4 Reasons You Must Develop New Professional Skills

July 08, 2010, By Eric Fleming 0 comments

Contrary to popular belief, you can teach an old dog new tricks. In fact, sometimes it's necessary.

For many people, getting settled into a good job means never having to learn anything new. You do your job and you do it well, but as the years go by, your old word processor gets replaced by a computer and interoffice envelopes are replaced with e-mail. By the time new technologies or processes are introduced, you feel too old to learn them.

Depending on your current job situation and given the state of the job market, not only is adding new skills to your professional bag of tricks a good idea, it might even be vital. Before you brush off the idea, understand that it is never too late to learn something new.

Here are some of the many reasons why learning new job skills is a good idea.

New skills can earn you more money. Want to take an extra weekend vacation this year? How about putting a down payment on a boat, or (gulp) beginning to squirrel money away for your kids' college tuition? When you can demonstrate to your boss that you learned something new, you're not only giving them a reason to add to your job duties, but also to your paycheck as well. In some professions, such as teaching, there is a built-in scale, so as you progress from a basic teaching degree through a master's and finally a doctorate, your paycheck increases as well. But no matter your profession, showing you are ready to learn and make yourself a better employee is almost always rewarded.

You've just made yourself less replaceable. With the ranks of the unemployed swelling daily, it makes sense to make sure you are as attractive to your company as you can be. With employees being asked to cut back on hours, it only makes sense to make sure that you're one of the people your boss feels he can't ask to go home early. And just think how happy your credit card companies will be when you can still pay your monthly bills. Whether you take courses at a community college or pick up an extra certification, adding job skills not only makes you a better worker, but a more valuable one. You become more flexible in what you can do for your company, and in many cases you will be seen as being too valuable to let go should downsizing or other cost-cutting measures be on the table.

You are more attractive to potential employers. Should something happen with your current job, or you just decide to look for greener pastures, having up-to-date job skills is a must. If you've been with a particular company for years and are looking for a fresh start, it's possible that the job you were originally hired to do isn't in demand in today's marketplace. Because of this, adding fresh new skills to your bag of professional tricks will make you stand out in the hiring process. Not only have you shown a desire for something different, you have proved that you have the drive to make it happen. Both of these traits will make you a great candidate.

Congratulations, you're eligible for a promotion! One thing to consider when adding to your professional skills is what your ultimate goal is. If you're looking to advance within the company, consider taking general business management classes. If you have your eye on a particular department within your company, focus on that instead. When hiring for an open position, it's almost guaranteed that you'll stick out if you can show you are not only qualified, but also you have improved yourself in anticipation of just this moment. Far better than sitting back, waiting to be noticed is the employee who is up-front about a desire to advance within the company, and who has demonstrated a willingness to do what it takes to earn the promotion.