Ella Hendrix
With the ever-changing world of work, it is more important than ever for you to have more than one qualification in any given subject. There are increasing numbers of people with an undergraduate degree, and many of them are looking to boost their CV to show that they have more to offer.
Which extra qualifications you do will probably be dependent on the job that you are doing – or the job you want to be doing. For example, accountants or medical professionals will have specific skills which they can enhance with other qualifications.
However, there are also courses that can be done to enhance anyone’s CV – to make you more attractive as a potential employee.
1. NEBOSH qualification
Health and safety in the workplace is very important, and the more people who have studied – even to a basic level – the better.
NEBOSH (National Examination Board of Safety and Health) offers a range of different health and safety qualifications, which fit across most industries and are well respected throughout the world. This means that no matter where you are looking to work, whether in your local village or in another country, your NEBOSH qualification will be highly regarded and recognised. A NEBOSH national general certificate can be obtained by anyone, and is useful for both you as an employee, and to your employer.
2. Social media
Knowing how social media works, and how to make it work for you has never been more important – not only in your work life but also at home. Anyone whose role in a company involves being concerned with the business’s image and online marketing – which, let’s face it, is probably everyone in the company, could benefit from a social media course.
It almost seems like the world revolves around social media at the moment, so by having a good understanding of how it works, and how it could work for you and the business, you could prove to be a valuable asset in your workplace.
3. Excel
Microsoft Excel is used in many offices across the world. And while it is extremely useful, and second nature to use for many people, it can be tricky to understand at first. Microsoft offer an Analysing and Visualising Data with Excel course for free (although you will have to pay to get the qualification certificate).
If you already know a lot about Excel, or if you’d like to know more, this qualification could be useful to you. It’s also a great indicator to a future employer that you know your stuff when it comes to Excel, giving you an advantage over other applicants who may need more training.
4. Customer service
Customer service skills are highly important – and not only for people who deal directly with customers. An employee is an ambassador for a business, so if you have contact with anyone outside of the company, you would benefit from honing your customer service skills.
Likewise, you will also have internal customers – these are, basically, everyone else who you work with in the company. It’s important to know how to deal with, and communicate well with them too.
Customer service skills are transferable into almost any job, and will be a boost to your CV if you wanted to work in any field that involves communication with other people!
5. Leadership
If you have plans to become a manager or take on a leadership role, learning the skills involved can be beneficial – it will show potential employers you are serious about your career progression. A leadership qualification can help to focus your mind more on what it takes to lead – something many people struggle with.
Taking a course in leadership will show potential employers that you are ambitious, and serious about your career, as well as keen to improve yourself.
With more competition in the workplace, extra qualifications can be an important factor in ensuring you get your dream job, and give you an advantage over others right from the start.