Career Development Blog

As you consider your professional goals for 2020, now is the time to ask yourself important questions about your motivations, aims, and talents to make the most of your career. Everyone wants to get ahead, but making the decision to advance your career and actually taking the positive steps necessary to move up the ladder are two different things.

Certification allows your current or prospective employer to verify your skillset, offering you a wider range of career choices and additional mobility and flexibility. With the right training and certification, you can unlock countless benefits in fields that are both exciting and profitable. Before you make any decisions, ask yourself these questions to best prepare.

As we look toward 2020, it’s a perfect time to consider career and personal goals. Despite the increasing prevalence of technology in the workforce, companies still look for employees with strong soft skills, and according to Adecco, 44% of executives think many Americans lack these skills. These skills are not job-specific, they’re a part of you that transfers across your life.

Whether you’ve recently lost your job or you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, finding a job after 50 presents a unique range of challenges. You often must compete with younger workers who have an inherent understanding of technology, and you have to overcome a host of stereotypes about older workers. Fortunately, prospects are improving, and with career training and certification you can easily prove your sharp skills with technology and outshine any whippersnapper.

As you embark on the next step in your career, it can be tough to decide where to start, especially if you’re seeking additional training. Career training programs and college degrees can give you a huge leg-up on the competition, but they take time and money. If you’ve been laid off, you need to find a new job fast, and you might not have the savings to pay for additional training and certification, even if it means a higher salary in the future. If you’re secure in your employment, these expenses can still be significant, and they can eat into your savings and personal life.

Learning is a lifelong process, and it can revolutionize your career if you take advantage of it. By earning an entry-level certification such as CompTIA A+, you’ve opened a range of options and opportunities for your career and education.

You can dive into the workforce immediately, gaining experience as a help desk technician or IT support staff member. These positions offer good salaries and the opportunity to learn and develop your own skills on the job, especially if you have the drive to teach yourself at every opportunity.