Q: Career coaches always tell people to keep their skills current and update them if they're out of date, but I never see specifics of how to go about doing that. Do you know of any resources where I can look up what skills are most needed by companies, and where I can learn them, so that I don't just waste my money studying the wrong things? The penalty is too great if I get this wrong.
A: Let your goals and interests drive the direction of your skill development.
The inner game
Just as the best career isn't one size fits all, neither is the right training. However, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the options available.
To avoid that, spend some time reflecting on who you are and where you'd like your career to go.
Also explore this sense of high risk that you feel so that it doesn't hold you back. Take some deep breaths to help bring any anxiety down so that you can think this through more freely.
How urgent is your need to enhance your skills? Your needs are different if you're a recent college grad vs. someone who has been in the same job for several years.
If you're getting feedback from your boss, or noticing that you don't have the skills needed for promotion, also take note of that.
What is your personal orientation to learning? If you have a habit of learning new things, taking up new hobbies, for example, adopt this perspective for your career.