Companies value employees who have many different skills, like soft and hard skills. If you lack certain skill sets, employers may be willing to help employees gain the experience they need. But taking initiative to develop these skills yourself shows you value professional development and are eager to move your career forward. There are several ways to start building them.

Take Extra Courses or Get Your Degree

Some companies pay for their workers to get a degree related to their job, but even if yours does not offer this perk, it can still be beneficial to get a degree in a relevant field. If you have a bachelor’s degree, it might be valuable to get your master’s degree in that field or a relevant one. If you studied business and are now focusing on the accounting side of things, you could get an accounting or finance degree. 

If you already took courses in a similar field, you may be able to transfer some of the credits. Getting your degree can be expensive, but it can pay off in the long run. One way of making your degree more affordable is by taking out a student loan. If you are thinking of going this route, you can use an online marketplace to compare rates across the different providers.

Look for Continuing Education Opportunities

Even after getting your degree, consider looking for continuing education courses in relevant areas. You will often attend classes, either in-person or virtually, taught by a relevant professional. Depending on your industry, you may be required by your employer to enroll in these courses and get a certain number of credits. This helps you stay updated with changes in your industry. Even if you are not required to take them, you could still investigate universities, colleges, trade associations, and private institutions to see if anything beneficial to you is being offered.

Move Horizontally in Your Career

If you think you are experiencing signs it’s time to change your job, consider changing your role instead. More and more companies want employees who can easily switch between jobs or departments. Today, many companies have training departments of experts in certain subjects. Some of these experts specialize in specific skills while others may teach multiple ones. But once you have been trained by one of these experts, you can then work in another department.

Look for a Mentor

Consider shadowing other employees who are good at what they do. You could shadow a top employee in your department or someone in another department. You may follow them around to learn about what they do and how they are successful. The employee will be teaching you about their skills while they perform the job. You can talk to your manager to see if they would be willing to assign you a mentor. You can also find mentors outside your company. You may consider joining a professional association. You may want to investigate the different levels, including national, state, and local. Most local chapters will have meetings that are easier for you to attend, but either way, you will usually be in a group setting where you can connect with other professionals in your field.

Remember the days when most women stayed home and typically didn’t work outside the home? Well, those days are long gone and women have taken the business world by storm. These fierce females are now CEOs in corporate or running their own successful companies. But even with their success there is a downside: not having enough time for themselves or their families. When it comes to creating the right work-life balance, you need to know where to start.

Delegate Responsibilities

When it comes to being a lady boss, you need to delegate household and work responsibilities. Yes, you might be able to do it all, but do you really need to do so? Say you’re trying to rapidly scale your business and need additional funding. You have several options like crowdfunding or looking for investors, but really want to keeps things in house if possible. You really need to free up time so you can research different small business loan options. This means enlisting the help of your partner or employee to take over other daily operations. Since a business loan can help you grow your business, you need to your documentation in order before you apply. Lenders will want to see a business plan, your profit and loss sheet and also your future projections. This requires times and probably a whole lot of patience, so you need to hand off some of the responsibilities to get things done properly.

Focus on Yourself

When a business is new, it’s normal to throw yourself into it and never take time for yourself. After all, you want to be your own boss and already knew that the first couple of years would be tough. While building a business does take a lot of manhours, you also need to give yourself time to regroup. Not taking time for yourself and family usually leads to burnout and probably a lot of family members feeling rejected. Consider outsourcing household administration and schedule downtime where you only focus on yourself and your family. Keep in mind this doesn’t mean doing housework or going to the market. You should do activities that you and your family enjoy and spend quality time together. Once you start burning the midnight oil again, you’ll probably be surprised how much more you accomplish.

Be Enthusiastic

It might sound corny, but you need to love what you do. So many times, we try to start a business because we think it’s the right thing to do. Sadly, if you’re not doing something you’re passionate about, you usually end up feeling like a hamster in a wheel. You won’t be excited to wake up and start your day. You might even start to resent it. Make sure you embrace each day and your company with enthusiasm. Choose a business model and niche that you feel strongly about; one you know you can make a difference in.

Let Your Family In

As a strong, confident woman, you want to take on the world without needing any outside help. You might even feel like asking for help makes you weak. But you know what? That’s the farthest thing from the truth. Behind every successful entrepreneur is a team of family and friends who are ready to step and give them the support they need. When you’re feeling run down or even feel like giving up, let them know so they can help out.

Being happy in your job is something everyone should be aiming for. As a significant part of your life, your job plays a huge role in how satisfied you feel with your routine and world on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, determining when it’s the right time to leave an old position behind and start searching for something new can be easier said than done. While moving into a new job can be an excellent way to pursue your passions and unlock opportunities, it can also be a scary and daunting experience. Fortunately, there are some flags you can look for which may indicate you’re already in the right position to make the change.

You’ve Already Started Looking at Education

Switching to a new career won’t necessarily mean earning new credentials if you’re sticking with a similar role. However, if you’ve found yourself looking into educational opportunities and ways to pay for your degree, like Earnest private student loans, this is a good sign you’re craving a different working experience to the one you have now. How often do you find yourself reading through job descriptions or looking at class syllabus information for a course you’re interested in? If you’re more passionate about the idea of learning something new than doing your current job, it might be time to look for something new. 

You’re Constantly Stressed and Exhausted

Any kind of work can be stressful from time to time. However, the exhaustion and anxiety which can accompany certain roles shouldn’t be influencing how you feel all the time. If you’re always dragging your feet on the commute to work, or worrying too much to get to sleep each night, then this indicates your job is having a negative impact on your mental health. Forcing yourself to continue pushing forward with a difficult position might feel necessary for a short time, but it can actually end up significantly harming your mood, and your immune system. Over time, your stress could also lead to a poor performance at work, which could make it harder to get the referrals and positive reviews you need for a new position.

You’re Bored and Unchallenged

Sometimes, a boring job can be easy and straightforward, allowing people to detach from work and minimize their stress levels. However, there’s only so long anyone can thrive in a boring, uninspiring position. Your workplace should give you challenges to overcome, and allow you to put your skills to the test in a variety of different situations. If you feel like you’re not getting the opportunity to thrive, then you may need to look for something new. Ask yourself what parts of the job you have now you currently enjoy, what you’re passionate about outside of work, and what kind of talents you have. How can you combine all of these factors together to start looking for a role that fulfills your emotional and personal needs? While switching to a new job can feel scary, don’t make the mistake of sticking with a role you hate just because you want to avoid the stress. A little bravery now can lead to a happier life in the future.