The world is transforming more into the digital world including how career professionalism is perceived. Things are changing so building a strong career around your niche simply means you are adapting to the change.
As different fields become more competitive by the day, one must always take the next step to be different in the market. It could involve increasing your knowledge or taking several courses to place you at higher significance or it could even be that you have to manage what you already have by engaging in different platforms. Sometimes it might be that you have to connect with people of similar career fields or you have to put yourself out there by displaying what you have got; it might even be how you would have to ensure proper project management in your career. Whatever it is, there are distinctive websites that could be of help to facilitate this career growth you aspire to get.
These websites have imparted in peoples' career growth, most of which we might have come across and it is still doing the same presently. Some of them are free, and some combine both free and premium services; they are also very easily navigable.
1. LinkedIn
There is hardly any serious person that doesn't own a LinkedIn account. However, it is one thing to own an account, it is another to make use of the platform to enhance your professional growth.
LinkedIn is the world's largest professional platform with 774+ million users as of 2021 and it combines the provision of connections, some free courses as well as a wide range of job opportunities. The interesting part about LinkedIn is that it has resources that can make one leverage the platform to generate the desired interest.
Owning to its language diversity all over the world, it also gives room for personal branding. In fact, outside LinkedIn, some recruiters take individual personal branding on LinkedIn as one of the criteria during application. This shows its importance and how it can determine the viability of one's profession. Not only that, LinkedIn provides Analytics tools that can help check engagements and whatever you need to check as regards your development on the app.
This platform provides countless opportunities and being able to leverage it would result in massive professional growth.
2. Coursera
Coursera is a well-known online course service provider worldwide with about 82 million registered users as of 2021. About 150 universities provide courses through this platform, most of which is equivalent to a professional 4-year degree. This platform works with governments and corporations to deliver the best. It even started offering full master's degrees in 2017.
One fascinating thing about Coursera is that they provide professional certificates which are widely accepted in most parts of the world. You will surely find whatever you wish to learn to serve as a step up in your career. Not only that, but they also provide financial aid on courses that are not free as long as you can prove you deserve it.
3. Indeed
Getting quality jobs is part of building professional career growth and this brings me to talk about Indeed.
Indeed offers services to over 250 million visitors per month and what it does is provide jobs. It provides a variety of jobs as well as allows setting up your CV on the platform. The platform goes a long way to seek a job for its users making sure all necessary information concerning each job is provided. It also gives salary comparison with the different available jobs making it possible to be able to select the most preferred.
4. Fiverr
Still on platforms that offer job listings, we have Fiverr.
Fiverr is one of the most popular platforms which provides opportunities for freelancers and it can be a marketplace to build your CV and your career growth as a whole. It is a marketplace that is flexible enough to allow negotiations between the freelancer and the recruiter.
5. Skillshare
Skillshare is another online learning platform which can be used to boost your professional career growth. Although it has stopped offering a free version and now offers a premium version with a 30-day free membership, it is worth the price. The platform provides scholarships and financial aid just like Coursera.
Also, it is more focused on those involved in small businesses, freelancing and entrepreneurial activities. It also offers an avenue where they employ the use of teams and groups to enhance the performances of its users. The groups are divided into four categories namely Creative, Technology, Business and Lifestyle; these groups can help to build connections with other people in similar niches to yours.
6. Behance
While the design industry is very competitive, Behance is a design platform that allows one to be ahead. It was introduced by Adobe and it houses over 10 million members.
This platform can earn you connections with other designers, inspiration from other people's designs, and an online portfolio for your employers. As it gives the chance to see what your competitors are doing, it also gives the chance for uniqueness.
7. Quora
Everyone probably knows Quora, but do you know there is more to it?
Probably not!
Unlike other websites, Quora is a question-and-answer website. While you get answers to whatever might be your question, you also get to connect with similar great minds as yours. Quora ranks answers using PageRank and this is another aspect to increase your visibility as a professional in your field. More visibility means more people getting to you and probably paving the way in times you don't even expect.
Quora also creates an avenue for its users to organise professional events which is another level of networking entirely.
8. The Muse
The Muse is a career platform which showcases companies and the services they offer. It is more like an employment website that gives all the information about companies and their recruitment details.
It also offers online courses that could serve as a form of development for one's career and you also have the opportunity to hire coaches at certain amounts.
9. Careerbuilder
Careerbuilder works just like other employment websites. It simply helps people with recruitment processes and it provides learning avenues for career development.
10. Trello
What is a professional career without proper project management?
Nothing!
Trello is a project management tool that sets you up as a professional in your field. It helps you to be able to manage your job and see to it professionally. It is one website that depicts one's level of professionalism as it makes you aware of your balance.
As the world keeps evolving technologically, one thing is certain and that is there will be subsequently websites that will combine the services of the aforementioned websites. This is why it is required to be vigilant because the definition of professional career growth is subject to change. While it is good that we are looking out for how these websites will help boost our career growth, we also have to be alert for better choices.