Have you been penny-pinching more than usual lately? Maybe it is time for you to pick up a side gig or learn new skills to earn more money.
We’ve all heard quotes like “Money can’t buy happiness” or “Money isn’t everything”. Although they are undeniably true, that doesn’t change the fact that we do need money, more than before in fact considering the rising cost of living.
There are quite a few ways to achieve this goal of increasing your earning power, but not many are as rewarding as learning a new skill. After all, knowledge is power.
Here are 6 short-term courses that can help you increase your income in the long-run:
#1 Writing
You may not realise it, but you may already have the writing chops to generate some extra income. You may have picked up some skills from your current job or it could have been honed from your lifetime passion for travel, food, fitness, interior design, fashion, etc.
How many of you have your own blog or regularly participate in online discussions via platforms such as Quora? Having the ability to write with flair and passion will help you market your expertise and passions. This ability can be used to do freelance writing, writing an e-book or guide, setting up an online course, and multiple other possibilities.
Udemy, for example, has an online course called Ninja Writing: The Four Levels Of Writing Mastery. For a fee of USD10.99, you will discover how to create spellbinding writing and turn your business writing, blogs, books, and essays into masterpieces.
#2 Sales, marketing & branding
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is assuming that a good product will sell itself. It doesn’t. No matter how good you think your product is; proper sales and branding strategies are necessary.
Even if your business is on the smaller-scale or only done part-time, knowledge in this area will help tremendously. Furthermore, with the growth of social media and digital marketing, you can no longer simply rely on old and traditional sales techniques. Enroll yourself in a course so you don’t get left out!
For a limited time only, Courses for Success is offering a bundle of two online sales courses at the discounted price of RM671. best of all, the two courses will only require 12-16 hours to complete.
#3 Public speaking
This following skill is an extension of the previous two courses we’ve mentioned so far. Whether it is selling or setting up a business opportunity, it is likely you will need to engage an audience or stakeholder face-to-face.
In the world of sales, it is common knowledge that “enthusiasm sells”. Taking a short-term course on public speaking helps you to achieve that and so much more!
For those of you living in the Klang Valley, Pro Skills Trainers offers courses on public speaking and presentation skills throughout the year. Their next course, Public Speaking Skills for Professional Life will be held on 22-23 September 2018. The early bird fee is RM950.
#4 Investing
Renowned financial guru and author Robert Kiyosaki once said: “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for”.
What he meant by “making your money work for you” is making investments. However, investing your money can backfire if you don’t know what you are doing. Depending on how deep you want to delve in, investment courses in Malaysia can take from one day to several months.
That said, for only USD10.99, you will get to join a complete online course on stocks investing. Upon completion of this course conducted by Udemy, you will hopefully be in a better position to make informed investment decisions.
We also have other related posts such as ASB investment FAQ and reasons to invest in unit trusts.
#5 Cooking and baking
Let’s face it; most Malaysians nowadays don’t have the time to cook. This is particularly true for those living in the city. Additionally, our nation’s cosmopolitan makeup means we have an abundance of festivals and the need for food.
When a problem arises so does an opportunity. The hallmark of successful entrepreneurs is the ability to identify this. Capitalise on this huge demand for food by creating a business around it. You can even do it on a seasonal basis by opening a stall or taking orders only during the festive season.
However, with an abundance of competition, taking the time to learn and attend a cooking or baking course may help you stand out from the rest.
For those of you living in Kelantan, you can attend a bakery class which is completely free! Yes, there are three types of classes offered:
- Baking demonstration – you observe the instructor bake. This class is completely free!
- Hands-on group – you and other students will get to try the recipes while guided by the instructor. The fee is RM50.
- One-on-one – an instructor will give you a personal individual training for a fee of RM100.
#6 Video editing
Sure, taking a video editing course will help you provide freelance services, but it is not why we are recommending it. Instead, the ability to make engaging and high-quality videos will help you capitalise on all five of the previous skills listed above.
We currently live in a digital era where social media and YouTube is an omnipresent element in our lives. High-quality videos will help to showcase any product, services, or skills that you have. You can even opt to become a vlogger or document your passions online. You might not generate enough direct income from these videos but it will go a long way in establishing you or your business’ brand.
You can start an online course on video editing using Premier Pro CC at Udemy for only USD10.99.
This article was originally published as 6 short-term courses that will help you increase your income by bbazaar.my | Edited by Reena Kaur Bhatt