One of the most common criticisms leveled against boomers is that they are not tech savvy. This is a concept that has been brought up many times before on this site and it is of our opinion that this is an over-generalization of which many boomers can refute. However, there are boomers (and those of other generations) who are poor with technology and are stubborn in educating themselves.
In this increasingly digital world, taking a rigid stand against embracing the latest tech might seem like some small form of rebellion to some, but if this is an attitude professional are taking, they are putting themselves at a very real disadvantage.
Like it or not, technology has become a necessary part of just about any industry and those who fail to keep up with the changes are being left behind. So if you’re ready to get with the times, here are some tips to improving your overall tech knowledge.
Research.
This might seem like an obvious point, as research is extremely necessary when looking to gain knowledge on a new subject. However obvious it might be, it still bares bringing up as you can’t hope to make much progress with improving your technology skills if you don’t know your stuff. Obviously, everyone’s level of expertise will differ but start with what might be the basics and get yourself familiar with the typical software, programs and devices that are in use today. There are plenty of videos and online tutorials that can help. When you do the upfront work ahead of time, you’ll then be more prepared to tackle the more complex concepts.
Join a class.
Classroom learning is quite beneficial for learning, especially with something that benefits from hands-on experience as much as this. There are plenty of adult classes that ae great for teaching basics of technology that can be a real asset in the business world. If you can’t find the time to make it to the classroom, there are also online versions of such classes you can take in your own time. As long as you take the classes seriously and approach them with a genuine interest then they can be of great help to you.
Engage online.
Of course, practice makes perfect and it can be very easy to get regular practice for your technological education. Take opportunities to explore on your own and learn through doing. Open social media pages and begin using them regularly. Start your own blog and learn to post, edit and design a website. When you run into a roadblock, learn what the problem is and how to get passed it. This kind of low stakes exploration can be a great learning experience and one of the best ways to learn problem-solving skills in relation to technology.
Focus on particular subjects.
There are way too many things you can learn about technology to try to cover it all. When you start to learn about one subject, it will naturally bring you to other areas and your knowledge base can grow gradually overtime. But when starting out, try focusing just on one area. Pick something that you know you can use in the workplace and do as much work as you can on that. By focusing your learning, you can become more and more efficient on an essential subject while also learning skills that will help in other areas.
Implement your new skills at work.
Once you have a good grasp on your skills, it’s time to put them to work. Take on assignments that utilize these new technological skills. It can be daunting but if you’ve done the work and have the confidence, you can not only put the skills to use but show others what you’re capable of. Once you have that skill mastered, you can move on to the next one.