Boosting Your Career from Home: Learning from Online Courses During Lockdown

Author: Raquel Armendariz

Raquel is a political and human rights advocate. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in international relations and a postgraduate diploma in public policy. Originally from Spain, she has lived abroad multiple times and hopes to continue doing so while pursuing a career in foreign policy. 

With most of us stuck at home during lockdown, this has been the perfect time to maximise skills and learning. During quarantine, I have found myself motivated to take advantage of my newly found free time. My laptop and my wifi have turned out to be the greatest learning tool -- I’ve been able to practise a second or third language, take online courses about international law and improve my professional profile, all from the comfort of my own house!

This article explains where to find the best opportunities to match your professional profile and interests and how to stay motivated while learning from home, even during a lockdown!

Finding the best opportunities

There are several advantages to taking online courses. Nowadays, it is very easy to find opportunities online and is an effective way of learning. No matter where you reside or your job, the accessibility and flexibility of the online community are great.The best thing about the internet is that there is something for every fit and every interest. 

When trying to find the right thing, it’s important to take into account what you want to learn. In my case, I was driven to keep practising a second and third language because it’s almost incredibly useful for anyone working in foreign policy to speak more than one language. My goal was to improve my French and English, both being the most important languages in foreign affairs. I’ve also found taking courses that helped me expand my knowledge and learn new topics within international relations, for example, international humanitarian law incredibly rewarding. 

For anyone interested in focusing on a single subject, I’d recommend visiting websites like Coursera or EdX. Both platforms offer programs of all levels from distinguished universities. Since the catalogue is so broad, there is plenty to choose from. Although it's not the same as taking a course as part of a Bachelor's or Master's degree, it can give you an insight into a relevant topic important for your career or help you understand some new ones. Some of the best courses I found include Freedom of Expression in the Age of Globalization offered by Columbia University and International Organizations Management provided by the University of Geneva. Both sites provide financial assistance to cover the price of the diplomas. Major companies, like LinkedIn or Google, also offer their own courses and webinars, which means you can find web development, marketing, and even Microsoft Office courses. All of these can be very useful for any job in foreign affairs, and several companies and institutions recognise many of the diplomas.

Additionally, some organisations and agencies offer their own courses and webinars in several languages. Through Amnesty International’s Human Rights Academy, you can learn from firsthand how to take action against the death penalty or stop torture and other ill-treatment. UNICEF’s AGORA also offers several opportunities for learning from the agency itself and different NGOs and governmental bodies. I decided to take some of these courses because where else would I learn more about human rights than from the top organisations? These courses are a fantastic opportunity to add to your CV and, in my case, to highlight my interest and commitment to the mission of defending human rights. The best way to stay aware of open possibilities is through social media, such as LinkedIn is also a great tool. The majority of institutions post about courses, webinars, and other opportunities they offer in their social media accounts, so with a simple follow, you will easily find new offers. 

How to stay motivated

Although learning from home might seem more manageable, it might be challenging to stay motivated but it can be hard to stay motivated and productive during these crazy times, and there is no shame in that. Not everybody has the time nor the ability to commit certain hours a day or week. Additionally, if you aren’t in the mood of taking a course, then don’t do it. In this case, my advice would be not to beat yourself too much; if you skip a day or two, that's okay. There is no need to rush things, and you can take the courses at your own pace. If you need to find the motivation you don’t have, then I would advise taking a course you are going to enjoy. In that case, that wouldn’t feel much as an obligation. Another useful way to find motivation is to share your progress. You can pair up with a friend or coworker and do a course together, so each will help the other to accomplish the course, and additionally, you will have a better time.

Once you find the motivation, it's easy to do a couple of things to stay on track. Here’s how I’ve stayed motivated during lockdown. Firstly, and most importantly, you need to commit to an end goal. You have to think about ending the course. Getting certification helps in this case, as it is proven that people are more productive if they receive recognition at the end of completing an activity. Furthermore, a diploma would not only demonstrate you achieved something but the effort, ambition, and competence you put into it. 

To stay in line, it's also essential to manage your time. Since I had to work apart from the courses I was taking, I created a schedule to manage my time better and not lose track of what I was doing. Though not always the same, each week I planned a day or two where I committed a couple of hours to learning purposes. As simple as it might sound, it has been beneficial. 

Finally, to stay motivated, I take advantage of what online learning can offer. Leaving aside all you can learn and improve; it’s a great place to make connections. People who are taking these courses are generally people in your same career field. Through the discussion forum, you can easily connect with these people and expand your network. 

Final thoughts 

Learning online has helped me define my preferences within foreign policy. Now I know I feel very comfortable studying anything human rights-related and how I can use my knowledge to get a job linked to this. Above all, I think taking online courses will be something I will continue doing even if lockdown rules are restricted. It is not only because of the many benefits but also because, as a recent graduate, it helps me to grow and improve my profile. So for anyone who has the opportunity, I hope you also enjoy learning from home. 

Edited by Ashvini Rae

Published 2nd August 2020