Growing up and through adolescence, whenever you had a problem you figured out how to solve it or to work around it. That’s why you’ve gone the entrepreneurial or business route with your career. The thing is, though, that at some point your intuition won’t be able to bail you out anymore. Investing in new skills is worth the effort and the commitment.
The hardest part about taking on a new skill or hobby is finding the time to do it. Fortunately, the internet offers a wide range of helpful solutions and courses to guide you through it. Shutterstock recently launched Skillfeed, an online marketplace for video tutorials to assist professionals. You can check out full courses or tune in for “Snacks,” short walk-throughs of one basic idea or method. Here are five examples of valuable skills you can pick up during your lunch hour, with brief previews of what’s in store:
Excel
Yes, we all know the basics to the program. But it does so much more than you know. As you get more comfortable with Excel, you can rely on the keyboard shortcuts that make everything so easy and efficient. Once you know that these shortcuts exist, they will be a gamechanger for you. In just a few minutes during your lunch break you will pick up skills that you can apply immediately to your afternoon regimen.
Video
More and more marketing is being done through video. Just because desktop editing is more accessible and available than ever doesn’t mean everyone will start out a Scorsese. Learn the basics to dialogue and how to construct a dynamic scene. No matter what your video is going toward, you’ll need to emphasize storytelling to capture an audience and to impress them.
Audio
Audio goes hand in hand with video but sometimes get a bit overlooked. Having a good eye is one thing, but keeping a good ear to what is going on takes a certain prowess and technique. Having poor-quality audio running along with your video can damage the final product. Instead, give it some careful thought as you go and make sure that you have audio that not only complements what you’re seeing, but enhances it.
Photography
As the world becomes more visual, and people expect to find great photography wherever they look, you should learn the basics to what goes into a photo shoot and staging that perfect shot. We all appreciate it at the end when we can marvel at it. What goes into taking it? Cameras are so affordable these days that anyone can take up this hobby. It’ll pay off for your professionally, too, as you’ll have a leg up on the competition. Combining business and creative skills in the workplace is critical.
Computer basics
We often get too intimidated in front of computers that we don’t realize just how simple solutions can be. Rather than call on your IT department or colleague to show you the way around your desktop computer, you should overcome your fears and discover how to navigate for yourself. As we have become more dependent on computers, they’ve become easier to use. Just give it a try.
Danny Groner is the manager of blogger partnerships and outreach for Skillfeed, a new website that offers online courses for professionals
Image Credit: Shutterstock.com
