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Skill Booster #1: Volunteer

Nonprofit organizations are always looking for volunteers. For Mark Goodman, a former vice president of business development for a small wireless consulting company who decided to change careers to work in Web 2.0 video production, volunteering meant having a supportive environment to brush up on his filming skills. He stepped up at SCORE Chicago, a nonprofit that helps small businesses.

“One of the great things about volunteering is the fact that everyone is very supportive of doing new things. When people are paying you, many times they want things done a specific way. In a volunteer organization, if you are willing to help, they give you quite a bit of creative freedom,” says Goodman.

Experts say that volunteering is a fantastic way to build skills — and boost your resume, too. “Put this in your resume positioned as actual experience and the impact you had in that role,” says professional certified coach Karla Robertson, the founding CEO of Shifting Gears Business Coaching and Consulting of Howell, NJ. “Don’t just laundry list the organizations you volunteered for — take a real look at what skills you honed as a result of your volunteer work and the outcomes and value you contributed.”

Skill Booster #2: Hit the Library

You’ve probably seen the “Dummies” and “Idiots” guidebooks, which often provide a broad overview of topics. They can be a good start to familiarizing yourself with industry terms and basic knowledge. Rather than buying the book, hit the local library and check out the whole section devoted to whatever you want to learn.

Reading up on your new skills is an important element in learning, says Dr. Debra Condren, a business psychologist, coach, and author of “Ambition Is Not A Dirty Word.” “Number one tip: read everything you can get your hands on, including industry and popular publications, the business section of a national paper and also your local newspapers, and top books on the subject,” she adds.

Skill Booster #3: Web Classes and Podcasts

The Internet is a treasure trove of knowledge just waiting to be accessed. There are webinars, podcasts, white papers and more, all available, if you just look. Looking is what Satya Colombo of iEnvision Media did when she needed to learn to build a website. Colombo was a reality television production coordinator, but when work dried up after the writer’s strike and the economic downturn, she created a business that does Web design and interactive strategy, skills that she learned for free online.

“When I first decided to create my own website, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing,” explains Colombo, who designed her website herself after a designer failed to meet her expectations. She used her background in media production, which she said gave her a sense of “what looks and feels right,” and learned online how to design for the Web. She found that there were many designers and experts happy to share their knowledge online.

Skill Booster #4: Continuing Education

If you are looking for something that might require more formal training, continuing education programs at area institutions can be another option for developing new skills. “For recent and mid-career college graduates facing a difficult job market and a troubling economy, continuing education certificates are becoming an increasingly attractive way to transition to employment areas that are in demand,” says Henry DeVries, director of communications for UC San Diego Extended Studies and Public Programs.

But universities aren’t the only place to look for certificate or degree programs. Local community colleges and even park and recreation departments in your town often offer skill classes that can help you learn whatever you need. And, if you’re looking to apply new skills at your current place of employment, say in a lateral switch, you may be eligible for tuition reimbursement.

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