Professional Skills to Develop with Short Courses in Business

Have you ever considered the benefits of studying a short course at university?

Short courses are a great way for professionals to develop knowledge and skills across various business fields. Whether you are looking to enhance your academic background, pursue a personal interest or develop professional skills to launch your business career, short courses can be a springboard to success.

Find out how you can develop professional skills, including strategic decision-making, communication and management skills, by pursuing a short course in business today.

How to Choose the Right Short Course

Before exploring the professional skills, you can develop during a short business course, choosing a subject tailored to your personal and professional goals is important.

With many short courses to choose from, it is essential not to lose sight of your overall objectives. Whether achieving personal growth or professional development, different short courses will fulfil different goals.

The course content is also an influencing factor when identifying topics and professional skills you want to develop. Some short courses are designed to develop management skills, while others focus on embracing your creativity and entrepreneurship.

It is important to choose a delivery method that works for you, as well as other considerations, including practical application and real-world experience. Short courses online also allow studying alongside prior personal or professional commitments.

Benefits of Developing Professional Skills

Developing in-demand business skills contributes to overall growth. Gaining professional skills can lead to career advancement and progression, which secures greater job security due to increased performance.

As a skilled professional, you can also access higher-paying roles and benefit from enhanced career flexibility, as many professional skills are transferable to other business fields.

Developing business skills can benefit professionals in terms of personal growth, as skill acquisition requires investment in yourself, which leads to increased confidence and fulfilment.

Key Professional Skills to Develop During a Short Course

Short courses are an effective means to develop essential professional skills, from business management skills to financial literacy. Business professionals can use short courses as a vehicle to enhance their professional profile and value to employers worldwide.

Below are some of the key business skills that professionals can develop by pursuing short courses in business:

• Communication skills
• Leadership and management skills
• Problem-solving abilities
• Decision-making skills
• Negotiation skills
• Time management techniques
• Project management skills
• Networking and relationship building
• Financial literacy and budgeting

Top Short Courses for Business Professionals

With several benefits of short courses, global higher education providers offer a variety of short courses. From management and strategy to marketing and finance, there are many opportunities for learning and development from short courses.

Here are our top four short courses to develop professional skills:

• Digital Marketing and Social Media

This eight-week course focuses on the application of social media and digital marketing tools. The course allows professionals to design creative campaigns and innovative digital and social media solutions.

• Business Planning and Development

This 10-week short course provides essential skills and knowledge of the business, management, entrepreneurship and leadership fields. The course introduces professionals to business development, business strategies and techniques while enhancing communication skills.

• Financial Planning and Analysis

Pursuing a short course in finance introduces professionals to the accounting field, providing insight into the fundamentals of the financial world. By focusing on the practical application of financial models and analysis, this eight-week short course helps professionals identify cost patterns, uncover savings and maintain cash flow for companies.

• Strategic Leadership

This four-day short course aims to develop business management skills, strategic management and leadership techniques. It teaches professionals how a healthy working environment can lead to optimal performance and how to lead teams effectively to sustain high performance.

Tips for Maximising Learning During a Short Course

It is important to make the most of the limited time to develop knowledge and professional skills during a short course. A typical short course lasts 5-10 weeks, with one weekly class. So, how can you maximise learning during a short business course? 

Set Yourself Objectives

• Before the short course begins, it is a good idea to set clear goals and objectives you want to achieve by the end of the course. This will ensure you maintain motivation and allow you to tailor your learning to achieve specific goals. 

Organise Your Studies

• Organisation is essential during a short business course. With such a short time to study, you need to maximise the one hour of class time per week by being organised with class notes, preparing questions and being in an optimal headspace to learn new concepts and professional skills.

Put Theory into Practice

• During the week outside of class, try to apply your learning to real-world practices. Practical application reinforces learning and allows you to test new theories and techniques in your professional environment.

Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities

• Short courses are a great opportunity to grow your network by creating new connections with peers, industry leaders and faculty. This gives you access to a professional network to build connections in various industries within business.

Career Benefits of Short Courses in Business

Pursuing a short business course can be seen as an investment in your career. This can lead to significant short-term and long-term benefits, including career advancement and professional skill development. 

Due to the concise nature of short courses, professionals can gain a lot of knowledge quickly, which leads to the immediate application of skills in the real world. This has career benefits such as knowledge of new strategies and business techniques and increased confidence to apply new learning.

Short courses online also offer flexibility to study alongside your career and progress while gaining valuable experience in your current role. After completing a short course in business, you will be able to access higher positions and unlock professional growth. This is mainly due to new and in-demand skills within specific business areas such as marketing, communication or finance. 

Study a Short Course in Business at LSBF

If you are interested in pursuing a short course to develop professional skills in business, check out the London School of Business and Finance (LSBF). LSBF offers a wide range of short courses for professionals to improve their knowledge and skills in fields such as finance, management and marketing.