Are you feeling stuck in your day to day routine? Looking for some fresh ideas, or maybe even a career change? Change can be scary, especially due to our habitual nature as humans, but change is possible and it can be convenient. You may be wondering how this is possible, with all of the expectations and duties that litter our daily lives. There are many ways for any profession to enhance their current status through continuing education courses, or change careers altogether.
Business is an up and coming career trend and should be considered if you are wishing to switch careers. Business management classes online make it easy to gain skill sets or enhance existing skill sets in the business realm. Switch out your Netflix binging sessions for some career development with online courses geared towards advancing your career or helping you obtain a dream job with a high salary. This article will identify different business management classes online that you may wish to consider as you develop your path to success. People who are new in the process of online courses will benefit from this article, as it gives a very basic overview to starting the process and categories to choose from. Those who have experience with online courses may also benefit from the fresh perspective of the information.
Step 1: Goal Setting
As with any new desire, it’s important to figure out what is motivating you to take on the task of enrolling in business management classes online. Why are you taking on this challenge? Is it to increase your salary? Learn a new skill? Get a better job, with more benefits? Before reading further, I encourage you to take the time to identify your personal goals, as defining these will serve as your driver during this process. Continuing your education is not always enjoyable, but if you have a strong goal it will serve as your motivation and drive.
Think about working out, does anyone actually enjoy working out? Okay, maybe some people do, but to get to that point it takes motivation and GOALS. Also, by setting goals, you’ll be able to better identify what courses will meet those needs rather than aimlessly taking courses that sounds appealing. Although, if you are someone who is just curious about business management and really don’t have an idea what it is, maybe aimlessly taking courses would serve you well. For the rest of us, having a concrete plan is the most efficient way to reach those career goals.
Step 2: Choosing Courses
You may be wondering what’s even available for business management classes online. Business management is a very large category and there are many subcategories that fall underneath it. You may wish to strengthen an area or learn a whole new skill in general. Below are some examples of categories through edx.org. This website offers hundreds of courses for people who want to learn more and expand their skill set. Courses offered through edX come from schools such as Harvard, Boston University, Columbia, Cornell, etc. There are also international schools that have contributed such as the Hong Kong University of Science, meaning the courses are well-rounded and culturally appropriate for anyone. edX is also partnered with companies such as Microsoft, so the courses you’re getting are packed full of enriching content.
You have the choice to take courses pertaining to the following topics:
– Business communications:
You may be wondering how business communications is different from communicating in general. Well, you’re not alone, but there is a difference. As a manager, you will be in constant communication with your team, suppliers, and customers. There’s an art form that goes into inspiring your team to work hard and convincing your customers to remain loyal. It may seem overwhelming and let’s be honest slightly manipulative, but it’s all about how you articulate your needs to the people within your business. Lucky for you, there’s a course where you can master the skill set of business communication.
– Leadership:
As aforementioned, you will be communicating with your employees on a regular basis as a manager, and that’s an essential part of leadership, but it’s not the only quality that an excellent leader encompasses. A great leader will promote job satisfaction through listening and observing their employees. Higher job satisfaction amongst your employees means lower turnover rates. Fear not, there are courses to master this skill as well.
– Operations:
Operations can be confusing for any newbie to the business world. Operations is all about producing goods/ services in the most efficient way possible. An awesome certification for operations is called Six Sigma, and becoming certified in this will not only look amazing on your resume but improve your operations management exponentially.
– Finances:
Math is one of the least favored subjects for people, but it’s needed in the business world. As an effective business manager, you must remain on top of finances and understand costs and risk management to maximize profits.
– Marketing:
You have a product, but how do you effectively market the product? There lies the challenge. With the invention of the internet, increase in online shopping, and access to Google reviews, marketing is absolutely necessary. Your service or product will go unnoticed without a marketing plan, thus where courses come in handy.
– Strategic Management:
A strategy is everything in the business world, and let’s be honest everywhere else as well. Right now you are strategizing as you decide which courses you would like to take. Strategy in business is just as essential as any other part of your life. There are courses available to teach you the ins and outs of strategic planning in a managerial role.
Developing the right course structure for you is dependent on a) what you want to achieve and b) your weaknesses. Although taking courses in your strong areas is not discouraged, it’s not a high priority compared to developing your weaknesses into strengths. Take an impartial look at your skill set and notice what you’re lacking and where you could improve. After establishing a solid base, you may go on and take courses to improve current understandings.
If you are a newbie to business management and looking to take business management classes online, your course schedule will look different and be more in depth. You will start out with basic courses and work your way up in all the categories to develop a well-rounded skill set. Note that it will take time for you to develop your skill set and you must not rush, as this will not help you or your future business.
For those of you in a specialized area, there are also courses surrounding your niche. For example, there are courses dedicated to business in terms of music, health care, and nutrition to name a few. The possibilities are endless for advancing your knowledge, all it takes is some searching and motivation.
Certifications and Degrees
While taking courses to gain knowledge is an excellent use of time, some people wish to receive professional certifications, as these will look good on their resume, and possibly raise their salary. Fear not, there are courses online to earn certifications in business management. Here are some certifications that you can earn online:
– The Business Management Micromasters Program covers all core management disciplines.
– We mentioned Six Sigma and Lean earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again as it’s an awesome certification for your resume and to help improve productivity on your team.
– Did you know you can receive certifications in Microsoft Programs? As you are handing out your resume, it’s one thing to claim expertise in Microsoft products, but another to have a certification in any of the programs.
– Go green with Sustainability certifications to make your business more eco-friendly.
– Masters of Business Administration. While there are schools available to earn your bachelors and master’s degree online at your own convenience, there are also online courses which give you the core components of an MBA. Why would you want this? Well, someone who does not have the time for an MBA, but would like to generally increase their skill set, would benefit from a program like this.
Now Get Going
This article is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what’s available for business management classes online, a general guide for anyone who’s interested but doesn’t know where to start. Follow these suggestions and you’ll be on your way to a bright future. Anyone can take these courses. They are self-paced and can be completed in the comfort of your own home. This makes accomplishing those goals much easier, as you can work your full-time job, do your daily chores, and log on to take these courses as you have time. The more time you commit, the faster you will reach your goals, remember this. Having a realistic timeline will help with motivation and will serve as an accountability measure.