can learn about trends and meet people in your field.
Update your career plan with these tasks.

You are now ready to move on to Step 5: Find a Job.

Learning about the hiring process.
How to market yourself.