Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Business Training Courses to Help You Escape the Planet of Death

People sometimes ask me if I believe business training courses can rescue a person's career. Strange though it may sound, it's a question that invariably gets me thinking about the perils of space travel. Let me explain.

If you read enough science fiction you will eventually come across the story of a galactic adventurer who crash lands on a seemingly benign planet. It looks like the perfect place to be marooned, a world covered with lush vegetation and enjoying a warm and welcoming climate.

But all is not what it seems. Maybe the planet is home to a deadly virus, or its oceans are awash with toxic chemicals. Perhaps it is populated by a race of man-eating turnips or sadistic koala bears.

In the Garden of Eden
Whatever form the dangers might take, it's clear something on this alien world is not quite right. Our adventurer thinks he's arrived in the Garden of Eden. But it won't take long for him to realise he's landed on the Planet of Death.

In fiction we can enjoy the ups and downs of a sci fi hero as he tries to escape from a hostile environment. In real life, however, being trapped in this way is no laughing matter.

Over the years I've talked to many people who, in career terms, feel as if they have been shipwrecked on the Planet of Death. They are tied to a soul destroying job and are unsure how to break free.

But all is not lost. For them a good business training course could offer a practical and realistic escape route. Acquiring a new skill, or strengthening an existing one, could be all they need to transform their circumstances.

Choosing the right business training courses
When investing in training, it's important to choose courses that will provide you with marketable skills. Ideally, you want to place yourself in up and coming business sectors, where there is a strong demand for well trained people and you detect a clear skill shortage.

Talk to friends and family members in different industries. Take a close look at the employment ads in local and national newspapers. Identify the positions that are much in demand and command high salaries. What skills might you need to apply for these? Are there any business training courses that could provide you with the missing expertise?

Some of these jobs may require years of education and training. But not all. There are many courses lasting one or two days that could open up exciting new career possibilities for you. They could take your current skill set to a higher level or complement an existing expertise.

Improve your employment prospects
For instance, you could be a web designer who wants to broaden your value to customers by learning how to write for the web. There are plenty of excellent courses out there that could get you off to a flying start as an online writer.

Or maybe you know everything there is to know about your company's products and services but you're stuck in a boring desk job. A course in selling could be just what you need to save your career and allow you to put your knowledge to more profitable use.

Good business courses not only supply you with the expertise you need, they can give you the confidence to seek fulfilment in new fields. By widening your appeal to prospective employers you increase your chances of career success.

So, if you find yourself trapped in a dead end job with no obvious way out, ask yourself this question. Could a well chosen business training course be the interplanetary rescue ship that lifts you safely from the Planet of Death.

By Ben J Morgan

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