I just plopped down $300 on an online
course.
I won’t lie, it stung, but I had to look back at when I first started as a freelancer and paid $400 for a certification that easily paid for itself in new work.
I’m a big fan of courses, if they’re the right fit. I try to do one specifically for improving or expanding my skills at least once a year.
A good course can help you feel more confident, aim for bigger fish, launch new services, even raise
your rates faster…but what’s the best way to pick one with so many out there?
Your Skills Library: A Course
This week, you’re going to look for a course to add to your skills library, but I want to help you find a really good one. Here some advice on how to find one that works best for you…
- Get recommendations: Testimonials are a sign of a solid course, but the best come recommended. (The one I just signed up for came
with the recommendation from a coach I follow as well as one of the members from our Skype group.)
- Know your budget: Like I said, I’ve paid hundreds for courses, but I’ve also done some good ones that were free or just a couple dollars. Udemy is a good place to look for cheaper education, but YouTube also has a LOT of education for every price point.
- Respect how you learn: We all learn differently…some of us prefer audio, some reading, some video, some a combination. If you’re an audio person, don’t invest a ton of money in an e-book-heavy course if you know you won’t get much use out of it. There’s no shame in taking the time to find a good fit.
- Look for
takeaways: Personally, I love it when a course leaves you with materials to use after you’re done. You never know when you might need to take a look back and an extra PDF or slide deck can bring benefits for years and make your initial investment even more worth it.
- Focus on flexibility: We all get busy…sometimes with clients, sometimes with life in general. Sometimes we just need a break. Courses that let you pace yourself, or come back and restart when needed
are a BIG plus and help ensure you get the most value possible.
Do some searching this week, and let me know if you run across anything interesting…talk to you later!
Megan