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The old idea of faking it until you make it doesn't cut it anymore. In today's competitive business environment, the best companies are interested in hiring the best employees. The more skills a professional has in their proverbial toolkit, the better their chances of standing out from other job candidates and making a real impact at their organizations.
Whether you're getting back into the workforce and need to sharpen your skills, or you're a business owner who wants to improve your leadership skills, or you need an online accreditation for a specific topic, the good news is you can accomplish all of this and more online.
Signing up for online courses can be the perfect choice for time-strapped professionals. Not only will you have access to instructors and subject matter experts from all over the world, but you can also complete many courses at your own pace and schedule.
We've rounded up five of the best online learning options to help you improve your career and excel in business.
Best for College-Level Learning: Coursera
If you're looking for college-level learning without the massive tuition or need to physically attend classes, then Coursera is perfect for you. It's one of the best online learning platforms out there.
Coursera delivers top-notch education because it is partnered with more than 300 leading universities and companies including Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Since its founding in 2012, Coursera's goal has been to offer flexible, affordable, and job-relevant online learning to individuals and organizations worldwide.
With Coursera, professionals who are ready to take control of their careers will get unlimited access to a wide variety of courses in high-growth fields including project management, data analytics, and cybersecurity—all in one subscription. Some of Coursera's most popular courses from its top partners include: Google IT Support, IBM AI Developer, Meta Social Media Marketing, and many more.
Unsurprisingly, Coursera learners have reported career benefits such as new jobs, promotions, and expanded skill sets. Right now, you can get started resetting and reinventing your career with a subscription to Coursera Plus for 30% off* ($279.30 for 12 months, regularly $399).
Best for IT and Coding: Udacity
When two Stanford professors decided to offer their "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" course online to anyone for free, the idea for Udacity was born. Now part of Accenture, Udacity says it has since enrolled more than 160,000 students in more than 190 countries around the world.
Specializing in IT topics such as data science, programming, AI, and cybersecurity, Udacity offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced options across 300+ online courses. Learners can earn certificates or participate in "nanodegree programs," which are similar to topic-intensive bootcamps.
Best for Marketing Skills: HubSpot Academy
If you're looking to get into marketing or to expand your existing knowledge into topics such as inbound marketing, sales, and customer support training, then look no further than HubSpot Academy.
Created by online marketing powerhouse HubSpot, it offers everything from comprehensive certifications to short, practical courses. Certification programs span topics such as inbound marketing, social media, email marketing, content marketing, and more.
Perhaps best of all, a free HubSpot Academy account provides unlimited access to its entire library of education, free software tools, and other resources like videos, quizzes, and workbooks.
Best for Business-Specific Topics: LinkedIn Learning
When LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015, the popular business networking site officially entered the online learning industry. Since then, it has grown to include hundreds of courses on topics spanning four main categories: business, creative, technology, and certifications.
With a small army of credible instructors, LinkedIn Learning offers courses on everything from mastering presentations to artificial intelligence, UX design, storytelling, writing with impact, and more. Its certification program offers more than 175 different credentials. Subscription prices depend on whether you sign up as an individual, team, or an entire business/organization.
Best for Language Learning: Babbel
Perhaps you're a business owner who is working hard to expand into an international market. Or maybe you're a professional who is looking to relocate overseas. The world is your oyster, as the saying goes, but one big thing that can hold you back is a communication barrier.
That's why online options like Babbel Language Learning exist. Developed by more than 100 expert linguists, Babbel offers courses in 14 languages. The program focuses on practical vocabulary and the company says you only need 30 days of 10- to 15-minute lessons to become conversational in a new language. It's no wonder why Babbel has become one of the world's top-grossing language learning software companies.
No matter your area of interest, if you're ready to make an impact now then one of the best online learning options above are sure to get you started on a path to improving yourself as well as your career.
*Claim this special limited-time offer by September 30, 2024, 11:59 PM CST. Valid for new Coursera Plus subscribers only, limited to one per person. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers. Coursera reserves the right to modify or cancel the promotion at any time. $279.30 for 12 months (regularly $399). Discount applied at checkout. Automatically renews on an annual basis for $399/year (plus applicable taxes), unless canceled. Cancel anytime in account settings.
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