In today’s world, many individuals have chosen to pursue a career in the business sector. If you’ve made this choice, now is the time to begin cultivating a marketable skill set. Luckily, there are hundreds of strategies you can deploy to accomplish this objective. Here are four of them:

Identify the Skills That Would Benefit You

As noted in Inc., People who want to cultivate a marketable skill set should do the homework necessary to determine which skills are valuable within their field. This can include both hard skills (such as technical skills) as well as soft skills (such as time management and communication.) Once you learn which skills are valued, you won’t waste time taking courses or engaging in other activities which entail the acquisition of capabilities that are not required within your field.

Note that one skill that many individuals have found advantageous to cultivate is online marketing. In a world where people buy almost anything under the sun via internet, learning how to sell products and services via internet can make you a more competitive job candidate. Note that there are multiple types of digital advertising services that you might be interested in developing. Some of them include web design and development, online reputation management, search engine optimization, and social media optimization.

Complete an Internship

Another strategy you should implement for the purpose of building a marketable skill set is completing an internship. Internships are wonderful because they enable you to attain hands-on experience in a live setting. There are a wide range of incredible skills that you could acquire in this setting, and one of them includes the development of strong impromptu speaking skills.

Completing the internship could also empower you to acquire skills in the fields of conflict resolution, negotiation, and time management. Yet another benefit of completing the internship is that the employer may hire you if she or he feels that you have done an exceptional job!

Note that you can use a free online resource such as http://www.internships.com to gain more information about internships that may be available in your local area. Visiting the career center of a local university is another strategy you can deploy to learn about internships that may be available in your local community.

Leadership Training Courses

Another technique you can deploy for the purpose of cultivating a marketable skill set is taking leadership training courses. These courses can provide you with the opportunity to acquire new skills like corporate team building and others which empower you to complete on-the-job tasks with greater excellence and expedience. Some of the valuable skills you could acquire through the leadership training process include:

• Verbal Communication Skills
• Nonverbal Communication Skills
• Motivation
• Delegating
• Positivity
• Trustworthiness
• Creativity
• Feedback
• Responsibility
• Commitment
• Flexibility

Ask Your Employer for More Responsibilities

Another strategy you can deploy to build a marketable skill set is asking your employer for more responsibilities. Generally, employers are thrilled to find their staff members taking initiative by requesting to learn new things. Note that in addition to helping you acquire new skills, this proactive approach can help you qualify for promotions, bonuses, raises, etc.

If you’re serious about doing extremely well in your chosen career field, it’s time to focus in on acquiring new skills that will empower you to operate more effectively within the business setting. Four strategies that you can deploy to start cultivating a marketable skill set include identifying the skills that will benefit you, completing an internship, taking leadership training courses, and asking your employer for more responsibilities. By implementing these strategies synergistically, you’ll likely find that you become a more powerful, proactive force within the business sector.

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max. Find Kara on Facebook.