Internet Courses Are Your Oyster

I recently watched a Netflix stand up comedy special and a Comedian asked the audience members over 30 to raise their hands. He then asked, "Remember when you were the future?" Nothing has resonated with me more than that joke because it wasn't a joke. I moved to Sweden, to my current job, 1 month before I turned 30. When I was working in the US I was considered a "high potential" and was seen as the future of the company. I was invited to special meetings with other high potentials to brainstorm future movements, I was asked to join a special program to develop into a top manager within a year (which I turned down). Now I am 32 and no longer given these same opportunities. It's amazing what turning 30 can do to a career. I haven't changed my work ethic. I still over perform. I am just simply no longer the future of my company. Even though I am still a Millennial, companies are looking for the younger Millennials to make big moves because they believe they have fresh knowledge.

These are the days of side hustles and an ever changing job environment. What is a popular job today may be out of date tomorrow. If you don't constantly expand your skills you could soon be categorized as an "over 30." There in lies the beauty of online courses. You can choose one that interests you without needing to take a ton of prerequisite lame college courses. Many of them coming with official certification to be added to your resume. They also come in a variety of time options. Most you can do at your own pace making it easy to add to your schedule weekly. My boyfriend is taking an Entrepreneurship course through Coursera from UPenn and a friend taking free business innovation & entrepreneurship courses through EdX. I, myself, completed a course for gaining more Instagram followers from The Daily Dot and am currently taking a Barre Certification course to become a Barre instructor from International Ballet Barre Fitness Association and recently filed my own taxes thanks to a US Taxes for Expats course.

My entire adult career life has been in retail sales positions. While my expertise and specialties within those jobs can be used in other fields, I have found that many recruiters or hiring managers don't care or trust that expertise when they have another candidate with direct work or certification in that job. What happened to hiring people for the personality strengths that can't be taught? Now there is no longer an issue of lacking skills. If you haven't taken an online course you should seriously consider it. You can find ANY interest you have out there as a course. Trust me, its way cheaper than going to college.

Have you taken an online course? Comment below to share your experience with others.