The COVID-19 Pandemic which shut the world economy down in the spring of 2020 caused many of us to rethink our lives.

While millions of people found themselves out of work, this alone sparked the need for one to develop alternate means for making money. Many people looked into different careers and continuing education in different fields. Online courses also saw a huge surge during the pandemic, and this trend has continued even today as of 2021.

Career development is a fundamental part of ensuring that you place yourself above others in the job market. Thankfully, we have many tools available today to assist with growing your career and learning new skills, and many of these tools can now be found online.

Here, we’ll discuss how you can grow your career online and a few of the tools you can use to make this a reality.

Usenet

Usenet is a network that exists separate from the Internet. Though Usenet can be accessed through the Internet, to get started, it’s actually better to interact with Usenet using a Usenet service provider.

Usenet might not sound familiar, but it’s been around since 1979, a few years before the actual birthday of the Internet on January 1st, 1983.

So, what is it?

Usenet is a network composed of newsgroups. These groups are all found in the model of discussion or bulletin boards. Within these groups, you can discuss ideas, share audio and video files, and chat with others in your industry.

Usenet was actually developed by grad students for the purpose of sharing files with other grad students or academics. This makes it a great place to reach those bright individuals who might be able to assist you with career growth.

Likewise, you’ll also be able to join newsgroups that engage in specific discussions related to job or career growth measures.

Career Growth with Google

Everyone knows that Google is a literal giant of the Internet. You can find anything on Google, and as such, you can also find tools specific to furthering your career.

Google’s career growth platform has several tools you can access such as free training, continuing education, business courses, and certificate programs you can take to help learn new skills in your field.

Google also makes it possible for anyone to branch out and learn new skills in fields entirely separate from their own.

So, if you’re thinking about taking up a side-hustle, or you’re looking to jump to another career specialty entirely, Google can definitely provide you with the tools for success.

Social Media

Nearly everyone is on social media today. Though this is a space that largely caters to younger generations, there are plenty of users in their 60’s and even in their 80’s that use social media today.

What many people don’t realize when scrolling through their news feeds on social media is that these platforms are as helpful with growing your career as they are for sharing your favorite cat videos.

If you’re developing a startup or if you have a small business, social media presence is ever more considered crucial for letting customers know you exist. Just as well, through social media platforms you can find numerous links to courses and training to help you develop skills in your specific field.

You might even consider becoming a social media marketer, or an influencer if you’re able to work up a large enough follower base. Regardless, social media is a gateway of sorts to a host of information that can lead you to career-growing tips and tools.

Even though the pandemic has waned considerably here in the United States, the simple fact that threats to the functionality of our jobs do exist in many forms has made people more aware of the need to have a backup plan.

Additionally, with the job market being so competitive, if you don’t possess the skills and qualifications that will get you noticed (and hired), then you’ll be stuck at square zero, and this is a place where nobody wants to be.

Grow your career, and in turn you’ll grow your life.