Monday, November 29, 2010

Free (Your) Mind

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation.” – Robert H. Schuller

Inherently curious as a generation, millennial younger women are eager to continue our betterment far after graduation, but an obstacle faced by many of us is access to financial resources. Often, with student loans and rent and car payments to cover, there can be little leftover cash for things like education—and that’s those of us with regular salaries, not to mention our unemployed or underemployed peers. So where’s a girl to turn to learn when her pockets are empty? Check out a few free resources for your career development:

The interwebz: With the number of doors to open on the Internet, it becomes challenging to know which knob to try. Pay special attention to what your mentors and networks recommend. Here are a few spots to try out now: Spark and Hustle and the Top 100 Free E-books for Business Students and Entrepreneurs, or get certified in inbound marketing for free through HubSpot's Inbound Marketing University.

Your local library: The library is often a forgotten resource. Think audio books for your commute to work, free lectures, and—oh, yes—books galore. Most libraries require proof of residence to authorize your membership. For many public libraries, you’re not limited to what they have on their shelves; through inter-library loans, it is possible to request books and materials from other nearby libraries, ready for your pick-up at your local branch.

TED talks: In 2007, the TED website was redesigned to specifically allow content from their spectacular talks to be accessed globally. From the TED (Technology, Education, and Design) website: “Over the years, TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Frank Gehry, Jane Goodall, Al Gore, Billy Graham, Peter Gabriel, Quincy Jones, Bono. Yet often the real stars have been the unexpected: Li Lu, a key organizer of the Tiananmen Square student protest; Aimee Mullins, a Paralympics competitor who tried out a new pair of artificial legs onstage; or Jennifer Lin, a 14-year-old pianist whose 6-minute improvisation moved the audience to tears.”

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