5 tips to help you navigate your first year of marriage

5 tips to help you navigate your first year of marriage5 tips to help you navigate your first year of marriageSince I welches a child, one of the common phrases Ive heard circulate topics of adulthood is that the first (year/baby/etc.) is the hardest. Even in my early high school years when those adult concepts - university, marriage, babies - were still notreallyon my radar, the phrase was one that I adopted to suit my own teen drama. In fact, I said the first one is the hardest to my friend the night she broke up with her boyfriend. I think my sister said it to me about my own breakup. My coach said it to my team following our first varsity loss. Sheryl Crowe taught me that the first cut is the deepest. See what I mean? Its just one of those things people say, even if its not necessarily true. (Indeed, I would argue that my fifth relationship and breakup was harder than every single one before and after. And I think losing in the playoffs hurt more than losing the pre-season scri mmage.)Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreBut when it comes to marriage, its true the first yearisthe hardest. Or so Ive seen.My marriage is hard, and I did not expect it to be. I was blessed with a damn-near-perfect example of what a marriage should be, too. My parents relationship was a true partnership, both parts taking and giving equally from one to the other. My husbands parents operate in large part the same way. Further, my husband and I were friends for a long time before we started dating, and we lived together for years before he offered me a ring. In summary, we had perhaps the most solid examples of marriage - and the most solid foundation of friendship - that one could want going into a relationship. As a result, I firmly believed that wed beat the notion.So why is my healthy relationship so much harder now that were married?When I asked my mom this (yes, I still g o to my mother with these things at 28), she said, Years ago, most couples didnt live together before they got married, so the challenges were different. In some ways, your grandparents didnt know who theyd married, so there was a lot of learning to be done for the sake of a partnership. Thats true. Chances are, 40 years ago, couples would not have had the opportunity (or the freedom) to discover that they cant stand how their partner walks in their slippers. Or that they put the toilet paper roll on backwards. Or that they dont fold the towels the way you showed them 100 times.But today we know virtually everything there is to know about our partners before we marry them - and even before we date them. Have a question about her/his past? If you cant find the answer yourself, Id be willing to bet you have a friend with an FBI cap that could find the answer for you. (I really do have a friend like this, and I should secure her an FBI cap somehow.)The challenges of early marriage are different today, my mom continued. You know him inside and out. Every quirk and bad habit, youve seen before. So what do you think it could be?I sat with this question for a while and could come up with only one answer its because its permanent now. I mean, think about it. Nothing has really changed other than the fact that we now have a piece of paper saying were legally bound to each otherforever. And we did know that going in - we know what marriage means, thankyouverymuch - but now that were actually in it, the stakes seem much higher and everything hits us much harder. A quirk that while previously was a little annoying but was also cute is now way less cute and way more annoying, and not going away any time soon. But the good news is that - although Im not a doctor or relationship counselor - after careful personal research and begging questions of dearest family, Id like to offer you just a few tips, peer-to-peer1. Allow yourself time to settle into the idea of permanenc e, and take it one day at a timeThe idea of permanence can easily become overwhelming, especially to my generation, where changes to anything, really, can be made in the blink of an eye. In this age, we are constantly thrown new information, new opportunities, new hair, new clothes, new phones, new shoes, new books, and OK, weve got it. But as a result of having a life accustomed to change on a dime,permanence carries a weight that your emotions will take advantage of.Your feelings hurting in the moment as a result of a conflict with your life partner will translate to my feelings will always be hurt by this person in this same way because Im stuck with them.Its simply not true.So rather than allowing the idea of permanence to feel like a weight on your chest, focus on one day at a time with the human youve committed to. And when you hear Squints saying, FOR-EV-ER, on a loop in your head, turn it off. In fact, maybe avoidThe Sandlotfor a while.2. Stay off social media following any disagreementDo not enable the world to pour salt on an open wound. I cant stress this enough. Marriage is hard in the age when you are bombarded with everyones bliss every time you sign into social media. Every look how happy we are Instagram post from a peer seems like a punch to the gut following a fight that ends in tears or a smashed dinner plate (that one hasnt happened yet, but Ive thought about it). Remember that Instagram is a small square snapshot of someones life, and what other couples have in their squares does not and should not affect your feelings about your life or your relationship.Separate the sparkly show that you see from the real backstage pass.In fact, instead of reaching for your phone for a distraction that may end up hurting you and your relationship further, if your physical and mental space allows, try sitting quietly with your thoughts. Which brings us to the next tip3. Change your lensIve recently started the habit of self-reflection. Real self-reflectio n. The kind that requires you to tear down the self-righteous pedestal youve built beneath your own feet, brick by brick. Once youve done that, it becomes much easier to ask yourself some tough questions for the sake of your relationship. I encourage you to ask yourself these questions following an argument with your spouse 1. Did I make the effort toactively listento what she/he was saying to me? 2. Do I think that she/he feels heard or understood?Seeing each situation from your partners point of view is so important to the healing process.Remember there is no room for ego in mutual healing.To be clear, that does not mean to set your points or feelings aside - they are just as important and necessary for both parties to understand. What I mean to say is do your best to remove anyunnecessaryanger, resentment, sadness, entitlement, or any other emotion surrounding the situation for the sake of healing and growingtogether.4. Say what you mean, not just what you want them to hearThis is a tricky one to explain.Arent those the same thing, Emily?No indeed. Often when my husband and I argue, there are many things I want him to hear Im angry and Youve hurt me are usually the big things, and trust me, I can make those points LOUD AND CLEAR. But what Imeanto say in those moments is something different This hurt my feelings, and This is how and why it hurts my feelings, and I know you didnt mean to hurt my feelings, so how can we fix it moving forward?I suppose the simplest way to explain this point is always try to be as clear as you can with your message.Speak with intention.This is not easily done and its certainly not something Im good at, but this subtle change in dialogue is something that I am trying to do and keeping it in the back of my mind during escalated moments is helpful to me.To take this one step further, do your best to remember your partners intention in whatever theyve done thats bothered you. In a healthy relationship and scenario, your partners in tent was not to hurt you, and if you actively consider this it will change your response to the situation.5. Remember that you cant change who they are, but you can help them growRemember that you knew who this person was before you married them and that you married them because you love them, and recognize that your current frustration with them is not rooted in the fact that they need to change in order to fix the situation.The idea that a person can/should change who they are at their core (e.g. introvert vs extrovert), is a dangerous one and can be detrimental to a relationship of any kind. However, the idea that a person can grow is something that I think is absolutely critical to the success of any healthy relationship - especially when it comes to marriage. As their partner, you have the power to help your spouse understand how there is an opportunity for them to altertheir approachto a situation to the benefit of your relationship.Likewise, be open to possibility that you w ill need to alter your approach to certain situations in order to grow in this partnership as well.(To help with this, see Tip No. 3.)At the end of the day, every marriage is different. Im sure (read hopeful) that there are couples out there for whom the first year of marriage was a breeze. And while mine has proven to be trying at times, I am confident that the love that I have for my partner and the love that he has for me will take us successfully through this first year.After all, it doesnt last forever.This article originally appeared on The Everygirl.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

3 Stories All Leaders Should Be Able to Tell - The Muse

3 Stories All Leaders Should Be Able to Tell - The Muse3 Stories All Leaders Should Be Able to TellWhen we analyze the people who have inspired us to think differently and take action- from marching on Washington to buying the first iPhone- we usually end up circling the same question What makes great leaders? Is it their expertise? Their personality? Their intelligence? Their likeableness? How they look? While its usually a combination of many things, author and TED talker Simon Sinek, as well as many brand, marketing, and storytelling experts, have argued that all really great leaders have one thing in common They all know how to tell really great stories.The irony? When youre in a situation where you want to inspire people to do something- e.g., a hiring manager to hire you, a potential client to work with you, or a media outlet to publish your guest post- most people tend to throw facts and figures and statistics at them as a way to prove that theyre the best and most qualified.I n your personal life, you tell stories all day long- at the coffee shop, in meetings, on the phone with your best friend, and over dinner with your family. But in your professional life, its much more common to speak in facts and figures.Heres why that doesnt work because statistics dont make heart-beating humans feel anything. Those facts only appeal to the logical side of the brain. And super-interesting neuroscience newsflash- thats not where anyone makes decisions. People make decisions almost entirely with their emotional brain. As Michael Bosworth and Ben Zoldan wrote in What Great Salespeople Do The Science of Selling Through Emotional Connection and the Power of Story, We are not thinking machines. We are feeling machines who think.So if youre interested in positioning yourself as a leader- whether within your company or as a professional speaking to other professionals- here are three story frameworks to have in your arsenal.1. Your Why StoryWhy do you do the work you do? W hy do you run the business you do? Why do you want the job youre applying for? Imagine youre interviewing at two anti-bullying nonprofits. You meet with the CEO of the first organization, who talks about the position, the company setup, and its most successful campaigns. You meet with the CEO of the second organization, who tells you a little bit about the company, then explains that she was inspired to take the job after experiencing severe bullying herself and wants to help make aya the sadness and loneliness she experienced as a kid isnt experienced by others. Which organization would you join?Your why story is, hands down, one of your most powerful stories- both as a person and a business leader- because it gets to the heart of your intention.2. Your Stand For StoryAs a person or a brand, what do you stand for? Or, what do you stand against?Lets say youre interviewing two people for a job. The first person reads off his accomplishments from his resume and then talks about his sk ills. The second tells you about his skills, then shares a story about what he stands for as a person and how this job aligns perfectly with his worldview. Who are you going to hire?3. A Testimonial StorySometimes it can feel uncomfortable to talk about and take credit for the impact youve had on other people, but explaining how you were able to help someone- from a client to a colleague- is much more powerful than spouting off a laundry list of your achievements. To craft a testimonial story, start by thinking about one of the accomplishments you are most proud of, like launching a company-wide coporate social responsibility program. Instead of talking about what that program did for the company, talk about how it personally impacted the clients of your company. That emotion and personal connection will take your accomplishment to a whole new level.As author Janet Litherland once wrote Stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. Th ey help us understand. They imprint a picture on our minds. Want to make a point or raise an issue? Tell a story.Photo of woman telling story courtesy of Shutterstock.

Become a USACIDC Special Agent

Become a USACIDC Special AgentBecome a USACIDC Special AgentWithin the several branches of the United States Armed Forces, specialized units exist to help maintain law and order among military and support personnel. Like their civilian counterparts, military police investigate minor crimes, perform patrol duties, provide security and make arrests. Sometimes, however, investigations become too involved or require far more expertise and resources than regular police can provide. Thats where the job of specialized investigators and special agents come in. In addition to military police groups, the armed forces branches also employ special investigative divisions. Military Investigative Service Careers The best known of ansicht is perhaps the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, due to the popular television series NCIS. In the United States Army, these special investigations are undertaken by members of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. History of Army Criminal Inves tigations The need for law and order among military personnel is not a new one, and military police or similar units have long had their place among the armed forces. By the time of the American Civil War, however, societys approach to crime welches evolving, and the need for thorough investigations was becoming evident. In response to the need for an investigative arm, the U.S. Army contracted with private investigators to provide these services. The largest and most famous was the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. For more than half of a century, the Armys investigations were conducted by these Private Is, until a special investigative unit was formed out of the existing military police corps in 1917. Called the Criminal Investigative Division, the USCID was a unit within the military police command until 1971. In order to maintain its autonomy and eliminate any appearance or possibility of outside influence in its investigations, the division was moved to its own command. Des pite its elevation to command status, the group is still referred to by the acronym CID as a reminder of its history. Job Functions and Work Environment The United States Army Criminal Investigative Command is comprised of both soldiers and civilian personnel who serve as special agents. They may be deployed anywhere in the world that the army has a presence. Army Criminal Investigations special agents are tasked with investigating major incidents and crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice that would be considered felonies under civilian laws. These include crimes such as murder and other death investigations, rape and sexual battery, armed robbery, financial fraud, and computer crimes. Essentially, the Army CID is tasked with investigating any felony crime in which army personnel is involved, either as a victim or suspect, if it occurs in an area in which the army has jurisdiction or a clear interest. In the event a soldier or other member of the army is involved in a crime as a suspect or victim in which civilian authorities have jurisdiction over, such as an off-kusine murder, the Army CID will take a supportive role in assisting with the investigation. Army CID agents also provide counterterrorism services, investigate high crimes such as treason, and take on internal administrative investigative responsibilities. They employ polygraph examiners, participate in drug trafficking investigations, and provide dignitary protection and protective services. They also provide forensic sciences support for all police and investigative groups within the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition to their investigative responsibilities, Army CID special agents provide assistance, consulting, and training to host-nation police forces and military police personnel during wartime and occupation. They conduct battlefield investigations, collect forensic evidence from the battlefield, and investigate allegations of war crimes. Because Army CID special agents p rovide services both on base and on the battlefield, they must be ready to be deployed anywhere that the army is present. They may find themselves working in harsh and undesirable conditions, and are subject to extensive travel for extended periods of time. Education and Skill Requirements The USCIDC employs both military and civilian investigators. Military personnel wishing to pursue a career in the CID need to have at least 1 year of prior service as a military police officer or two years as a civilian police officer and will need to to have completed some college coursework. They must be currently enlisted and have served no less than two years and no more than 10 years in the Army prior to joining CID. Individuals wishing to apply for a civilian special agent position must possess at least a masters degree in criminal justice or criminology, or related field, and have at least three years of experience in felony investigations. Prior experience must include conducting inves tigations, preparing and executing search and arrest warrants, interviews and interrogations, and other related activities. All special agents, both military and civilian alike, attend special training at the U.S. Army Military Police School at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Training includes police tactics and techniques, investigative tactics and responsibilities, and specialized investigative skills. Special agents must be eligible for top secret security clearance. This means they will be subject to a thorough hintergrund investigation, which will include a polygraph exam. Applicants must have a clean criminal record and a clear background. Job Growth and Salary Outlook Civilian Army CID special agents are generally hired at the GS-13 level of service, meaning starting salary will typically be between $81,00 and $90,000 annually, depending on duty station. Candidates for procurement fraud investigators may be hired in a trainee status at the GS-9 level, with the expectation that they will progress to the GS-13 level within 3 years. For these trainees, starting salary will be between $46,000 and $52,000 per year. Army CID positions are highly competitive. With over 900 civilian special agents employed throughout the world, positions are expected to be available periodically due to normal attrition. As with most federal law enforcement jobs, these positions look for the absolute best candidates available and so it is important to keep a clean background and pursue a college education in order to be competitive. Is a Career as an Army CID Special Agent Right for You? As with any career with the United States military, it is no small commitment to become a CID special agent. However, if you are interested in criminology and criminal justice careers, and particularly in becoming an investigator, then a career with the Army CID can prove to be financially rewarding and offer tremendous challenges and opportunities. If you have an affinity for military li fe and law enforcement and investigations, working as an Army CID special agent may just be the perfect criminology career for you.

Employer Brand Audit Candidate Experience, Reviews and Ratings

Employer Brand Audit Candidate Experience, Reviews and RatingsEmployer Brand Audit Candidate Experience, Reviews and RatingsThe first phase of your employer brand health audit focused on how prospective job candidates experience your company website, career pages and mobile presentation. The second phase takes into account the quality and authenticity of your companys digital relationship with current and former employees, word of mouth and overall Internet presence.People place mora trust in peers than in leadership and current employees, so monitoring and influencing your companys Internet presence will have a powerful effect on your recruiting efforts. Understanding the story that customers and employees are telling about your company can help you influence how that story moves forward with potential employees, press, vendors and community leaders.Here are three areas of employer brand health that you should factor into your next auditDoes our social presence accurately reflect ou r brand?The purpose of social media is to share a side of your company that you dont share elsewhere its personality and its unique approach to business. It doesnt have to be perfect. It needs to present an authentic view of what your company values and how you do business.When you audit your companys social media presence, use listening tools such as Klout, Social Mention, and TrendsMap to understand where your brand or industry fits into the global social landscape. Then take a look at your actual social media channels. Do you post with a consistent frequency? Do your customers and prospective customers engage with what you post? Are you posting about your brand or about your industry? (Keep in mind that the right mix is 80-20.) If the answer to each of behauptung questions isnt positive, youll want to invest some time in building and maintaining your social presence.How does our candidate experience measure up?Because company culture is so closely connected to human resources lea dership, it can be uncomfortable to take an honest look at your current candidate experience. But honest feedback is incredibly valuable. Facilitating honest feedback can increase employee morale in the short-term and reveal unexpected insights that provide long-term returns.Use your current employees varied backgrounds to source honest feedback about how their current situation compares to past experiences. Create a short survey for employees to complete during the workday and submit anonymously. Ask candidates to rate different factors about the company compared with their experience at other similar companies, including the physical workplace environment, the quality of the work, customer relationships and how their interview experience measured up to actually working at the company.Do our reviews and ratings accurately reflect our company culture?Bad reviews arent all bad news. You can use them to benefit your brand by interpreting them as constructive criticism. Taking into acc ount the bias that can occur among employees who were let go and company defenders, aggregating that information can reveal hidden perspectives you might otherwise elend consider as you evaluate your employer brand.After reviewing your companys current online reviews, make a plan for how to address them. If the results of your review indicate that your company culture is accurately represented online, you may simply want to continue doing what youre doing. If the results indicate that your culture is not accurately represented, youll want to consider implementing a strategy to make up that difference. This may include addressing bad reviews with prospective job candidates or taking preventive measures to help employees honestly voice their opinions while employed or in exit interviews.Closely analyzing your employer brand health can be uncomfortable. However, it offers exponential potential for growth. Invest time in an employer brand health audit to identify areas for growth that c an impact your recruiting efforts.

Scoring and Acing Your Finance Interview

Scoring and Acing Your Finance InterviewScoring and Acing Your Finance InterviewWays to ace your phone and in-person interviews in a competitive finance industry.Considering the state of the finance industry, every competitive edge counts when youre preparing for that interview. Recruiters and job seekers offered Ladders insights into the dynamics of interviewing in finance today.species Romero is managing director and owner of Academy Recruiting, which is based in Denver but works with finance clients nationwide. Hes both self-effacing and assertive about the importance of his discipline to finance job seekers in a tight market. Certainly, its biased. Being a recruiter, of course Ill say that the best way in a door is through a recruiter, said Romero. But the obvious dynamic that the finance market is shrinking and the pool of candidates is growing means that any company with an opening will be flooded with thousands of resumes. No hiring manager has the time to go through all of those, so they hire recruiters to weed through them.They want a recruiter to hand them the perfect candidate on a silver platter, Romero said.Making the right approach to the hiring manager is also key, according to Esther, a member of Ladders who is using the service in conjunction with her networking skills to find a new job as a lawyer in financial services.I try to read between the lines and see what theyre really looking for, beyond the bullet lists of requirements, and analyze what that implies for the firm, Esther said. My approach is to create my own job by understanding what they really need, then showing them how I can add value.Recruiter Romero extends that advice to the initial phone interview with a recruiter. Too many candidates take these too lightly, either taking them on their cell phones with spotty reception or while theyre running an errand. You need to convince me that youre a good person for me to put in front of my client that youre not going to make me look b ad. Not taking this call seriously is not going to do that, said Romero.A few more basic reminders from recruiters who work in financeVery often candidates are more interested in tooting their horn or beating their chest and regaling the interviewer with their accomplishments in regards to the positions that theyre going for, when they may not relate to the role at hand. Harold Laslo, a staffing specialist at the Aldan Troy Group in New YorkOne mistake thats happened a couple times is that when they get to the final interview - which is often just a formality - candidates assume the job is already theirs. Instead of asking about perks, theyre joking about the accommodations they were put up in. By not fighting for the job, they dont get it. Art RomeroI remind them not to interrupt, dont tap your pen on the desk, dont insert the persons name into your answers and dont hang yourself - if youre asked what time it is, dont tell them how to build a watch. Common-sense stuff, but it g ets forgotten. Sherry Brickman, a partner at Martin Partners near ChicagoCandidates sometimes forget certain skills, especially if theyve had a long history with the company theyve been with. Sherry BrickmanA candidate should have some knowledge about the company where they are interviewing. Previously, this information wasnt as attainable as it is now. To walk in totally unprepared at a senior level is very harmful when you could have gone to their Web site and gotten a minimal amount of background information about them. Harold Laslo

Fraud, Deceptions, and Downright Lies About Levels of Language Proficiency Resume Exposed

Fraud, Deceptions, and Downright Lies About Levels of Language Proficiency Resume Exposed A Startling Fact about Levels of Language Proficiency Resume Uncovered The use of structure and vocabulary is extremely imprecise. Pronunciation could be obviously foreign. For that reason, its important to take advantage of the prime realestate along with your resume. Any extra computer skills you have is only going to boost your resume. For those purposes of your CV, the principal thing that you want to think about is how academically rigorous the test is. There are lots of tests to pick from, but taking the EF SET is a superior place to begin. Once people have acquired a superior comprehension of the language, they generally have the vocabulary and so the confidence which they can begin to develop the capability to speak. Use the self-assessment tools to ascertain your level in every language you speak. You ought to have a particular languages section which gives more comprehensive i nfo on your ability. There are several foreign languages obtainable that you learn. Additional positions and data about the FBIs language program can be found in the sections below. In the event the students background isnt in a teachable foreign language, he or shes going to want to take enough courses in the particular language to constitute a language concentration based on the states requirements. Many candidates use resume templates since they enable you to quickly edit your resume. Picking a standardized test for language certification can be challenging, based on the language, since there could be several tests out there. So, assessing language proficiency is a crucial part of program evaluation. As an example, in some cultures learners are normally not encouraged to chat about their achievements. You build on your basic grammar abilities and raise your vocabulary. Your language skills are just a small portion of your resume, therefore its important that also you realiz e how to compose a resume by every section. The facility manager roles and duties which you put on your resume must mirror the needs of the work ad. A hiring manager will be searching for skills which are the absolute most relevant to the job accessible. No matter where you include your skills section on your resume, you can be confident that the hiring manager is likely to find it and definitely likely to ask about doing it. Although the language is the exact same, the variation may be helpful for the hiring manager to understand. If a work description involves any of the next skills, make sure that you add them to your resume. Because of the information technology revolution, significant quantities of manual jobs are automated. You may also use your English language skills to produce your CV stick out in another manner. You are going to be able to speak with interesting individuals in whatever part of the planet you intend to see. As the number of individuals studying Japan ese is rapidly increasing worldwide, so are the opportunities to set their skills to utilize in wide array of careers. There are instances when it can make sense to depart from your language skills off your CV. Make certain you have a minumum of one case of a time you demonstrated each of the greatest fiveskills listed here. C1 You are in possession of a fantastic command of German. A1 You have very little understanding of German. Acting as an interpreter or a translator can be extremely lucrative, based on how experienced youre.

4 Reasons Why You Should Consider Learning to Code

4 Reasons Why You Should Consider Learning to Code If you are looking to advance in your career, learning to code could be a surprisingly good way to do it.A full-time career in coding isnt the best fit for everyone, but becoming code literate can go a long way toward advancing almost any career. Here are the key reasons why1. Youll Learn New Ways of Problem-SolvingWhen you learn to code, you learn to solve problems like engineers do. Coding exercises help you develop different patterns for problem-solving, enabling you to look at problems from new angles. This leads to more refined and efficient solutions, even in processes unrelated to coding.If you already work with developers, there is even more to be gained. With more coding knowledge, you can identify potential roadblocks and better define your requests, which will lead developers to more effective solutions.2. Youll Communicate mora Effectively With Your Team and Your ClientsLearning to code ca n give you a better understanding of what is going on behind the scenes of any technical solution or software program. This opens up opportunities for more effective communication.Youll have tools to help solve customer problems more quickly. Youll be able to jump into technical conversations with more confidence. And, if you work with developers, youll be able to speak their language, identify common problems, and give them information in a way they can better digest it. 3. It GivesYou Marketable, In-Demand SkillsEven if you arent interested in a full-time coding role, knowing a little bit about coding can help you stand out among applicants. For example, I previously had to wait for a developer to update reports I needed, but by the end of my coding class I was able to modify the reports myself. It made me a faster, more effective worker and, therefore, a more desirable candidate.Learning to code also allows you to consider opportunities that were previously out of your reach,lik e transitioning to a technical role or even to a non-technical role with a technical company.4. ItGives You Skills That Will Help You Create Stronger Products and ServicesDepending on the course you take, you could leave with the ability to launch new websites, manage technical or digital projects, create online forms, build web applications, and more.Ifyou arent creating things from scratch in your day job, you can contribute more to existing systems. For instance, you may find yourself able to make changes to a program, add products to your online store, or change your website plan without going to developers. Being able to rapidly make changes allows you to quickly adapt to better fit market or customer demands.If you are looking to advance your career,Id highly recommend you consider learning to code. A few suggestions for choosing a courseThink about when youve have been successful at acquiring new skills in the past. Look for a program that fits that structure and your budget .I took an introductory course with First Step Coding. I chose a live online class, which met two evenings per week for four weeks. I knew I needed the accountability and real-time feedback of a live class in order to be successful.If you dont need the same kind of accountability, a pre-recorded program may be a better fit. If you know you want to be a developer, consider an immersive bootcamp program.Program costs vary. Typically, shorter classes are cheaper,as are online classes. Many programs offer discounts to women, due to their historic underrepresentation in the field. If you encourage coworkers to take the course with you, you may be able to get a group discount. You can also look into corporate training options.I recommend reading reviews on sites like SwitchUp and CourseReportto find possible programs. Before committing to a program, try attending a public event sponsored by theorganization or setting up a call with theorganizationto get a better feel for what the program can offer.Peggy Mansperger has 10+ years of experience in recruitment, hiring, and staff management.