Jennifer Carlevatti is a freelance writer with more than two decades of marketing and communications experience in the technology, arts and education sectors. A firm believer in lifelong learning, she enjoys connecting readers with new perspectives and resources.
From kids’ birthday parties to home renovations, everyone has managed a project at some point in their personal lives. And chances are, you’ve managed a project or two at work, even if project manager isn’t in your job title. Do you enjoy the responsibilities and want to make a career out of it? If so, our project management for beginners guide can help you enter this burgeoning field or take on new tasks in your current role.
Project Management
In the not-so-distant past, college was seen as an unassailable path to landing a good job – a golden ticket to higher salaries, future promotions, and a middle- to upper-class lifestyle. However, an increasing number of Americans are calling into question the value of higher education at all levels. Is it worth the cost? Does it guarantee job offers? Will career growth stall without it?
There isn’t one surefire way to climb the career ladder successfully, and serious issues including stagnant wages, high costs, and student loan debt are fueling the national reckoning with college. But the evidence is clear: Higher education and continuing education still provide an excellent return on investment for most students.
Professional Development
With apologies to Bob Dylan, the times they are a-changin’. Millennials and Gen Z now make up more than half the U.S. workforce, and by 2030, all members of the Baby Boom generation will have reached retirement age. Among the many changes ushered in by this generational shift is a move toward collaborative leadership styles instead of top-down management – and it’s transforming the culture of work.
Leadership & Management
Ever receive an email from a company that sets your internal warning system on high alert? Maybe the sender’s email address is irregular, or they’re threatening to cancel your account, or the email is riddled with spelling errors. Those alarm bells aren’t paranoia – chances are, you’ve been targeted in a phishing attack, one of today’s most common cybercrimes. Keep reading to learn how to protect yourself from phishing.
Technology
Customer service is an industry as broad as the Mississippi River – a catch-all for positions that encompass everything from call center representatives to flight attendants to patient care coordinators. Despite the seemingly disparate array of jobs available, at their heart, they all have one thing in common: ensuring customer satisfaction. If you like supporting customers, here are some of the top jobs you may want to consider.
Professional Development
More than a million project management professionals across the globe have earned the prestigious PMP certification, making it the most widely recognized (and sought-after) credential in the industry. It can be a time-consuming process to prepare for the rigorous exam, but the rewards of passing it are significant. From earning a higher salary to scoring the most challenging projects, here are the benefits of PMP certification that make it a worthwhile investment in your career.
Project Management
While the COVID-19 pandemic is winding down, there are a few positive aspects of this long, strange year that are likely to stick around. Chief among them are remote work, online training, and online resources, particularly in the process improvement arena. If you’re ready to upskill and explore new developments in the field, check out some of our favorite online Lean Six Sigma and process improvement resources.
Process Improvement
When you’re juggling a million daily tasks, it’s tempting to think continuous process improvement in business is a nice-to-have goal instead of essential work. Here’s why you need to put it on the front burner according to business titan Bill Gates: “A lousy process will consume ten times as many hours as the work itself requires.” Be like Bill. Explore how a commitment to process improvement can actually save time, reduce costs, improve quality, and more – even if you’re not gunning to be the next Microsoft.
Process Improvement
If you’re considering a career as a paralegal, chances are you’ve envisioned your days racking up billable hours and case wins in a successful law firm (à la Rachel Zane on the legal TV drama, Suits). It’s a popular stereotype, but you should know that it’s not your only option. There are many types of paralegal jobs available in a growing list of industries, including health care, real estate, government, and more.
Paralegal Certificate
In the digital age, no organization is immune to cybersecurity threats, but K-12 schools can be especially vulnerable. Incidents were already on the rise prior to the start of the pandemic, and the rapid transition to online learning last spring markedly increased opportunities for mischief. The good news? There are plenty of ways to protect students, staff and systems. We’ll explore the top 5 K-12 cybersecurity threats schools are facing, why they’re occurring, and what can be done to stop attacks in their tracks.
K-12 Education
Whether you chose project management early on or fell into the role later in your career, organization, time management, and planning likely come naturally to you. It’s why you’re a project manager, after all. But shepherding projects across the finish line in today’s ever-evolving business landscape requires more than just traditional competencies. To take your effectiveness to the next level, make sure you’ve honed these 5 skills of successful project managers.
Leadership & Management, Director's Corner
Now that millennials are mid-career and you’ve finally figured out how they think, it’s time to focus on the next generational wave: Gen Z. The oldest members of this cohort are already working, and 60 million more will be entering the workforce in the next decade. Are you ready for them? We’ll show you how to recruit Gen Z employees by helping you understand who they are, what they value, and what they want from a job.
Leadership & Management
If you’re an extrovert who thrives on working with others, there are plenty of reasons to consider a human resources career. HR is a high-touch field, and practitioners interact with people from all walks of life from sun up to sun down. But it takes more than just people skills to succeed in an HR role. Is human resources the right career for you? Read on to explore whether the field is a good fit for your innate skills and personality.
Human Resources
This year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many college admissions offices are waiving the need for standardized test scores. However, plenty of schools still require an official score report before they will review your application for undergraduate or graduate admission (USF is one of them). Online exams can be a safe way to fulfill this requirement. If you’re not familiar with this option, here’s what you need to know about online standardized testing.
Test Prep
Over the last decade, digital marketing has steadily increased its share of marketing budgets. Once a novelty, activities like building SEO-optimized websites, creating effective social media ads, and developing email campaigns are no longer “nice-to-have” or “maybe-some-day” strategies – they’re critical to the survival of your company. Read on to see how online marketing courses can boost your business and ensure you stay competitive in the marketplace.
Marketing
Do you roll out of bed in the morning and head straight for your laptop? Spend the entire day in your PJs and fuzzy bedroom slippers? Find yourself longing for a trip to Target just to get out of the house for 20 minutes and talk to, well, anyone?
Professional Development
Whether your boss is requiring you to take online training courses or you’re voluntarily trying to expand your skill set, finding time for professional development can be a challenge. Between juggling a stressful job, family obligations, and social demands, it can seem impossible. Something has to give, right? Not necessarily. With just a few tips, we’ll have you managing online corporate training without dropping any of the balls you have in the air.
Human Resources, Professional Development
From watching goofy dog videos on YouTube to catching up with far-flung friends on Facebook to sharing family vacation snaps on Instagram, social media has become thoroughly ingrained in our daily lives. Yet many business owners haven’t made the leap from engaging personally to profiting from it professionally. Are you one of them? Fear not. We’ll show you how to use social media marketing to grow your business.
Business and Technology, Marketing, Business
If you’re a traditional project manager who recently joined the army of newly remote workers, trying to shepherd projects to completion can feel disorienting. In-person meetings where you can observe body language? Gone. Dropping by a colleague’s cubicle for an impromptu status check? Kaput. Taking the team out to lunch to celebrate a milestone? Not happening.
Project Management
If you’re in the technology field, Microsoft certifications are an omnipresent part of the professional landscape. Some employers swear by them. Others, not so much. At the end of the day, are they worth it? The short answer is: Yes. In spite of the love-hate relationship, there are many benefits of Microsoft certifications for both employees and employers.
Business and Technology, Technology
Even in the best of times, some view employee training as a nice-to-have perk that’s a massive drain on company coffers. In an era of tight budgets, it can be even more tempting to think this way.
Human Resources, Professional Development, Leadership & Management, Corporate Training