Introduction
With a rapidly changing job market and the need to stay competitive, lifelong learning has become more important than ever before. Thankfully, LinkedIn Learning offers a plethora of online courses, tutorials, and videos to help individuals get ahead in their careers. In this article, we will be exploring what LinkedIn Learning is, its benefits, and how it can help you advance your professional development.
What is LinkedIn Learning?
LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that offers courses in various categories such as business, technology, creative, and more. With an extensive library of courses, it caters to anyone looking to develop or improve their technical or soft skills. The platform’s courses are taught by industry experts, with new courses added regularly.
LinkedIn Learning is an upgrade from Lynda.com, which LinkedIn acquired, and users can access from LinkedIn once they sign up for LinkedIn Premium. However, users can also sign up for LinkedIn Learning a la carte.
The platform is designed to offer personalized learning to individuals from different professional backgrounds, from beginners to seasoned professionals. The platform offers courses ranging from beginner level to expert proficiency level, so anyone can find a course that matches their needs and skills.
How LinkedIn Learning Can Help You Advance Your Career
LinkedIn Learning is an excellent tool to help individuals advance in their careers. It offers numerous benefits that traditional learning methods can’t match, and it can provide users with a competitive edge in the job market.
Besides, LinkedIn Learning offers courses that go beyond textbook learning. It equips users with real-life examples that they can apply to their jobs. The platform teaches users real-world skills that are relevant to their industries and can contribute to career growth. These are skills that professionals can apply in various fields, such as marketing, design thinking, project management, social media marketing, customer service, and much more.
Furthermore, LinkedIn Learning is free with a LinkedIn Premium subscription. So, anyone with a Premium subscription can access unlimited courses for free, making it an attractive option for career development.
Benefits of Taking LinkedIn Learning Courses for Career Development
There are numerous benefits to taking LinkedIn Learning courses for career development. Some of these benefits include:
- Learning from Industry Experts: LinkedIn Learning offers courses taught by experts in different fields. These experts bring their experience and knowledge, offering up-to-date information on industry trends and the skills needed to succeed.
- Flexible Learning: LinkedIn Learning allows users to take courses at their own pace, on their own schedule. This flexibility enables users to learn as much or as little as they want, without impacting their work schedule.
- Certificate of Completion: Upon completion of a course, users receive a certificate of completion to add to their LinkedIn profile, which can be a valuable asset to their resumes.
- Targeted Education: Instead of taking comprehensive courses, LinkedIn Learning offers targeted education by breaking courses down into smaller chunks. This way, users can focus on learning the specific skills they need to improve.
Examples of How LinkedIn Learning Has Benefited Other Professionals
LinkedIn Learning has helped many individuals advance in their careers. For example, Sarah Smith, a Marketing Manager, was struggling to connect with her audience on social media. After completing a LinkedIn Learning course on social media marketing, she increased engagement by 67%. Similarly, Peter Jackson, a software developer, found a new job with better pay after taking a course on LinkedIn Learning to improve his coding skills.
LinkedIn Learning provides resources to help users improve their job prospects. Users can discover vital skills they need to advance in their careers and access tutorials and insights from some of the best professionals in their respective fields.
Benefits of Using LinkedIn Learning for Professional Development
LinkedIn Learning offers several benefits to individuals interested in professional development, including:
Customized Learning Paths Based on Your Interests and Career Goals
LinkedIn Learning allows users to create their customized learning paths with access to a wide range of courses. Users can choose courses based on their interests and career goals, building their skill set in all the relevant areas they want.
High Quality Courses Taught by Industry Experts
LinkedIn Learning offers high-quality courses taught by some of the most respected experts in their fields. Users have access to industry-relevant skills and tools, enabling them to build an in-depth understanding of their respective fields.
Interactive Features that Promote Learning and Application
LinkedIn Learning uses interactive tools such as quizzes, assessments, and worksheets that make it engaging to learn. This way, users can test what they’ve learned and apply their new skills to real-world situations.
LinkedIn Learning’s Courses
LinkedIn Learning offers a vast catalog of courses covering various topics, from project management to data analysis. Users can filter the courses by level, skills, and goals. Here are some example courses offered through LinkedIn Learning:
- Marketing: Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Branding Foundations
- Technology: DevOps Foundations, AWS for DevOps, Python for Data Science
- Creative: Photoshop CC 2020 Essentials, Music Theory, Video Editing Foundations
- Business: Business Analytics Foundations, Excel 2019 Essentials, Data Science Foundations
Upon selecting a course, users can set their pace, learning and play back sections of the course to reinforce their learning. The progress tracking system also allows users to keep track of their progress and review content as necessary.
LinkedIn Learning vs Other Competitors
LinkedIn Learning is often compared to other eLearning platforms such as Skillshare, Udemy, Coursera, and Pluralsight. Here are some of LinkedIn Learning’s strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
- Industry-relevant courses taught by experts
- Interactive learning tools such as assessments and quizzes
- Customized learning paths based on career goals and interests
- Integration with the learner’s LinkedIn profile
Weaknesses
- More expensive compared to similar platforms
- Not an extensive catalog of courses compared to other eLearning platforms
- No free courses available to non-LinkedIn Premium users
Tips and Tricks for Success on LinkedIn Learning
For individuals looking to get the most out of LinkedIn Learning, here are some tips that can guide them:
- Setting realistic goals
- Selecting courses that align with their career goals and interests
- Dedicating a specific time to learn each week
- Engaging with instructors and fellow learners
- Using LinkedIn Learning’s resources and quizzes to reinforce learning
By following these tips, users can get the most out of what LinkedIn Learning has to offer and make significant strides in their careers.
Conclusion
LinkedIn Learning offers users access to personalized, high-quality online learning resources, thereby helping them advance in their careers. The platform caters to individuals looking to upgrade their skills and knowledge in various fields, with numerous benefits, including customized learning paths, high-quality courses, certificate of completion, among others.
By following the tips outlined herein and leveraging the courses provided by LinkedIn Learning, individuals can acquire new skills and improve their job prospects. If you’re ready to give your career a boost, sign up for LinkedIn Learning today.
