Tools for Your Great Resignation (or Your Ongoing Career)

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Last year, over 47 million people left their jobs.  

Social scientists have coined this mass exit from the workplace, “The Great Resignation.” Whether spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic or a collective workforce change of heart, more and more professionals are treading new career paths. 

At the Library, we don’t buy into the old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Any professional (and any dog’s human) can carve their new path or add new tricks to their work arsenal with their library card.  

Whether you’re looking to sharpen existing professional skills or simply learn a new one for fun, we have you covered!  

Link In to Free Professional Development Classes 

LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda) offers thousands of professional skill classes online with your library card. From graphic design basics, to managing diverse work teams, to earning a Google certification, LinkedIn Learning has a class for your profession.  

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Here’s a short list of LinkedIn Learning categories of classes from a variety of different industries: 

Business Strategy 

Cryptocurrency 

Career Development 

Customer Service Management 

Data Visualization 

Instructional Design 

Personal Branding 

Project Management 

3D Modeling 

One library card holder recently took a LinkedIn Learning class that earned them a Certificate in Business Analysis with Essentials Tools and Techniques. They said on social media, “Fort Collins friends: Did you know that the Poudre River Public Library District allows you to access LinkedIn Learning with just your library card? You can add certificates to your LinkedIn profile after you complete the course training. I finished this course today…and was able to also download many helpful tools for current projects. Yay libraries!!” 

Looking to get started? Access to LinkedIn Learning on the Library website’s Research Page. Simply scroll down in the alphabetical list to find the link! 

Beyond LinkedIn 

Did you know that Business Librarians exist specifically to help you get ahead with your business or career? Our Business Librarian is a walking, breathing, dictionary of professional development, business, and investment resources.  

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Make an appointment to chat one-on-one or start exploring the Library’s Career Center and Business Center website pages to get a taste for the wide range of resources we offer. In true Librarian fashion, you can also find recommended reads on the Business Center website page.  

Online Job & Career Center 

From writing grants, to sharpening up your resume, to learning a new skill, to the intricacies of an industry you haven’t worked in before, the Library’s Job & Career Center online can connect you to dozens of resources and even help you network into the best position for your dream job.  

Most jobs today require some element of working with computers. Another resource accessible with your library card is Northstar Digital Literacy Training. Ever feel like you’re not good enough behind a computer screen? Northstar classes range from essential software skills like Microsoft Excel to the technology you encounter in daily life like social media, all with certificates of completion at the end of the courses.  

Already comfortable in your career and looking to invest? Find resources for making the best possible decision with your precious funds.  

In-Person Classes 

Besides the abundance of resources and lists developed by our librarians and within the Career Center, we also offer regular in-person classes for resume sharpening, job search strategies, and even starting your own business. See our online events calendar for upcoming sessions.  

If you don’t have a company that supports your ongoing learning and professional development, just know that you have a Library, bursting at the seams with ways to carve out your ideal career path.