Using Technology to Advance Your Career When You Have a Disability – August 31, 2020
By Patrick Young, Guest Contributor
If you live with a disability, you are no stranger to challenges. Not only are certain everyday tasks made more difficult, but you likely face a variety of obstacles when it comes to your career. Here’s the good news: You live in a time where technology abounds. And much of the technology out there can prove useful—if not revolutionary—in helping you advance your career. Below, we will discuss a few of the best ways that you can use technology to boost your career when you have a disability.
Online Learning
No matter what your industry or trade, chances are you can expand and improve your knowledge and skills. After all, one of the most important aspects of staying successful is always looking for how you can get better. The Internet has made this more accessible than ever before. From training courses and seminars to tutorial videos and informative articles, online learning can do wonders for your career.
If you are interested in starting a business, either now or down the road, consider advancing your skills by going back to school. By earning an online business degree, you not only can improve upon your business skills, but also your business acumen in a specialized field, substantially increasing your earning power in the process.
Starting a Home-Based Business
Another thing to consider for your career when you have a disability is starting a business out of your home. There are plenty of benefits that come with running a home-based business. For one, there’s no commute to deal with—since everything you need is set up at home. Also, it costs less to get your business off the ground because you won’t be paying as much in overhead. Perhaps even more importantly, you get more freedom and flexibility in your daily schedule, which means that you have more control over your work and home life.
Another advantage of starting a home-based business is that there are tons of options and business ideas that can work. If you like crafting and/or selling things, you can open an ecommerce store or dropshipping business. If you like to teach people, you can become an online consultant in your area of expertise. If you like to work by yourself, there’s freelancing work, which means that you get choose who you work for and for how much once you’re up and running (and billing).
In order to succeed in a home-based business, however, it’s essential to approach it the right way. You will need to consider your budget and research the various resources available for financial assistance. And you will need to set up a dedicated workspace or office where you can work comfortably and productively. This means that you will need to invest in high-quality equipment, tools, and furnishings.
Starting a business that succeeds in the long-term requires good strategy from square one. Unless you have ample experience in running a business, you might consider hiring an advisor to help guide you through the process and help you make decisions along the way.
Hiring a Team
Finally, if you decide to start a business and realize that you need help, the Internet makes that easier than ever as well. By posting on job sites and job boards, you can quickly find qualified, reliable candidates to fill pretty much any position. Just be sure to do your due diligence before hiring anyone. For example, always interview a few candidates before settling on one, research their work history, and give them a test project to see how well they fit-in with the plan.
Consider engaging in online learning, starting a home-based business, and searching the web for a team who can push your business forward. Most importantly, continue researching how technology can benefit your career, and remain open-minded to where you can make adjustments along the way.
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It helps you get the job.
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