3 Reasons You Should Be Filling Your Skill Gaps

For many people, a successful career is defined by a relentless march upward – constantly seeking the next promotion.

However, a constant upward focus can leave you with a very narrow skill set and a result of that can be career insecurity. A more comprehensive approach should include addressing any skills gaps through constant learning, training and even the occasional lateral career move.

3 Reason To Add To Your Skill Set

1) Greater value at work

Addressing a personal skills gap doesn’t put your career on hold. In fact, it sets the stage for greater career growth. Taking on cross-training or volunteer opportunities showcases your value to your employer, supervisor and co-workers. By increasing your visibility in a positive light, you are positioning yourself as an attractive candidate for promotion or a pay raise.

Even if you don’t get a raise or a promotion, you are setting yourself up for new kinds of work and bigger projects, both of which could be more rewarding that the work you’re currently doing. You’ll also gain favor with your boss, particularly over less-ambitious co-workers.

2) More control over your career

You are the CEO and HR department of your own career. Nobody else is going to chart your career path for you or tell you what skills you need. When you take classes or volunteer for training opportunities, you are taking control of your career.

If you absolve yourself of these “duties”, you are essentially leaving your career up to networking and chance. Sure, getting to know the right people can lead to a lot of career success, but you need have the right skills in order to take advantage of opportunities that come your way.

3) More inspiration

When you work the same job day after day, year after year, you can get stuck in the same ways of thinking. Suddenly, you not looking for new ways to do your job; you’re just putting one foot in front of the other and keeping an eye out for your next upward move.

If you take a class or make a lateral career move, you’re exposed to new idea and points of view, both of which can serve as inspiration. You’ll start to see a much bigger picture for your career and options that you hadn’t previously considered.

Getting started on gaining new skills

Of course, simply taking any class or training course isn’t going to give you all of these benefits. It’s important that you do your research before investing in a skills development project. Research what skills or experiences you might need to unlock more career possibilities. Then, research ways you can gain those skills. Online forums, social media and networking events are all great ways to figure out how to address your skills gaps.

At SMCI, we help people take the next step on their career path by connecting them to best-fit career opportunities. If you’re currently looking to expand your skills set, please contact us today to find out how we can help you.