Just because it’s not your new career, or even one you want to stick with forever, doesn’t mean you can’t do everything in your power to improve your current job situation. By taking initiative to learn new skills and improve on old ones, you can take control of your career, and your life!  And who knows, in doing so you may find yourself with a promotion and a raise this year!
It is surprisingly easy (and inexpensive) to learn new skills and information particular to your field in this age of technology.

Here are a few quick and easy ways to sharpen up:

• Take courses online. There are a bevy of free learning courses online, similar to college classes. Sites like udacity.com and codecademy.com offer real college course material at any level. Unfortunately there is no degree or certification you can receive, but by improving your knowledge you will still be able to bring many more skills to the table.
• Go to a seminar or lecture at the local college. Check online or in a local paper for events that your local college may offer. While many lectures are only known to students, they are interesting and open to the public. Also for a small fee, some colleges and local learning centers offer classes in subjects like business, computer skills, and communications. They may also offer certifications and licenses for a small fee that may help in your current field.
• Read the latest reports, studies, and journals in your field. Visit the library in your town for some free learning. The academic journal section is usually kept up to date and ranges in subjects from finance to medicine. Reading the dense material will kick start your brain and give you more information than you could possibly need. If it’s too dense, the nonfiction section and popular journals and magazines are laden with information too, and no less informative.
• Exercise your brain. Regardless of your field, your brain could always use sharpening. How long has it been since you’ve been in school? By exercising your brain, you will be a faster and better problem solver and be able to perform tasks with precision. It’s easy to exercise too. Try sites like lumosity.com or go to the bookstore and pick out a workbook on anything to IQ test problems to crossword puzzles and Sudoku. Just exercising your brain for 20 minutes every day could lead to a brand new you!

Go jump start your career, your brain and your self-esteem. The benefits may lead you to a more fulfilled and prosperous New Year.
Answers from AZ