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Abstract

ftware engineering gig — I set myself up with a project and courses to take to upskill. So that in a couple of months, I can apply for a job and make sure I’m a top performer.</p><h2 id="e288">Linkedin Learning</h2><p id="deb0">I love using Linkedin Learning — and if you’re out of work for exactly a month, Linkedin Learning has a free trial period for exactly a month too! It’s the perfect time to give it a go! The great thing about Linkedin Learning is that at the end of the course, you get a certification that you can add directly to your Linkedin Profile! (You can even make a post about it to let everyone know what you’ve been up to!)</p><p id="d9e5"><b>Pros of Linkedin Learning</b></p><ul><li>Get a certificate for your profile at the end.</li><li>Videos made by professionals.</li><li>Share it with your network right away.</li></ul><h2 id="9716">Youtube</h2><p id="e1dd">Obviously, if you don’t want to use that, then Youtube has amazing resources. I love using Youtube because there’s so much content, and it’s usually found in digestible snippets. Along with this because there's so much content out there, you can watch a couple of different videos from different people who will explain it in different ways. This means you’ll get a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. But beware — there’s also a lot of boring bad stuff out there, so be sure to pick the right ones!</p><p id="2e5e"><b>Pros of youtube</b></p><ul><li>A lot of content</li><li>Loads of perspectives & teaching styles</li><li>Shorter videos</li></ul><h2 id="fc6b">Blogs/Websites</h2><p id="53da">Don’t forget there’s plenty of free blogs and resources on the internet that can help you learn online. These are usually free and are written tutorials or exercises you can do. The trickiest thing about websites is that they can sometimes be hard to find! But when you do, they can be great!</p><figure id="3f7f"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*oe2JEamKGaaV_sZu"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@joszczepanska?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Jo Szczepanska</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h1 id="7627">Put it to work in a project</h1><p id="551a">Learning is all fun and games until you realize you’re basically doing the same thing

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as watching Netflix for hours — but “educationally”. So, enhance your learning by creating a real project to use those skills.</p><p id="d9f8">This doesn’t have to be a huge project, and it doesn’t just have to be an individual project. Having someone do it with you helps to keep you accountable! Get creative and really push yourself so that you have fun and you really make a great experience out of the learning process.</p><p id="c073">You could even do what I’m doing and write about it! Inspire someone else to build their skills!</p><figure id="ed0d"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*huLljg8ZjkJ18nTg"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Kelly Sikkema</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h1 id="2f37">Share it</h1><p id="7bea">Linkedin and social media platforms are gold mines right now. You’d be silly not to share all the cool things you’re learning and exploring right now.</p><p id="8283">Here are a couple of ideas to share</p><ul><li>Linkedin: 1 sentence on what you’re doing, and ask your connection what they’re doing to learn and keep busy</li><li>Instagram/Facebook — make a graphic/video on Canva and share it with a little caption about your goals and what you hope to achieve.</li><li>Go live — share snippets of your project live (on Instagram, Facebook or Tiktok) and get your friends in on the journey.</li><li>Take photos and videos for yourself — this is a unique time, and people are going to ask you what it was like 10 years from now. Wouldn’t it be neat to have tangible memories of all the cool experiences you had? Make a scrapbook or a photo album — ‘go old school’.</li></ul><p id="c605">I hope this inspired you to learn or engage in something new, exciting and fun. I’d love to know what you’re planning to do (I can even try to help keep you accountable!).</p><p id="9a2f">Happy exploring!</p><figure id="63df"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*9GyUuiiuac5Ayf1r"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@charlesdeluvio?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Charles Deluvio</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></article></body>

How to Grow During a Lockdown

Create your own silver lining through tough times.

So maybe you’re like me, or maybe you’re not. I found myself unexpectedly unemployed and job hunting during the Lockdown in Australia. It’s been tough trying to apply for jobs but, to be honest, I think I had secretly been waiting for an opportunity where I had a lot of time, to develop my own projects and learn new skills.

You can learn anything, anywhere at any time but, being stuck at home can help with the process. It means you’re in one place and that there are endless ways you can grow and develop yourself and your skills at home. Here are my top ways to do it:

Decide how you want to grow

To do this I love doing lots of searching and googling. Anywhere and everywhere is a good place to do it! I typically start off with Linkedin or Medium and try to find people I think are interesting. Then ask yourself

What makes them interesting?
Have I learnt something from reading their profile/content?
What skills would I love to have that will help me get to where they are?

This might give you some ideas on what skills or area you want to grow if you don’t already have a list. While you’re doing this, it can also be worthwhile trying to work out how these people actually built these skills. This might be in some of their Linkedin posts or a blog if they have one. Can you learn those skills the same way they did, or will you need to get creative?

But remember, whatever you decide to learn doesn’t just have to be related to your job! Maybe you want to learn to code, or illustrate, or paint! Do some research, make a plan and stick to it. You’ll be able to master a new skill in no time at all! I’m currently working on push-ups and pull-ups at home, as well as coding!

Learn to grow

Even though I didn’t get the full-time software engineering gig — I set myself up with a project and courses to take to upskill. So that in a couple of months, I can apply for a job and make sure I’m a top performer.

Linkedin Learning

I love using Linkedin Learning — and if you’re out of work for exactly a month, Linkedin Learning has a free trial period for exactly a month too! It’s the perfect time to give it a go! The great thing about Linkedin Learning is that at the end of the course, you get a certification that you can add directly to your Linkedin Profile! (You can even make a post about it to let everyone know what you’ve been up to!)

Pros of Linkedin Learning

Get a certificate for your profile at the end.
Videos made by professionals.
Share it with your network right away.

Youtube

Obviously, if you don’t want to use that, then Youtube has amazing resources. I love using Youtube because there’s so much content, and it’s usually found in digestible snippets. Along with this because there's so much content out there, you can watch a couple of different videos from different people who will explain it in different ways. This means you’ll get a more comprehensive understanding of the topic. But beware — there’s also a lot of boring bad stuff out there, so be sure to pick the right ones!

Pros of youtube

A lot of content
Loads of perspectives & teaching styles
Shorter videos

Blogs/Websites

Don’t forget there’s plenty of free blogs and resources on the internet that can help you learn online. These are usually free and are written tutorials or exercises you can do. The trickiest thing about websites is that they can sometimes be hard to find! But when you do, they can be great!

Put it to work in a project

Learning is all fun and games until you realize you’re basically doing the same thing as watching Netflix for hours — but “educationally”. So, enhance your learning by creating a real project to use those skills.

This doesn’t have to be a huge project, and it doesn’t just have to be an individual project. Having someone do it with you helps to keep you accountable! Get creative and really push yourself so that you have fun and you really make a great experience out of the learning process.

You could even do what I’m doing and write about it! Inspire someone else to build their skills!

Share it

Linkedin and social media platforms are gold mines right now. You’d be silly not to share all the cool things you’re learning and exploring right now.

Here are a couple of ideas to share

Linkedin: 1 sentence on what you’re doing, and ask your connection what they’re doing to learn and keep busy
Instagram/Facebook — make a graphic/video on Canva and share it with a little caption about your goals and what you hope to achieve.
Go live — share snippets of your project live (on Instagram, Facebook or Tiktok) and get your friends in on the journey.
Take photos and videos for yourself — this is a unique time, and people are going to ask you what it was like 10 years from now. Wouldn’t it be neat to have tangible memories of all the cool experiences you had? Make a scrapbook or a photo album — ‘go old school’.

I hope this inspired you to learn or engage in something new, exciting and fun. I’d love to know what you’re planning to do (I can even try to help keep you accountable!).

Happy exploring!