Here's how you can expand your skill set through side projects.

When taking on projects to grow your skills first identify what needs are in demand in your industry. Once you identify what is marketable, start with a project and be sure to showcase your journey either on your LinkedIn profile, website or blog. Ask for feedback from peers and be sure to add the skills and project to your resume!

Trabajar en proyectos paralelos es una estrategia efectiva para el desarrollo profesional, ya que te permite explorar nuevas áreas de interés y adquirir competencias adicionales fuera de tu trabajo principal. Estos proyectos ofrecen la oportunidad de practicar habilidades en un entorno menos restrictivo, lo que fomenta la creatividad y la innovación. Además, te expone a diferentes retos y tecnologías, acelerando el aprendizaje y la adaptabilidad. Esta experiencia no solo enriquece tu perfil profesional, sino que también puede abrir nuevas oportunidades de carrera y mejorar tu desempeño en tu rol principal, al aplicar conocimientos y técnicas adquiridas en contextos diferentes.

Regularly scan job boards to identify emerging skill demands in your industry. Join LinkedIn groups and other professional forums to stay updated on industry trends and skill requirements. Reach out to professionals in roles you aspire to do and ask them what skills are most valuable in their positions.

Expanding skills through side projects is vital for personal and professional growth. Leverage them by identifying passion, setting clear goals, embracing continuous learning, collaborating with like-minded individuals, applying the 80/20 rule, and showcasing your work.

Time is a limited resource, and finding it is the biggest hurdle most of us face when it comes to learning new skills. Take time up front to budget time-blocks on your calendar to focus on these skill-expanding projects, and challenge yourself to remain disciplined in how you use that time each week. I made the most progress on my journey towards learning new cloud skills when I reframed success in my mind from "how much did I learn today" to "did I use the time I planned/set aside for learning the way I intended". Once I started being disciplined about my planning and execution, everything else I wanted to accomplish fell right into place.

Ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). Tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com can help you organize and track your tasks. Dedicate specific time blocks in your calendar for side project work to avoid conflicts with your primary responsibilities.

Un peu d'efforts, tous les jours. - S'engager avec soi-même en planifiant des sessions - Utiliser la technique Pomodoro : 1 à 4 sessions de 25 minutes par jour

Here are a few tips to improve your project management skills: 1. Draft an agenda and track action items during quick, weekly, virtual status meetings. 2. Use existing "smart" software tools for tracking tasks and deliverables. Whatever system you choose will work, just be consistent. 3. Communicate with your team and client regularly. Everyone needs reminders every now and then.

To get this into perspective, much recently at my work place issues arise that were seriously new to me and require new way of thinking, new skills sets and new update which I sincerely do not have deep knowledge of. What I did was to create a prototype of my company as a test project (to backtrack, I work as a digital marketer, focusing on PPC and Analytics for a tech company). With numerous updates, changes and 3rd parties cookie I had to plan ahead in my project to understand the effect of these update before it hits my company campaigns. Thus, having your project as a litmus test, helps review issues ahead, learn along and master major actions before it gets to your core campaigns/business.

Begin with a small, manageable project that you can complete relatively quickly to build momentum and confidence. Use an iterative approach to develop your project. Release early versions and improve them based on feedback. Regularly share your progress with peers or mentors to gain constructive feedback and new perspectives.

In a fast-changing pace that we are living in nowadays, some opportunities might come in your way to do something that your are not familiar with and have zero knowledge about. But to tell you one thing, what really makes us is our mentality, meaning if you have the tendency to be outside your comfort zone and discover a new and unfamiliar project, what the project is really about would not matter, what truly matters is how you tackle new experience and self-learn subjects that are not in your area of expertise. In less than a year I have learnt both web design and development and now I'm aware of what these jobs need. I'm not telling you that now I'm a master of those tasks but I know how to do them alone if I had to sometimes.

In these times we are living in, if you don't move as fast as the digital world is moving, you will eaten by the wolves of the digital world. It is very important to keep educating yourself and strengthen yourself with tools and strategies that are now available thanks to the artificial intelligence and machine learning. And also I would recommend sharing what your are learning with people with similar thinking and mentality. The more you know, the more you know that you know nothing and this world have an unlimited pool of information that you and I have access to it. We just need to play our cards right. KEEP LEARNING

L'apprentissage est avant tout une attitude, une posture de tous les instants. - Observer, écouter, lire - Tout simplement être dans l'instant présent

One thing I've found helpful is networking through webinars. Joining webinar and live conferences in your industry helps a great deal. Most times, before joining these events, I make a note of what I should be able to take out from the events ahead. If I get 90% answers to my note during the webinar, I make it an habit of reaching out to the speakers 1-on-1, praise them for their skills, let them know how I've gained alot and then ask them questions on the 10%. This grant me a personal relationship with them in the future and I followed up to keep them as part of my network, especially for getting solutions to issues I might need answers to in my career. Always praise your network and let them feel appreciated, while contributing too.

Try to establish any connections with recruitment managers, directors, and division heads through networking. This will enable you to showcase your talent directly to your targeted audience in more detailed manner which will eventually create new opportunities for you within your scope.

I have said it before and I'll always say it. "It's not what you know, it's who you know." Strategic networking is the most powerful tool anyone of any domain can posses. Know who you want to spend time with and who you want to learn from and take advantages of the chances they give you. You only get one chance, just take it well.

During job interviews or networking opportunities, leverage your side projects as compelling case studies to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities, initiative, and capacity to learn independently. Provide specific examples of how you applied these skills in real-world scenarios and the positive outcomes achieved. Position your expanded skill set as a unique selling point that sets you apart from other candidates in a competitive job market. Demonstrate how your side projects have equipped you with valuable skills and experiences that make you a valuable asset to prospective employers.

Tenir un journal de bord en lien avec le sujet d'apprentissage. - Un simple cahier - Un blog - Une mind map - S'enregistrer avec un dictaphone ou une appli "speech to text" - Partager, échanger, utiliser l'intelligence collective

Adding a side gig, whether compensated or not, can be an excellent way to increase your visibility in your career. I can’t remember a time in my professional career when I have not had at least one if not multiple projects outside of my primary “9-5” position. Keep these questions in mind when considering adding side projects. ✅ Does the project align with your skill set and career goals? If not, what type of training will you need to be successful? ✅ Do you have the bandwidth to take on additional projects and still maintain a healthy work-life balance? ✅ If the project is contract-based, how will the addition of a 1099 position affect your tax liability? Lessons learned from decades of experience. Always keep your goals in mind.

One great way to expand your skill set through a side project is to collaborate with a small business or non-profit. We know that small businesses and non-profits are often under-staffed and under-funded. By taking on a side project for them, you are making a contribution AND building your skills. Also: ✅They are more likely to give you a shot, since it's generally something that is not getting done or done well ✅You can make great connections and build references ✅You'll have a company or organization to add to your resume under Volunteer Experience