School attendance is all about learning certain things. You gain specific knowledge at school, whether you are attending high school or whether you are learning more specialized information in college.
However, even though you might obtain useful knowledge and skills that can help you with your career later on, the reality is that there are some very practical things that you probably won’t learn in school. With the help of Best Colleges Online, here are 5 career skills you likely won’t learn in school:
1. Networking
There aren’t usually classes taught on networking. However, networking is vital in today’s job market. Sometimes who you know really does matter more than what you know. Being able to make useful connections and foster helpful relationships is essential if you want to be able to properly leverage your career going forward.
2. Salary Negotiation
You probably won’t learn any type of negotiating skills while you are in school, and that’s too bad. Understanding the mechanics of a salary negotiation are vital if you want to be paid what you’re worth.
It’s important to understand how to research an appropriate salary for your experience and education level. You should also learn the basic techniques associated with any negotiation. Understanding the “rules” of salary negotiation can help you proceed in an appropriate manner. Plus, your starting salary sets the tone for the rest of your career, and directs the way you are most likely to earn money in the future.
3. Online Career Strategy
Your online presence can contribute a great deal to your career. You need to have an online strategy to go with your career plans. This includes building a good LinkedIn profile, and watching what you post on Facebook and Twitter.
Building an online presence also includes such items as writing insightful blog posts and trying to raise your positive profile in your career field. Few schools are going to teach you how to set up your online presence in a way that helps your career, and it’s something that is vitally important in a climate that features hiring managers Googling potential hires before extending job offers.
4. Resume and Cover Letter
When I was in school, I certain didn’t receive instruction on the proper way to construct a resume or cover letter. While some universities have career centers that can help you as you put together your employment portfolio, the reality is that most job seekers would be better served by having this information as a part of the regular curriculum.
Look for online templates, or get help from a career professional, so that you can learn how to properly create a resume and cover letter. This is important, because these items act as your introduction to a potential employer.
5. How to Identify Potential Employers
Finally, schools don’t teach you what the future looks like for certain career fields. Additionally, you aren’t going to receive training on how to identify potential employers. School also doesn’t teach you how to approach potential employers to start networking and get an idea of what it takes to work for your desired company.
These are essential skills in today’s job marketplace. So, while you might not learn these skills in school, it’s still important that you learn them somewhere.
Image: Aiden Jones via Flickr
