Your Junebug reaches the month of June with thoughts of applying for a job.
As I look at job listings, I see I'm qualified for a variety of jobs––with an exception. Most employers seem to want people who know everything there is to know about Microsoft Office. While I have no problem with Word, I have very little experience with Excel and absolutely no experience with Power Point and whatever the rest of it is.
What's the best way for me to to become proficient with Office without breaking the bank? How do I interest an employer in me while I start to work on learning all the skills they want me to have?
I applied for jobs years ago and had limited success, but now more jobs are available and I'm still quite a few years away from retirement age. I have some physical limitations because I broke my back in 2009, but as long as I spend most of my time in a reasonably comfortable chair, my back shouldn't complain too much.
I've already looked up all sorts of resume tips, and I wrote a humdinger of a resume on Saturday. Everything nice and neat in one page. No typos. Now tell me, please, how to learn all this Office crap. Do I buy a book? Should I look for inexpensive classes? I prefer to learn at home.
All of you experts out there, please tell me what to do.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
Local libraries sometimes have classes that can often be free. Or adult learning classes through the school system usually have reasonable classes if they have that there. They used to be in the evenings but I see around here they sometimes have some in the daytime, too. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Janie, I am sure there are tutorials online that are free. It may also be worth watching some youtubes on it. I am a spreadsheet fool! lol Excel is my friend. When I started to learn the advanced level, I had a book, Excel for dummies. I found it cheaply on Amazon. Word, is easy to learn, everything is in a tab at the top and you can scan those till you find what you need, but Excel may take some extra time.
ReplyDeleteI know that over here, the Job Centre (the government run employment agency), can book you on free courses to improve your chances of getting a job. In this instance they would send you on a EDL course over here. Do they do something like that over there?
To show my regular readers the before and afters of my house, I will be making my blog private, invite only. If you wish to view it, please see my post from today.
Have a good day and good luck with Word.
http://besolbe.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/do-you-want-to-see-my-house.html
I know the local community college here has Adult Learning night classes or something like that and they have those types of classes.
ReplyDeleteYou could go with a tutor but that might get expensive if they charge by the hour. I learned Excel by working on a project with someone else who knew how to use it and it is fairly easy, especially once you get the hang of formulas and such. I learned Publisher just by experimenting with it. I don't know PowerPoint but I hear it's pretty self-explanatory. Try some YouTube videos. When I get stuck on something technical that's the first place I go. There's almost always a few videos demonstrating the stuff I want to know.
If you have a NextDoor app in your area, post a request for someone to help teach you. I love NextDoor. I have found that to be so incredibly resourceful and helpful. Hope that helps.
Michele at Angels Bark
As a Mac user I have never used Microsoft Word and wouldn't have a clue where to start. Sorry I can't help, but I'm sure some of your readers will have good advice for you.
ReplyDeleteI asked a friend of mine this very question (her degrees are all in computer science) in regards to Excel. She said that YouTube has excellent tutorials and they're free! Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a good one to give advice on this topic, but I'll admit that in my working career I never landed a job I was qualified to do. I always faked it!
ReplyDeleteI'd look for something on line. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to learning computer skills, I find that I absolutely cannot learn anything just from reading a book or manual. I must have someone literally show me how it's done while I take notes. That's the only way I can do it. So if it were me, I'd go for an inexpensive class or two.
ReplyDeleteBesides, it looks better on a resume to show you've taken the initiative and can list credentials from a recent course rather than just saying you've read a book.
ReplyDeleteMy Alma Mater offers courses in MS Office. They are mostly non-credit courses for continuing education. Check the local colleges and universities or trade schools.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for your job search, Janie! I don't much about Microsoft Office either, but I found this:
ReplyDeleteFor some reason the link didn't post. This is it:
Deletehttps://www.gcflearnfree.org/subjects/office/
I am the past master of instant learning. I once took a job that required shorthand. I knew nothing. I stopped at the library on the way home to get a book. My mother's shorthand was daunting, and not doable in one night. I eventually took a book called High Speed Longhand, and was a dab hand the next morning.
ReplyDeleteI learned office pretty much the same way--from internet courses and instruction. It's like jumping into deep water, but what the hell. It's interesting to save yourself. Follow the lesson plans for excel and power point, and pay especial attention to all the little tabs at the top. All the secrets are buried there. Try every one. All will be revealed.
Yesterday I helped the woman who is replacing me at the township. I have twenty some years on her, and know more about excel and power point than she can learn in a year. There's only one thing between you and learning how to do something: Attitude.
I think everybody has good advice. I'm in the same boat as you. I got the book, Excel for Dummies. I haven't read all of it, but I'm able to navigate around fairly well, now. Power point is easy. My kids showed me that. Apply for the job. I'm sure you know enough to get started, and you can figure out the rest as you go. Good luck!
ReplyDeletePsssh, books and classes cost money. I'm all about the YouTube tutorial. Every single thing you could ever possibly need to know about pretty much any program imaginable you can find on YouTube, for free. Plus, you don't have to put on pants. Can't say that about a class.
ReplyDeleteI hate getting dressed. If I get a job, do you think they'll let me wear my jammies to work?
DeleteHi Janie - you're in a chicken and egg scenario ... and it all depends on what you future employer needs ... but there are programmes on YouTube, or as others have commented local community colleges etc ... whether there are other opportunities to learn in the community for the older citizen ... Good luck.
ReplyDeleteSome good advice from the others ... take care - Hilary
I can't add anything to the advice you've already been given, except to say that all employers are different - some will want you to have courses and experience before you begin, others will look at your whole range of past work, references, evidence of self-discipline and initiative, and let you learn while you're working. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would do, and have done before, is bluff (say you know how to use excel and powerpoint). In the meantime, get familiar with the programs through youtube tutorials (click!).
ReplyDeleteDo you know any teenagers? They'll work cheaper and show you the ropes. Excel is tricky, though. I think I would just ask Doctor Google if there are night classes nearby, either at the community college or through continuing education. There is also a shift underway to Google docs and slides. I always ask my students to show me how to make a Google slide show. They know far more than me. And yes, I was once a righter and editor, and I know how the market has fallen off. That's how I ended up teaching.
ReplyDeleteYou can probably teach yourself Excel and PowerPoint. Get the "Microsoft Office For Dummies" book. The title notwithstanding, it's a good introduction to them and will get you up to speed pretty quickly.
ReplyDeleteThe last time I applied for a job I was 20yrs old so been a bloody long time, I wouldn't need to update my skills, I would need to just get skills as I have none
ReplyDeleteWhat about YouTube?? I tried taking a class and learned...nada:) The best way I learned was from one on one teaching and taking it really slow. I am not computer savvy at all so books never helped me. I would say, find out what is your best learning style and take it from there.
ReplyDeleteHahaha! I love this. I sense a book could come from this...or a movie...or at least a TV show. Go, you!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many options these days. Taking a class would be great, and probably lots of fun. I find I do much better in a classroom than trying to teach myself through a book. But that's just me; many people can learn that way. Also, YouTube. You might find some videos that you can learn from. What about your local library? Or a university student looking to make a little extra cash.
ReplyDeleteBeing basically computer illiterate (read "Stupid") I can't help you, but I wish you luck!!
ReplyDeleteHey Janie, I know this comment is very late. But Youtube can teach you do almost anything. They have all types of video's that can teach you the basics. I really hope you find the job you are looking for, because you are amazing.
ReplyDeleteWell I am a little late to the party, but as I am in a dipping my toes in excel kind of way, and dabbled a bit decades ago, there are some online tutorials and I am thinking the library has excel for dummies (no offense my queen!)
ReplyDelete