Posted on July 24, 2019 (July 25, 2019 by Jacqueline Arnold

Ready to enter the workforce, or for a job or career change? Saylor Academy offers even
more free courses in professional development online, including leadership, management,
and communications. You can use Saylor Academy professional development courses to
develop your skills and link to your resume, post on a portfolio or websites such as
LinkedIn, or present a certificate in person.

Why should I take Professional Development courses?

Whether you are a job seeker, have landed your dream career, or have been in a steady job
for several years, it never hurts to refresh your skills. Additionally, taking professional
development and other training shows you take initiative and are invested in growing as a
professional. These are great impressions to make!

How do I know what skills I need?

If you are a jobseeker or positioning yourself for a promotion, you want to demonstrate a
balance of “hard” or technical skills for your field and soft skills. Hard skills can include
software your company uses, equipment knowledge, or more specialized knowledge that
might require a certification. In contrast,“soft skills” often come from experience and
include communication and leadership skills. Soft skills are often considered transferable
between fields or industries. Although you may not have the job experience necessary to
develop these skills, you can learn the basics in order to apply and develop these skills in
your current job or in school.
Find out what skills you need by:
Surveying current job openings in your field or at your dream company
Searching for sample job descriptions (BetterTeam has sample job descriptions available
by industry and title)
Reaching out to colleagues or contacts who are in the “next level” of your field ( a
manager, for example, if you are an associate) or who are in the position you consider to
be your dream job.
Once you have your list of skills, it is time to start learning!
Managing a Team
Check out our Leadership and Teams course to prepare to lead a group, navigate conflicts,
and coach your team to perform more effectively. Whether your team is a sports team, a
small group for school, or a business, the ability to manage a team is invaluable.
Introduction to Management will help new and aspiring managers learn the role of
management and strategies to help manage more effectively. For example, managers often
need to assess the different personality traits of their staff, to better align their workforce
with their business’ needs.
Organizational Structure, Change, and the Future of Management Adaptability to change
is a key skill for the rapidly moving world of work. An industry can be disrupted nearly
overnight, leaving workers and businesses in flux. Take this course to learn to lead a team
or organization through planned and unforeseen changes.
Human Resources
Introduction to Human Resources Management will help prospective HR professionals
learn the basics of HR management (which includes hiring and managing personnel needs
for a business), and determine if HR is the career path for them.
Other Soft Skills/ Transferable Skills
Decision-Making provides the framework for making decisions in a business and
management context.
Interpersonal and Group Communications– Communication skills are key, and are often
the building blocks to relationships that will help you throughout your career.
Many of our courses are less than 10 hours long, so you could add your new skills to your
resume in less than a weekend! Take a free course in professional development online
today!