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5 Ways to Boost Your Human Capital

Updated December 05, 2024

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Volunteers at a food and clothing bank — FilippoBacci / Getty Images

Human capital is your personal ability to increase your wealth. It's the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:intangible qualities that make you more likelꦺy to earn more—except they aren't exactly intangible. Human capital can be measured and improved upon. Here are five concrete ways you can increase your human capital.

Key Takeaways

Education exercises your mind and encourages you to keep learning.
Volunteering allows you to focus on a passion outside of work.
Publishing your work in journals and other outlets gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your expertise to readers.
Learning how to speak well is crucial for building connections.

1. Learn

Education not only formally prepares you to work in advanced roles, it also allows you to hone your ability to learn. The brain, like the heart, needs exercise. In many cases, that exercise comes from education. And it needn't be a college degree, either: there are countless free resources, many online, that can boost your brain power. No matter your age, education matters.

2. Be Well-Rounded

Are you an architect who only knows architecture, a lawyer who doesn't know much more than the law, or a carpenter who can only build? That can be dangerous—for example, take the economy that wiped out an unprecedented number of workers in the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:real estate and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financial services industries after the 2008 recession. Learning somet𒉰hing new at your current job or studying an entirely new field on the side could work to your advantage. It's good to be prepared—and oftentimes it's the g💦eneralist, not the specialist, who is the most prepared.

3. Volunteer

Volunteering allows you to explore other interests and build 🍒goodwill. It can also make your network larger. More than anything, it🦂 can bring meaning to your life.

4. Write

People who write about their field of work 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:gain credibility as an expert. You 💜could publish your work in journals, on🎀 professional blogs, or even on LinkedIn. It may take a lot of time, but keep at it. It's well worth it. Maybe writing will be one of those new skills you learn on your journey to becoming more well-rounded.

Tip

LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity to showcase your skills. Writing an article that provides information that isn't available elsewhere benefits you because it encourages readers to see you as an expert.

5. Speak Confidently

Most careers have some degree of salesmanship—that is, public speaking skills can increase your chances of getting ahead. Learning to speak confidently, intelligently, and in a way that makes people feel comfortable when they're around you is key for your career. Your job may not require you to make formal presentations or speak to large groups of people, but almost every job requires speaking to others—and that's one of the best skills you can cultivate.

Where Can I Volunteer?

There are countless opportunities to volunteer, including many that are online. Religious organizations are one place to start. Another: food banks. There's also clothing drives, tutoring, and taking care of animals at shelters.

How Do I Get Better at Public Speaking?

The most important thing you can do is practice, practice, practice. Try speaking in front of a mirror, or an empty room on Zoom. Get wherever you're going with plenty of time to spare. Take a few deep breaths. Get yourself calmer—even a little calmer. Give yourself a pep talk: "You got this."

Why Is It Important to Build My Network?

Beyond the good-for-you feelings that a solid circle of friends brings, building a network beyond that—a wider circle of friends of friends and acquaintances—will boost your ability to get a job, move to a new area, see friendly faces when traveling, get advice, and more. And research has shown that you are more likely to get a job through someone you kind of know than someone you know really well. So get out there. 𓆏Take s𝓰ome time to cultivate new relationships.

The Bottom Line

In some ways, the longer you wait to get started, the more your human capital decreases. Time is something you can't control, and as you age you'll become even busier. So start today.

Article Sources

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