Easy Ways to Upskill in Your Own Time (For Free)

By January 16, 2018For Talent

What do Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have in common? No, it’s not their multi-billion dollar businesses. It’s their insatiable appetite for learning.

Good CEOs (and good employees for that matter) know that if you really want to make waves and be successful then you need to be constantly learning and adapting.

Here are just some of the easy ways that you can upskill in your free time. The best part? They’re completely free!

Put pen to paper

Okay, you don’t actually have to get out an inkwell and quill (this is 2018 after all) but you should practice your writing a few times a week.  Write about your day, write about your career, write about anything, it doesn’t matter.

Consider setting up a blog on a topic that you are interested in. It will be a great passion project and it’s the perfect place to keep your writing together.

Good writing is still one of the most important skills that companies look for when hiring. If you have the proof to back up your skills then you will be well ahead of the other candidates.

Try your hand at photography

Photography is becoming increasingly popular, just look at apps like Instagram and Pinterest if you’re in any doubt.

Taking good pictures isn’t as simple as pointing and shooting. There are a lot of other things to consider such as composition and exposure.

Believe it or not, you can learn photography for free online. There are lots of websites and forums that will help you to take unbelievable snapshots, even with your iPhone. All you need to do is get started.

Volunteer

Volunteering is a great way to upskill in your free time. It allows you to step outside of your comfort zone, meet new people, and pick up some very important skills along the way.

Find an organisation that you are passionate about and volunteer your time. Volunteering is an impressive asset to add to your CV and just think of all the good karma that you will receive in return.

Brush up on your French

Or German, or Spanish, or Mandarin. Learning a language can be a huge asset to your career especially in today’s globalised marketplace. Being bi-lingual can massively increase your career prospects plus it’s a well-known fact that bilingual people are just much cooler.

There are lots of great websites that can help online. Duolingo is a free gamified language learning experience that you can even use on your phone (perfect for your commute). So, what are you waiting for?

Learn SEO

SEO is pretty much relevant to every single career today. If you’re not familiar with it it can seem like a scary and complex topic but I’ll let you in on a little secret…it really isn’t.

You can easily learn about SEO online. One of my favourite websites is Moz. They break the topic down into easily digestible bite-size pieces. Their Beginners Guide to SEO is usually a good place to start. It’s a great skill to have even if you’re not directly involved in teach or IT.


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Author Alice Murray

Alice Murray is a Content Creator at Jobbio with a passion for Employer Branding and Graduate Culture. She's a keen traveller and a self-proclaimed lazy runner.

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