Thinking about writing your list of goals for 2017? Certainly, it is a common activity to set some goals when a new year begins, and with many days ahead anything seems possible. One of the constant goals in our list is to learn something new, this not only allows you to improve yourself as a person but also can help you grow in your professional field.

Whether you are looking for a promotion or working on a completely different industry, the new skills you gain will help you build a better profile or can even lead you to find the job of your dreams. You could also try to update your skills or the way to start a personal business idea.

Whatever motivates you, here are some ways you can improve yourself as 2017 develops.

Be always aware of the new trends  

Reading is key to continue your daily learning. Despite the multiple sources of information available online, a smart use of your social media allows you to filter helpful educational content. You can always follow profiles that create value and contribute to your knowledge.

Reading interesting articles generate discussion topics you can use to debate with your colleagues, as you are aware of trends in your professional field or a new one. This enables you to come up with new ideas about how to improve the company or project you are working on.

Apply what you learn

The Learning-by-Doing Principle is one of the most effective in terms of learning. You can take an online course that provides you with the basic tools and knowledge to learn something new, however you must make sure that as part of the course syllabus there are lessons in which you learn from your own experiences.

This is a great way to start building your own portfolio as a creator.

Learn programming

The demand for technical profiles continues to increase. Knowing how to program has become a desired skill as most of our interactions as a society today rely on Information and Communication Technology. The variety of languages to learn is wide and you can make your choice depending on a specific interest.

For example, mobile app development is an industry that has positioned itself and it is expected to grow even more in the coming years; in this case, Java can be an excellent choice to learn since a large part of Android uses Java. Then you could start learning Android SDK, which provides you tools to create apps that run in any Android device.

Besides, it is widely known that programming teaches you how to think, while focusing on small details as you break down a big problem into smaller problems to solve them one at the time. Surely an ability useful in any job.

Online courses: get certificated

A verified certificate is a proof that you have successfully completed an online course. There are also courses that are part of an specialization and offer you a credential to document your learning. It is important because it enables you to demonstrate the knowledge and skills you have obtained about a certain subject.

Also, it helps you to challenge yourself as you work towards a significant recognition that you can share to the world, on your resume or through social media such as LinkedIn.

A Micro Master is a series of credit-eligible courses recognized by companies for real job importance. One of the best options to improve yourself is to take a Professional Android Developer Program, that, as part of a Micro Master, teaches you about developing Android Apps from a beginner to an advanced level.

It also prepares you for the Google Associate Android Developer Certification exam and allows you to earn credits for an Information Technology Masters.

A new year always brings the desire to achieve new things and it is important to be dedicated in order to accomplish our goals. Certainly, taking an online course requires effort but the benefits of improving yourself are rewarding and could pay off in no time.