By Nivedita Hegdekar, Intern @STEMPeers
Freelance writer for American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

With the proliferation of courses available online and the current Covid restrictions making even more content available virtually, this is a great time to refresh your resume and add some pizzazz with appropriate certifications, courses and online credentials. Check out this article for some ideas on online offerings and tips on how best to manage your time while juggling your job responsibilities.

Certificate programs usually focus on teaching specific and transferable skills related to your chosen field of interest. Many of these are self-paced and generally take a few months to a year to complete. Some useful certifications include 

• Data science (official certification from IBM) 
• Risk management
• Google Certifications (including Data Analyst, Project Manager, UX Manager, most coming soon) 

Besides, Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and many others offer hundreds of certifications. Also, check out your professional association websites to see if they are offering any low-cost certification and webinar programs during the ongoing pandemic.

Juggling online learning with ongoing responsibilities requires judicious planning and time commitment. If you are pursuing online learning for the first time, here are some useful tips:

1. Create a setup conducive for studying: Set up a dedicated space in your home that’s comfortable and away from distractions and develop a routine that will help with your online learning. It is worth investing in a decent set of headphones to block out noise or participate in online group discussions. Also, remember to keep water and snacks nearby and take adequate breaks.   
2. Set personal goals and dedicated routine:  If you are pursuing an online course with deadlines, set reasonable goals to keep yourself motivated. Set a goal or benchmark for your online learning and develop a plan to work toward that benchmark. 
3. Keep trying! You must give yourself time to learn, grow, and permission to stumble. You may need a few attempts to master the online learning format or adhering to a schedule while being at home. If you ever feel unmotivated or overwhelmed, remember to tell yourself why you chose to pursue this course. Give yourself the freedom to experience a few bumps along the way but stay positive and adjust to get back on track.
4. Make use of available resources: Many online courses are designed with a schedule in mind. They also come equipped with IT support, supplemental learning courses, discussion forums, and FAQs, to name a few.  You should reach out to your instructors or the online discussion forums if you have questions regarding your course material assignment. Remember, these online resources have been designed to help you and provide a friendly (and fun!) learning experience!