Money is difficult. Everyone needs it, but it’s hard to get and keep it in steady enough flow to meet your needs. We made this list of the 30 most lucrative skills you can learn online from the point of view that a new skill to learn puts you in line for new income streams. That’s not all–certain skills can staunch the flow of dollars out of your account, which while not lucrative in the classical sense, serves the same end. If you are looking for skills to learn that can diversify your income sources, or just change up your career, this list can prove helpful. A few of these skills to learn can only be followed so far before attendance at a university is called for. In that case, we have listed online degree programs below the write up.
#1 – Learn to Code and/or IT
The Odin Project is an open source project that pulls from curriculums all across the web to give you the tools it requires to become an employed web developer, including a portfolio of projects on Github. The enterprise is named the allfather of the gods in Norse mythology whose defining characteristic, above all, was curiosity for new knowledge. If you are curious about a career in computers, this course promises to take you through to the other (employability skilled) side in about 1000 hours.
#2 – SEO and/or Google Analytics
Take it from me, a lot of people are currently making their living writing for the internet and anything that you write for the internet needs to be cognizant of search engine optimization and that is a field that is CONSTANTLY changing. A good way to stay abreast of best practices as they now stand is to read a blog that posts daily on the topic. Search Engine Journal is just such a blog. They also run regular webinars on new topics and sponsor a weekly podcast, the Search Engine Nerds.
#3 – Better Cover Letter and Resume = Better Job
Lynda.com (run by LinkedIn) is an online course provider that offers 30 days of free access to their multitude of courses. The particular class we are interested in is in the Writing Resumes and Cover Letters section. This course is designed for college graduates, but many of the lessons are useful at other career points. Work in the class includes a focus on networking and establishing your personal brand. The course is approximately 90 minutes in videos and is a segment of the larger “Job Hunting for College Grads” segment.
#4 – Microsoft Excel
An unexpected hurdle in researching online Excel courses was the unhelpful design of several otherwise seemingly perfectly useful resources. Being confronted with unranked grids of data while I try to improve my skills to learn about using grids of data, sets one up for frustration. One site that avoids this pitfall is Chandoo.org, where the information is beneficially organized and free, at least for the basics. Paid components are available for those who wish to truly become “excellent” at Excel.
#5 – Learn Chinese
You already know all the compelling reasons to pick up this language that is spoken by more than a billion potential clients. Now with Domino Chinese’s flexible pricing plans starting at just $2 a month, you are that much closer to broadening your horizons and your customer base. As is typical of contemporary online language study, Domino Chinese balances video, brief lessons, and live chatting practice, against the backdrop of a former Chinese television host named Felix who serves as your language guru.
#6 – Podcasting
Who doesn’t have a podcast idea kicking around in the back of their head? If you have decided what format of podcast you will be doing, the next step is to obtain the highest quality equipment that a limited budget (and, all budgets are limited) can afford. Podcastconsultant.com has a good list of necessary equipment at multiple price points for each piece of gear. A lot of resources recommend having at least one co-host, and the more chemistry you have together the better your end product will be.
#7 – YouTube
A really solid resource for developing a knowledge base of what YouTube is, and how it can be utilized to put money in your pocket is the Creator Academy at YouTube itself. It is a series of 31 lessons that start with the basics and branches out into how to avoid burnout among other topics. The lessons are of course submitted in YouTube video format coupled with multiple choice questions that help you define your vision for what you are hoping to gain from this online platform.
#8 – Public Speaking
This course offered by the University of Washington through the platform of Coursera is part of a four course Public Speaking Specialization. Taking about sixteen hours to complete, the 100% online course offers flexible deadlines to meet your scheduling needs. The coursework consists of about an hour of lecture per week, readings, and quizzes. Skills to learn through the class include confidence and presentation planning. Full access to the course requires paid membership, but completion of the four course sequence will unlock a specialization that can be added to your LinkedIn profile or CV.
#9 – Human Resources
This free online course from Udemy is about 75 minutes in length and titled Introduction to Human Resource Management. It is a good place to start for anyone wanting to go into general business management who is foggy on the purpose and skill set of the HR department. The special management needs of human resource departments are also covered. The course comes with a Certificate of Completion. Tips for effective HR management are the capstone element of this course.
#10 – Keyboarding
If you have made it this far in life on the hunt and peck method alone, a) congratulations and b) it’s really time you learned the correct method. Speedtyping.com offers free lessons that get you through the basics and once you have that down, life should throw you enough practice to keep your skills sharp. If opportunities with the keyboard do dry up, the site also offers games to keep your newly learned skills up until they are called upon again. This skill to learn may not directly add dollars to your pocket in the immediate sense, but it will (eventually) increase your productivity at work and thereby make you a more valuable employee, which can lead (down the road) to raises and promotions.
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