Human capital is an individual’s set of skills, knowledge, and experience calculating their value to an organization or mission. If you want to see career advancement opportunities come into fruition, then you must align your goals with personal-development. Investing in yourself is necessary for long-term wellbeing, but what are some methods?

One of the most popular approaches to investing in oneself is to pursue a higher education, such as an associate's or bachelor's degree. Outline multiple options such as community college, public schools, private schools,etc. There are multiple affordable ways to obtain college education and to take advantage of low-cost local classes at community colleges, or even free online courses.

There are alternative pathways into certain career paths without college. Investing in a license, classes, and examination can allow you to pursue things like becoming a realtor.

You can boost your income and develop in-demand skills by taking advantage of certifications, which signal to employers/clients that you possess a valuable skillset, even without a college degree. For example: HVAC, IT Certs, Nurse Assistant, etc. Some of the highest-paying and most in-demand careers right now are the trades, such as plumbers, electricians, or HVAC technicians.

Building your soft skills, such as leadership, emotional intelligence, and work ethic, are important for job performance. This shows up in networking, conflict resolution, communication, and more

Investing in your creativity can take many forms, including learning a language, writing, or producing a tangible object. Developing creative outlets can improve problem-solving and be beneficial to your productivity.

To think about your future career, consider your interests. Think about your favorite subjects, reach out to the people in these fields, and ask them what they do and how they got there!

Whether you are trying to find your passion or already know what it is, experience is helpful in seeking out future opportunities. Seeking out volunteering, internship, or job opportunities can help build your expertise and inform your decisions and goals.

Every single person you look up to once had someone they looked up to as well. There's always someone you can learn from. Finding mentors/teachers/advisors to give you some guidance can be more helpful than just finding an answer. Shadowing, interning, and being mentored can open doors for you that could not be opened any other way, and is an important technique to invest in yourself.

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