Deferred internships and PPOs, as well as delayed college terms, mean you have plenty of time to learn something. All and sundry have been telling you to upskill yourself in this COVID 19 influenced lockdown. And that is a great way to spend your time right now, thanks to coronavirus. But here’s the thing. Pursuing random courses may not really help you. What will add value to your CV is pursuing courses in relation to your future career or job profile. Whether it is BFSI or consulting you wish to work in, or sales and marketing, or operations and supply chain management, or HRM, there are some basic skills you can gain through online certifications that can help you show a strong profile. So what are these courses and certification and why should you pursue them? Find out in this article.Whether you wish to get into marketing, product management and development, business development, growth hacking, marketing management, sales, risk management and analysis, business analysis, financial analysis, portfolio and wealth management, business strategy, management consulting, HRM, operations and supply chain management, quality control and systems analysis, etc., there’s a little something here for all of you.
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10 Certifications That Will Help No Matter What Career You Choose
1. Digital Marketing
Everyone tells you to pursue digital marketing courses if you wish to work in marketing. And you can find a laundry list of various digital marketing skills that will add value to your CV, if your chosen career path revolves around social media and digital. Whether it’s Google certifications or others. Find them all here.
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2. Market Research
Whether you want to work in strategy, growth hacking, sales, business development, product development, product management, digital or any other aspect of marketing, this is a certification that will help you across the spectrum. In fact, if you plan to get into any of the other specialisations, basic knowledge of market research is likely to help you and add value to your CV no matter what. Here’s a few places you can learn this skill:
Here’s a course by InsideIIM-Konversations on Market Research that we recommend.
If you are serious about market research, and want to make a career in the field, here’s a course by the University of Cornell. Pretty expensive, but one of the best courses you can pursue to master the science behind market research.
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3. Six Sigma for Quality and Operations management
One of the most important skills required across an operations or supply chain career, quality management can be useful in various job roles. Whether you plan to manage processes for an FMCG, IT or finance company including banks, having a certification in this skill is a plus and shows your dedication to improving processes. Here are a few Six Sigma Courses you can check out if interested in this direction:
Here’s a Six Sigma course Yellow Belt by Udemy that you can check out. You can also check out the Six Sigma White Belt course on Udemy.
Business analysts blend data analytics with business strategy to help organisations grow and profit. Business analyst is a great entry-level role offered by IT companies, banks and consulting companies, among others. Blending tech knowledge with business strategy puts you in the spotlight as far as recruiters are concerned. Here are a few certifications in business analysis for you:This course by Simplilearn is one of its kind. Brought to you by CBAP, the elite international business analysis certification proving extensive experience in business analysis. Aligned with the standards of IIBA, this CBAP training helps you stay relevant driving business processes and achieving results.
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5. Product Management
One of the most coveted job roles offered by recruiters such as Flipkart, Amazon, Uber, Facebook, Google, etc., product management marries various functions. From product development, to operations to strategy to finance, a product manager must work on all aspects. Additionally, when working on a software product, which most ecommerce companies expect, knowledge of tech and coding is an additional benefit. Learning the basics of product management will help you in getting selected by recruiter, b-schools, etc. So here are a few courses on product management:
A serious certification you can pursue instead of an MBA, this course by Duke Corporate Education via Upgrad is great if you want to be a product manager for sure.
This course by Udemy, costing only 360 INR with discounts is a great way to learn the basics of product management.
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6. Finance Certifications - PRM, CFP
If you’re planning to build a career in finance, consulting, banking, stock markets, etc., a couple of skills that will win you kudos and recruiter attention include risk management and financial planning. Here are some courses that will help you learn these skills:
Check out IIM Bangalore’s Risk Management certification on EdX, here.
Check out this free course to learn the basics of risk management, here.
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7. Financial Analyst
A financial analyst needs a minimum of a bachelor's degree — preferably in a finance-related major, such as accounting, statistics, or economics. Analysts who want to enjoy greater opportunities for jobs and salaries might get the chance post-MBA. Learning this particular skill and understanding what a financial analyst does, will help you across all kinds of strategy related jobs. In fact, this could be your shortcut to that partner, C-suite position, given you know your field well! Here are some certifications to help you learn this skill:
This course on Udemy will give you 360 degrees view into the role and functions as well as the responsibilities of a financial analyst.
Check out more finance-related online courses here.
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8. Python
Python is a popular general purpose programming language used for both large and small-scale applications. Python is used in large-scale functions and software engineering jobs, such as game development, machine learning, database management, and more. Whether you plan to get into banking, finance, operations, HR or marketing and product development, knowledge of this language will add points to your CV. Whether you’re an engineer or not, learning this particular language is a pretty valuable skill right now. Here’s a few courses to learn Python from scratch:
This Python for beginners specialisation from the University of Michigan on Coursera will be useful if you’re wanting to learn the very basics of the language.
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9. Statistical Tools For Data Analytics
Working with data is a requirement in today’s world. No matter what domain or career you choose, you will have to understand and play with data. But understanding data requires the knowledge of using certain statistical tools. You need to be able to make sense of data after all. And these statistical tools are designed to help you make sense of data. Here’s where you can learn these concepts:
Check out this free Machine Learning course by John Hopkins University on Coursera to give you an idea on how to analyze data.
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10. Training & Development in HR
With COVID 19 changing the way the world works, the needs of work-life will change too. This means HR managers will have to pay special attention to the training and development of the current as well as the new incoming workforce. If you are interested in an HR career, building your knowledge of the training and development aspect of HR is a big plus for you. Check out these courses to help you understand and learn more about this aspect of HR:
So these are the basic skills you need to develop some proficiency in and certifications you can pursue during this downtime. Remember, whether you’re an MBA aspirant or current student, these certifications and skills will add immense value to your profile. They will show recruiter and interview panels that you’re interested in certain subjects and careers, as well as demonstrate your drive to work towards your goals.Best of luck and make good use of your time!