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Advice / Career Paths / Training & Development

7 Free Tutorials That'll Help You Brush Up on Key Job Skills (From Your Couch)

We all use, know, and love YouTube, and probably a lot more often than we’d like to admit. (No, I did not just spend two hours watching cats get freaked out by cucumbers…)

But did you know YouTube has an awesome collection of tutorials? And I’m not just talking about how to cook dinner in five minutes or put on mascara kinds of tutorials. Things like using important software or creating the perfect PowerPoint.

So, where to start? Here are seven of our favorites to boost your resume and advance your career from your couch.


1. Photoshop



Even if your job doesn’t require you to know Photoshop, I’m sure you’ve come across a few instances in which being able to edit a photo or image would’ve improved a presentation plenty. (And yes, by presentation, I do mean your own social media profile photos). This playlist goes over almost everything, from text effects to background editing.


2. Excel



Excel doesn’t take years to learn—just try this 30-minute video and see how much more you can do! (And how much more qualified you’ll look to a hiring manager.)


3. Google Drive/Docs



Just in case you’re missing some key features, this comprehensive tutorial will cover all the basics on how to optimize your work (and make your day a lot smoother in the process) in Google Drive.


4. PowerPoint



Get your presentation for that big meeting ready with this start to finish guide on creating, decorating, and sharing your best PowerPoints yet.


5. Google Analytics



In more and more positions now, understanding what your customer actually wants is key. And Google Analytics is a great place to start to see how your users interact with your site.


6. Mailchimp



Looking into a marketing career? You might want to learn how to use Mailchimp, a super popular (and free!) email marketing resource.


7. Webinars



There’s a good chance your company has hosted a webinar before, but have you ever wanted to be a part of it? This two-part video will get you started on understanding the value and how to set one up on several different platforms.



And if these aren’t enough for ya, you might want to check out this list of free online classes—the more the merrier.


Photo of person on laptop courtesy of Andy Smith/Getty Images.