Digital Career There is no gain saying that digital skills have become so important and lucrative in this age of remote work. However, for you to make the best out of a digital career experience, you must understand and align your personality to your digital career of choice otherwise, you might be setting yourself up for a frustrating work experience.
Funnily, many people think that because the digital workspace is largely done with the computer plugged into the internet, it is something that they can easily decide on and move on. Permit me to let you know that the digital career environment just as every other career space requires the aid of guidance and counselor to help you formulate a better part toward your digital career.
Understandably, many digital work enthusiasts might not be willing or able to afford digital career guidance and counselor. It is on this premise that the G-Consulting International Service, operators of the G-Learning Centre Africa (GLECA) decided to share this blog to expose interested digital career applicants to information that can serve as a stepping stone to their digital career.
First, for you to make a good career out of the digital work environment, you must understand what constitutes a digital skill. To this end, Digital skills are broadly defined as the skill needed to “use digital devices, communication applications, and networks to access and manage information.”
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One thing that the digital world has contributed to the world is the introduction of the lexicon, disruption. While digitalization is causing changes in how the world moves, works and earns, the digital work environment is equally being changed at random. Therefore, it becomes imperative that you are constantly updated on not just the skills but the tools as they are being updated to aid the evolution and revolution in the industry.
As a digital career advocate and trainer, we have come to observe that, while many digital career enthusiasts would want to acquire relevant digital skills, and improve their chances of a good digital career, choosing the right digital skill isn’t as easy as it sounds considering the factors that come to play when prospective digital skills learners need to decide on what digital skill is the best fit for them.
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To contribute to resolving the quagmire that such persons are faced with; we shall be providing relevant steps that you can take to achieve your digital career ambition.
The Research Phase
- First, you must begin by identifying who you are. What is it that you fancy about the digital environment? Discover that thing, and as the saying goes, Google is your friend. The next thing to consider at this preliminary stage is to look at your current work environment if there is any digital need, research what digital skill[s] you will need to advance your profession.
- The second thing to do is to pay attention to digital skills that are still relevant in the global economy or prioritize them to your environment so that you do not finance a skill that won’t be beneficial to you in the short or medium term.
- Thirdly, pay attention to the skills that you have a flair for because if you choose what you hate doing just because it is in high demand and pays well, you will give up soon if the job opportunity does not provide itself.
Having concluded with the research phase, let us move to the next digital career expository journey.
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The Alignment Phase:
- The next step after researching is to make a list of valuable in-demand skills that applies to your profession or that you have discovered that you have a flair for. List them in a hierarchical order, this would help you choose the digital skill that tops your list helping you identify which of the skills that you can decide to begin from.
- Every profession has one or more digital skills that it requires to get the work done smartly and with ease, so take a look at the career path you want and research on the needed software or tool; make a list of the valuable tools that you will want to gain proficient knowledge of their usage.
- Note: If you are new to ICT and computers, I mean if you do not have basic ICT skills like how to use computers and Microsoft packages, your list should start from these basic skills before the career-based skills.
Mentorship Phase
- To be successful in any ICT skill, you will need to learn from someone or an organization that is already doing it and achieving success. An organization that has helped other people achieve success in the area that you will want to go into.
- Present the mentor with your list, who will now look at your list and give you his real-life experience and then help you arrive at the best skill for you.
- At this beginning part, do not think going to YouTube to watch videos will help you. You may end up getting confused the more. Most YouTube videos are meant for those who have already learned the skill.
Consistency Phase
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Consistency and commitment are very vital in learning a digital skill, so have it in your mind that these two virtues would need to be activated for you to achieve your goal of learning and applying a digital skill.
Conclusion Phase
- Now that you have known the steps to take before choosing that digital skill, it is time to get started with learning and earning those new digital skills. Do not delay. There are so many opportunities out there for those who have digital skills. Most of these opportunities are not seen by those who do not have the required digital skills.
- Please remember that you do not just make a list of skills just because they are in high demand and pay very well. You need to look at what you have a passion for. If you start what you don’t love doing, you may give up soon, remember that while hard times will definitely come and usually don’t last for a long time, it is hard people – that is people with required knowledge that lasts longer.
- Also don’t just base your list on what friends or family members who possibly live abroad are telling you. Some skills in high demand there are not here yet unless you are traveling to join them after learning or you can work remotely from here. A mentor can help you in this area.
- If you are interested in learning new ICT skills, don’t delay it, take action now.