If you’re looking to get ahead in business then there are certain skills that are essential, along with some that are simply very desirable. At the top of the list of “nice to haves” is an MBA from a recognised and respected university or business school. Unfortunately, not all of us have the time or money to take a course like this. However, there are a number of skills we can learn online, whether we want to grow an existing business, increase our employability or set up a whole new enterprise.
Marketing
Whatever the size of a business, it needs to have effective and appropriate marketing if it’s going to thrive. Luckily, there are countless organisations and official bodies that offer online courses that cover everything from creating and developing a brand to identifying and segmenting potential customers. Especially useful are the courses that you’ll find that cover all aspects of digital marketing as this is a particularly practical and cost-effective way to generate sales. By mastering many of the skills involved for yourself, like data analysis and privacy issues, you’ll also save a considerable amount by not having to use outside suppliers.
Project Management
The term project management covers a wide range of subjects but, at the top level, it is exactly what it says: managing all aspects of a project to ensure that the many different elements work together to create a good outcome. In almost any job, as well as when you work for yourself, having a good grounding in the discipline can be very important. Most online courses will cover subjects like setting deliverable goals, allocating roles and responsibilities as well as budget and timing control.
Online Trading
Trading in financial markets has become easier for almost everyone thanks to the internet. But whether you’re planning to speculate on stocks and shares or the increasingly popular foreign exchange (forex) markets, it’s important to get some training. In the case of the latter, it’s a good idea to have a trial run on one of the many demo accounts that are available. These allow you to get used to making trades without needing to invest actual money. Used in conjunction with the many other training materials you’ll find online, they ensure a thorough grounding in the subject.
Entrepreneurship
They may say that true entrepreneurs are born not made, but there’s no reason why certain skills and behaviours can’t be taught as well. Often, you will find that it is some of these successful business people themselves who are offering the online tuition. In other cases, they may be business development organisations or even leading universities from around the world. The courses themselves are likely to be wide-ranging and fairly intense. And, even if they do prove to be demanding, they will have shown that perhaps life as an entrepreneur may not be for you – or at least demonstrated the levels of commitment you’ll need to plough into your business.
Business Strategy
Anyone looking for a great overall subject to study would be well advised to seek out a general course in business strategy. It is likely to bring together a number of the subjects already listed, with the exception of online trading, and will provide a thorough grounding in the principles and practices of business. It’s also likely to be equally relevant whether you work for yourself or for someone else. Then, if you need to focus on any one particular area of business strategy, then you can find another course that looks at it in detail.
So, hopefully, these suggestions have given you more than a little food for thought. Now, it could be time to get learning.
