Upskill Today to Ensure Your Future Career Success

Technology is changing the way we do our work. Are you keeping up? To stay on top of the rapid transformations in the business landscape, we have to evolve as well. The way to do that is by upskilling to ensure your future career success.

Upskilling is going through additional training to expand your capabilities. It means ramping up your knowledge and skills to adapt to shifts in the workplace and your industry. 

Take our new normal, for example: 67% of Malaysian companies required their employees to work from home. To stay productive and efficient in this setup, you need to be proficient in online collaboration and productivity tools. 

Consider the meteoric rise of e-commerce and its impact on a business. Employers now have to strengthen their digital presence through social media marketing, optimise their online ordering system, and ensure excellent customer service. To keep pace with developments in your industry, you should learn the latest technology and best business practices. By doing so, you can play a bigger role in the success of your company.

Upskilling works both ways, benefiting you and your organisation. By learning skills and gaining knowledge in new areas in your career, you increase your employee value and help improve your company’s bottom line.

“Employers often look favourably on candidates who demonstrate an appetite for learning and who have an agile mindset as it complements their desire to upskill and evolve their existing team,” says Nicole Gorton, Director of Robert Half.

Upskilling keeps you relevant and marketable, enabling your professional advancement now and in the future. If you want to build a rewarding and exciting career, start upskilling today.

How to upskill

How do you start upskilling?  First, understand how your industry is changing and what skills are now in demand. While building your skills in your current role, Gorton suggests you read up on industry news, research business trends, and gain insights from thought leaders. 

Get advice from your senior colleagues on what technical or transferable skills you should enhance. You can also ask your HR department if the company offers training programs and other learning opportunities. Participate in online conferences or networking sessions to get ideas and opinions from attendees.

“These can help you have your finger on the pulse of industry trends, cross-pollinate ideas and resources with peers, build your interpersonal skills and expand your network,” says Gorton. 

“Once you’ve developed a roadmap of the skills you would like to learn and improve, you can identify the best avenue to undertake learning,” Gorton says. 

Here is a list of upskilling opportunities you can consider:

• short-term training
• online classes
• workshops
• business conferences
• mentorship programs
• volunteer work
• joining professional associations
• subscriptions to industry journals and publications

Still not sure what to focus on?

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Learn a foreign language. 

With the globalisation of business, being multilingual is a distinct advantage. See which countries are the major and emerging players in your industry and start learning their ABCs--so to speak. You can download language learning apps, take a course online, or check out embassy-affiliated language schools.

Enhance your digital literacy skills.

The pandemic may have accelerated the shift to the virtual workplace, but most believe remote work is here to stay. Master digital productivity and collaboration tools to stay on top of your game.

Upskill for a digital pivot.

As companies extend the range and reach of their businesses online, so should you. For example, if you’re in marketing, take courses on digital marketing tools and strategies like search engine marketing and marketing automation. Consider a basic web design course to better understand the fundamentals of this essential tool for business growth.

When upskilling, you should not limit yourself to technical skills but also hone soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence. 

“Upskilling does not necessarily mean achieving accreditation in the most up-to-date technical skills, although that does hold value,” Gorton says. “Businesses will look to complement an increasingly automated business model with a workforce equipped to provide strategic and human insight.”

Upskilling for the future

According to SEEK research published in December 2019, the number of people that upskilled to benefit their future role rose from 52% to 57%. Those who only upskilled to excel further in their current area of responsibility declined from 69% to 59%. 

Six months into the pandemic, these numbers could change significantly. Perhaps these disruptions in our lives are making you reassess where you are now in your career--and where you want to go. Being open to new challenges and opportunities makes us grow and fuels our passion for work. The best time for a new beginning is now.

Ready for your future? After upskilling, update your profile to highlight your new skills. Start your journey to a fulfilling career by searching for #JobsThatMatter. Add #WorkNow to your profile if you are immediately available for employment. For more practical tips and expert insights, visit our career resources.

At JobStreet, we believe in bringing you #JobsThatMatter. As a Career Partner, we are committed to helping all jobseekers find passion and purpose in every career choice. And as the number 1 Talent Partner in Asia, we connect employers with the right candidates who truly make a positive and lasting impact on the organisation. 

Discover Jobs That Matter. Visit JobStreet today.

About SEEK Asia

SEEK Asia, a combination of two leading brands JobStreet and JobsDB, is the leading job portal and Asia's preferred destination for candidates and hirers. SEEK Asia’s presence span across 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam. SEEK Asia is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed SEEK Limited Company, the world's largest job portal by market capitalisation. SEEK Asia attracts over 400 million visits a year.

About SEEK Limited

SEEK is a diverse group of companies, comprising a strong portfolio of online employment, educational, commercial and volunteer businesses. SEEK has a global presence (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, South-East Asia, Brazil and Mexico), with exposure to over 2.9 billion people and approximately 27 per cent of global GDP. SEEK makes a positive contribution to people’s lives on a global scale. SEEK is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, where it is a top 100 company and has been listed in the Top 20 Most Innovative Companies by Forbes.