How to make use of the internet to advance your career

The internet is a remarkable resource that has opened up a world of opportunities to people in many different ways. While there’s a definite focus on the commercial possibilities like advertising and other forms of marketing and information gathering, there’s also a wealth of useful resources available online that can help you advance your career.

Making connections

The most well-known professional networking site has got to be LinkedIn. It enables people to make connections with others in their industry or related sectors and showcases your skills to employers and influential contacts. It also provides a platform for you to publish business-related articles, get involved in collaborations and group working and raise your profile in general.

LinkedIn might be the most well known professional networking site, but there are many other ways to make connections. Your professional body probably has a networking site, although they may not call it that. They might say it’s a communication hub for example, but the principle functions will be the same – making contact and building relationships with people who matter in your field of work.

Pursuing further education opportunities

The internet has opened up access to education and learning for millions of people who would otherwise have been unable to study. Being able to research a topic, find facts and figures, and read different viewpoints has created one of the most extensive libraries of educational resources in the world. The Internet helps students produce high quality work and get a more in-depth understanding of the subject they’re researching, and enables them to employ innovative methods in presenting their work using multimedia platforms.

As well as being such a game-changer for access to research materials, the internet has made it possible to create courses to educate students remotely. Rather than having to attend a college or university, a student can stay at home, work and earn a living, and complete all their studies and assignments using online resources and submission systems. From courses in basic skills to advanced degrees, all levels of training and education are available online to students all over the world.

When deciding which course to go for, you need to think about the skills and qualifications you already have, and where you want to go in your career. For example, say you studied for a degree in psychology because you weren’t sure what you wanted to do after college. You take a job as an office junior to earn some money and discover that you find the business world fascinating and that you seem to have an aptitude for it. You decide you want to go further in the business world, but your bachelor’s degree in psychology isn’t especially relevant to where you want to go next.

The answer may be to look at studying for a business qualification that will demonstrate your expertise to employers present and future. The Master of Business Administration degree, better known as an MBA, is one that many people study for while they are working, and it’s a qualification that opens doors in a range of business and management roles. You can enroll on a course through some outstanding institutions, such as the University of Redlands MBA course at online.redlands.edu.

There are several advantages to studying after you’ve left full-time education:

1. You are likely to be more committed than you may have been in college if you weren’t sure of your career path.
2. You could well be more knowledgeable about the subject you’re studying.
3. You’ll benefit from learning to manage your time.
4. You’ll be earning while you learn.

Employers are usually impressed by candidates who’ve studied and qualified as mature students because it demonstrates their commitment and enthusiasm. It’s a significant accomplishment to be awarded a degree that you’ve studied for while working, and employers know it takes considerable effort to complete a course, which is very much in your favour when they’re comparing potential new hires.

The internet is the first place most people turn to when they’re looking for a job or a new career opportunity, but there’s far more online than just the job hunting sites. As well as the facility to develop a network of industry connections and further your education, you can access tools for creating better CVs and cover letters, and advice on interview techniques and making applications, as well as help with every aspect of job hunting. The Internet is a goldmine for job seekers, so make sure you’re mining every bit of treasure from it.

What other ways can the internet be used to further a career? Let us know in the comments.