Professional Growth on a Peanut Butter Budget
After I got laid off, I kept getting another piece of advice: Use this time to invest in yourself.
Some of that meant rest — and I needed rest. But it also meant upskilling, rebranding, pivoting, taking a course, learning a tool, joining a cohort, updating LinkedIn, and more.
I understood the intention. But it also felt like I was being told to fix myself. To become shinier, more marketable, and to pay for the privilege.
It wasn’t until recently that someone sat me down and said, “You already have the skills you need.”
That changed everything.
Because while growth is valuable, it doesn’t have to come from a bootcamp or a budget. Sometimes, it’s just about staying sharp and moving forward with what you already have.
Here’s what worked for me when money was tight:
1. Get Clear on the Skills You Actually Need
Before you sign up for anything (paid or free), get specific. What do job descriptions keep mentioning? Are there tools you’ve used but never formalized? What’s already in your orbit that you could deepen or document?
That focus keeps you from learning for learning’s sake.
For external affairs work, I found it helpful to revisit past job descriptions and scan current ones. LinkedIn and Idealist were great starting points for spotting recurring skills.
2. Treat People Like a Learning Resource
A 20-minute conversation with someone who’s done the job you want can be more useful than a four-week course.
People like being helpful, especially if you’re thoughtful with your time and questions:
“What’s the best way to learn about this field?”
“What do you wish you’d known before taking this job?”
“Would you mind walking me through how your team thinks about X?”
You don’t need a syllabus — just someone generous with what they know.
(A few warm intros + a free Calendly link or Google Calendar booking page go a long way.)
3. Build Your Own Curriculum
I followed smart people on LinkedIn and BlueSky, subscribed to a few newsletters, queued up industry podcasts, and saved blog posts and panels. YouTube became my university.
It wasn’t perfectly structured, but it added up. I kept a running list in Google Sheets, blocked time to review it, and slowly built a free, relevant knowledge base.
Pro tip: Sheets + bookmarks + a calendar block = your DIY syllabus.
4. Check for Free Access You Already Have
Libraries often offer free access to LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, or Udemy.
Some workforce boards and nonprofits provide training stipends for people in transition. Join the Freelancers Union to access discounted tools. Try Blinq to make a free digital business card or about.me for a free clean landing page.
Your alma mater might also offer job boards, alumni coaching, or webinars. It’s worth checking.
5. Learn by Doing (Strategically)
I helped a friend with a project that aligned with a skill I wanted to strengthen. I tested new tools (like Asana) on consulting projects. I even drafted mock proposals just to see if I could.
Upskilling doesn’t always mean formal instruction. It can mean:
Volunteering with boundaries
Experimenting on low-stakes projects
Reworking something you’ve done before but with intention
Final Thought: You Might Already Have What You Need
You don’t need to become a whole new person to land your next role.
You can start from where you are, with what you already know and grow from there.
The point isn’t reinvention.
It’s momentum.
And you don’t need a certificate to prove you’re moving forward.