What We Can Learn During Covid-19

When I am describing an anecdote to my son, he will often cheekily ask me “And what did you learn?”

This is the perfect question to be asking ourselves right now.

Covid-19 has turned our lives and our world upside down. Some days it may be hard to find something positive to focus on. I hear of people socially distancing at home saying they are bored. I’m asking myself, how can they be BORED? There are so many opportunities to be learning something new! (maybe that's just me...Learner is in my top five Clifton Strengths profile)

In the future, no recruiter or hiring manager is going to question why there may be a gap in your resume during this period. Instead, they will want to know what you did with your time and what you decided to learn. (Hint: binge watching Netflix is the wrong answer!)

So, what is the RIGHT answer?

Hiring managers want you to demonstrate your agility, versatility and curiosity. Are you adaptable, willing to learn new things, do you show your resilience and your commitment to lifelong learning? These are traits they will be looking for in their new-look organisations. Let’s face it, everything will be different so we will have to adapt.

One way to show the value you bring is by demonstrating your commitment to learning.

I understand that financial survival is the focus for many families, and I know that money may be tight. However, there are so many choices for courses online and some can be accessed for free or at a reduced cost.

LinkedIn Learning has a one-month free trial to access their tens of thousands of courses. The Australian Institute of Management in Perth is offering a Mini-MBA. Your favourite university may be offering Government subsidised access to courses. Udemy has thousands of courses that at times are offered at a fraction of their normal price, and many organisations are offering free webinars, newsletters and blogs.

Alternatively, ask amongst your family and friends to see if someone you know is happy to share a skill they have. One of my friends who is a successful photographer built my website and he is showing me how to use the website software, Wix.

I’m currently learning about digital content marketing through the Perth business networking group District 32, which is run in partnership with the digital marketing agency Caffinate. Am I out of my comfort zone, absolutely! Am I excited about what I’m learning? Totally!

So, what are you learning?

Please share in the comments a great course or free/low cost learning experience you have had so we can all benefit.