Career Development Using Free Resources

Too many people see that "Open to Work" sign as an easy target to make a quick buck. From paid communities, to MLM-style courses, to folks with minimal experience branding themselves career coaches and charging thousands for their generic advice, folks are often exploiting people's desperation. But there ARE free resources out there: Pay Forward Coaching offers a free 1:1 coaching session as well as a free community with experienced coaches (and no upsell) EarnBetter offers a free AI resume tool and job board. Landed! is my newsletter for jobseekers where I share advice for navigating both job searches and the workplace (and I also share jobs on this page!) Lyft offers free rides to interviews and your first few weeks on the job. CareerOneStop is a free resource with tools for job search, and they have a lot of resources in particular for veterans, justice-impacted individuals, etc. Dress for Success Worldwide, Bottomless Closet, and Career Gear are just a handful of the many organizations that will help you get dressed for that interview or new job, and many offer additional supports to job seekers. I'm dropping a list of these resources in comments, and if you know of other totally free resources (with no upsell!), feel free to share them as well!

Want to Future-Proof Your Career in Just 30 Minutes a Day? Here’s How I Did It—And How You Can Too. Let me tell you a quick story. Few years ago, I realized I was coasting. I had decades of experience—but the world was shifting fast. AI, automation, remote leadership… and I was behind. So I made a decision: 30 minutes a day. Every day. I would build one on-demand skill at a time. Digital tools. Strategic analysis. Data literacy. Personal branding. Each one stacked on the next. Why? Because I didn’t want to just stay relevant—I wanted to stay valuable. I didn’t want to hope I was making an impact. I wanted proof. And you can do the same. Here’s what worked (and why it will work for you): 📚 Best Resources to Develop On-Demand Skills • LinkedIn Learning – Courses on leadership, project management, and data tools. (Search: “How to develop business analysis skills for operations”) • Coursera/edX – Certifications from Google, Wharton, and IBM. (Use long-tail keywords like “free project management courses with certificate”) • YouTube Channels like Ali Abdaal, Crash Course, and BetterExplained – Bite-sized, well-researched tutorials. • Skillshare – Perfect for creative professionals and side hustlers. • BONUS: Join free communities on Reddit and Discord for live feedback and peer review. How to Track Your Progress and Prove Your Value • Use a Skills Tracker spreadsheet. List every course, project, and reflection. • Log what you’ve applied—not just what you’ve watched. • Create a “Value Portfolio” – Highlight projects that show measurable outcomes. Ex: “Reduced processing time by 40% using Airtable automation after completing a Zapier workshop.” • Build public proof: Post on LinkedIn weekly. (It builds trust and a trail of credibility.) Turn New Skills Into Real Career Opportunities • Reverse-engineer job postings with long-tail keyword searches like “remote data analyst jobs requiring no degree.” • Match your newly gained skills with specific employer pain points. (Tip: Use tools like Jobscan to optimize your resume for ATS.) • Use your “value portfolio” in interviews. Show, don’t tell. • Get into informational interviews—ask: “What skills made you stand out in your role?” Then align. Because companies aren’t just hiring resumes anymore. They’re hiring results. If you can show: • “Here’s the skill I built,” • “Here’s how I applied it,” and • “Here’s the measurable outcome”… You stand out instantly. Set a Goal: 5 New Skills. 90 Days. Track them. Share them. Apply them. Whether you’re in leadership, operations, marketing, or starting fresh—this strategy qualifies you as someone serious about leveling up, not coasting. If you’re a mid-career professional wondering if it’s too late? It’s not. I’m living proof. Let’s grow on purpose. #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerGrowth #CoachingForSuccess

I’m thrilled to see so many green circles disappear as exceptional recruiting talent is snapped up. But many people are still looking for their next opportunity. Here are my favorite free resources in an 8 steps process 👇 Step 1. Understand your own strengths and the environment in which you’ll thrive. Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker: https://buff.ly/3V71Ejo. Step 2. Look for common requirements and responsibilities for different roles at different seniority levels in your chosen field to narrow down your ‘job title’ options. The new Google for Jobs platform aggregates all the major job boards and makes it easy to filter: https://buff.ly/451lRfZ. Step 3. Highlight multiple examples from your previous roles for each responsibility identified in Step 2 using the STAR Method: https://buff.ly/2B4ehW9. Step 4. Rebrand your LinkedIn profile to highlight these experiences. Recruiters actively search for candidates daily but will only glance over your profile to see if you have the right skills. Improve your chance of being found by learning how recruiters source in this great deep dive with Glen Cathay: https://buff.ly/3tPYpRO Step 5. Build a target company list based on who is actively hiring in your space (ideally, 1+ role open for one of your chosen job titles in Step 2). Google for jobs is probably the best general source, again, but there are a ton of curated niche job boards (I add the latest postings from a shortlist of startups to our weekly tracker here: https://buff.ly/3GAzoRZ) Step 6: Look for first- or second-degree connections at your target companies and contact them for informational interviews to better understand the company culture. LinkedIn is the best professional social network for this stage. Step 7: Become familiar with common interview questions and good ways to respond. Bain has some of the best general interview prep material available: https://buff.ly/3V71EzU. Step 8: Don’t forget to thank your recruiters and interviewers, even if you don’t get the job you want. There’s always another role, and you want to be top of mind when the next position is posted! I’m not a career expert, but I learned a ton moving from the kitchen of a fast food restaurant to an executive role at a Fortune 250 company over 20 years. I’d be happy to share my experience if helpful? Please drop any questions in the comments below if someone else has the same question! #layoffs #hiring #planning

Yesterday we had a great session in the Talent Development Think Tank job search group on upskilling on a budget. It's critical to make sure you're skilling up and staying relevant in the marketplace so you're competitive with other jobseekers. 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐧. To determine the skills you need most, identify 5-7 of your ideal roles. See what the most common skills are for each role, and focus on those. Some of these may be completely new skills to you, and others may be just sharpening the axe on skills you already have. 2️⃣ 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝. When's the last time you've been to your local library? Beyond the standard checking out books for free, libraries have other resources that can help jobseekers. In many areas, your library card will get you access to LinkedIn Learning courses and Libby. LI Learning regularly adds new, relevant courses from industry experts. You can search by topic/skill to hone in on the courses you should be taking. Libby is an app that lets you download ebooks and audiobooks from your local library. So that giant book list you've been wanting to tackle is now doable for no cost. Bonus tip from a group member: Another great resource to get low cost ebooks and audio books is the Kindle Unlimited membership through Amazon which is $12/month, but has more and different offerings than the library or Libby. 3️⃣ 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭. Podcasts, e-conferences, webinars, articles, and more. There's no shortage of free content available. Focus on industry leaders or vendors, and see what content they have available. 4️⃣ 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. For many, the best way to learn, is by doing. Often times, non profits or trade organizations will let you volunteer and try your hand at something new, even if you have limited experience. All experience is relevant, regardless of whether it was paid or unpaid. Use volunteering as a way to step outside your comfort zone and try new things. Register through Catchafire to be connected to nonprofits looking for volunteers or get involved with the local chapter of your professional trade organization. What other ways have you upskilled on a budget? #learninganddevelopment #upskilling #training #talentdevelopment