You’re a Creative Strategist who wants to upskill. How can you find the best online courses?

Based on my personal experience, I have some useful tips: 1. Your learning objectives should reflect your end goal. If you want to be the greatest creative strategist in the world, plan your learning objectives to achieve them. Never settle for less. 2. Where are you now? Identify your current state of knowledge: what you have already mastered, what you need to improve, et cetera, etc. Hint: be honest with yourself. 3. Be like Tim Duncan, learn the fundamentals first. Don't jump to "digital marketing" if you don't know what "marketing" is in the first place.

Upskill Strategically: Analyze Paid Creative Courses Like a Pro Level up your game: Before you invest, dissect paid courses like a seasoned strategist. Dig deep: Go beyond titles! Scrutinize the syllabus, instructor's pedigree, and learning format. Align it with your goals and style. Seek community: Does it offer forums, Q&A, or mentorship? Support can fuel your learning. Value check: Compare price, content depth, and instructor expertise to similar options. Invest wisely! Post-course analysis: Did it deliver? Track knowledge gained and skill improvement. Be honest: Rate engagement, retention, and community value. Share constructive feedback. Bonus tip: Use tools like CourseCompare to compare courses. Analyze & upskill strategically

My background is not in IT, but I have been working in this domain for four years and I have developed an interest in coding. I have set a goal for myself to become a full stack developer and I have planned the steps to achieve it. I have also been looking for the best courses online on platforms like Udemy, Coursera and YouTube videos.

Define specific skills you want to enhance. For instance, if you're aiming to bolster your digital marketing expertise, you might focus on courses in SEO, content marketing, or social media strategies. If your objective is to improve storytelling skills for brand development, look for courses focusing on narrative techniques and branding psychology.

To upskill as a Creative Strategist, it is important to identify specific skills you want to develop, like digital marketing or brand strategy. Research reputable platforms (Coursera, edX, LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Skillshare), check reviews, evaluate course content, and consider instructor expertise. Find and compare costs, use trial periods, consider joining professional communities for recommendations, and seek employer advice. You can also find top courses from platforms like Imperial College London, London Business School, and the University of Edinburgh.

Based on my personal experience, you might want to consider these factors: 1. Avoid any course that narrows down to 'digital' only. You need to see the big picture, not an unfinished piece of puzzle. 2. Avoid any course that offers you a 'formula' or 'template' ideas, it will make you a lazy pattern filler or a blatant plagiarist. You can't imitate ideas, you can only swim in the same water. 3. Check the credibility of the course makers. Are they seasoned practitioners in real life or just personal branding 'experts' on LinkedIn?

I wanted to learn full stack development, so I searched for online courses on the internet. I found two options: one on Udemy by Angela Yu and one on Coursera by the IBM team. Both courses looked good and had in-depth content. They were also both 60 hours long and taught from the basics. I decided to choose Udemy over Coursera because it was cheaper and I wanted to see if I could actually code or not. But now I am thinking of doing the IBM course as well to learn more.

Use platforms like Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning to find courses. Look into the instructor's background: For a course in UX design, an instructor who has led significant projects at top tech companies might be ideal. Read reviews and testimonials to gauge the course's effectiveness and instructor's teaching style.

Highly recommend The Contagious's Creative Accelerator program. Here's what they said on their website (Google it): "The Creative Accelerator is a new online course from Contagious. It’s designed to rapidly upskill people working in marketing with an understanding of the best campaigns, need-to-know brand case studies and seminal research. It has one goal: to give you the knowledge and tools to produce more creative and contagious ideas." Also, it's FREE!

When I searched for a full stack course, I found two options: one from Udemy and one from Coursera. Both courses have similar content quality, but the price is different. I can get the Udemy course for just 1400 INR because of a Black Friday offer, and it has lifetime access. On the other hand, the Coursera course charges 4000 INR per month until I complete the course successfully. The Coursera course is four months long, so it will cost me 16000 INR in total. Therefore, I decided to go with the Udemy course.

The internet is a treasure trove of free resources. For instance, YouTube is an incredible platform where I've personally taught myself numerous skills, especially within Adobe Creative Cloud, through free tutorials. These tutorials are often created by experienced professionals and provide practical, hands-on learning experiences. When comparing online courses, consider both the depth of content and the cost. Paid courses often provide a more structured learning path, additional resources like assignments or community support, and sometimes, certification that can add value to your professional profile. However, don't underestimate the wealth of knowledge available for free.

Evaluate the depth and breadth of the curriculum relative to cost. A Google Data Analytics Certificate might be more affordable and practical compared to a comprehensive but expensive course from a prestigious university. Consider if the higher cost brings added value like more in-depth materials, access to industry tools, or networking opportunities with professionals in the field.

Joining a learning community is great, but it could potentially trap you in a bubble of people who are similar to you. Consider balancing it with other communities that will enrich you with different perspectives. Can't give specific recommendations, but I think you know lah.

Engage with learning platforms that offer interactive community features. For instance, in a social media marketing course, you might work on a group project to design a campaign, allowing you to collaborate with peers, share ideas, and receive feedback. Platforms like Skillshare and LinkedIn often encourage community interaction and project sharing.

I think the most important step to apply your learning to the real project is... having an ally. Find someone in the project to share your knowledge with, who understands your perspectives and has similar values or goals. Trust me, it will make your life easier.

I am in the process of changing my career from a non-IT field to an IT field, and I want to become a developer. To do that, I need to build some portfolio projects that showcase my skills and knowledge. That is why I think it is very important to apply the learning to real-time projects, as they can help me gain more in-depth understanding of the concepts and technologies that I am learning.

Opt for courses that incorporate practical, real-world projects. In a branding strategy course, you could be tasked with developing a complete brand identity for a mock client, including logo design, color scheme, and marketing strategy. This hands-on experience is crucial for solidifying new skills and building a portfolio.

When pursuing upskilling courses, it's important to gauge your existing knowledge. Conduct thorough research on the course content to simplify and ease the learning process.

Seek out courses offering recognized certifications or badges, which can be added to your LinkedIn profile or resume. Also, assess the course format and schedule. If you're working full-time, asynchronous courses that allow for self-paced learning might be more suitable than synchronous, scheduled classes. This flexibility enables you to balance professional development with existing work commitments. Additionally, consider courses that provide ongoing resources or alumni networks for continued learning and networking opportunities.