HBR Guides to Managing Your Career Collection (6 Books)

CHAPTER 17

Four Practices of People Who Are Always Learning New Skills

by Mike Kehoe

Working in online learning, I’ve found that every January there’s a burst of sign-ups from workers seeking new skills. Perhaps it’s a matter of New Year’s resolutions, or a reaction to seeing their friends and colleagues make big career changes at this time.

Unfortunately, the initial commitment to learning all too often fizzles. Studies have found that 40% to 80% of students drop out of online classes. Those who give up miss out. In one survey of more than 50,000 learners who completed MOOCs on Coursera, 72% reported career benefits such as doing their current job more effectively, finding a new job, or receiving a raise.

Having worked in human resources at ...