By Thomas E. Mills
Vahid Majidian knew he wanted a new job, a different career in fact. And he knew to get the job he wanted in the industry he was interested in he would have to put in some work to show perspective employers that he was serious.
After working as an estimator for a landscaping company Majidian wanted to get back to doing what he was passionate about – working in the construction industry as a project manager. Majidian, who is a civil engineer by trade and has an MBA from Hult International Business School, worked in the field before he moved to America from Iran.
As he started plotting out his future, he knew the more he learned the better positioned he would be to reach his goals. At the recommendation of a family member, Majidian and his wife Joan started attending classes at the Harvard Ed Portal. They had visited the Ed Portal in the past for the Winter Market and knew about the Ed Portal’s strong connection to the community. Drawn in by sessions focused on mindfulness and resilience, Majidian learned about other opportunities aimed at helping Ed Portal members develop their careers.
"I took an assessment to truly understand my career goals, and a course aimed at improving the visibility of my LinkedIn profile," said Majidian. "These courses were very helpful during my job search."
When the pandemic shifted programs online, Majidian and Joan kept attending classes that sparked their interests and helped advance their careers.
"The virtual courses were different, but still very helpful," said Majidian. "I was able access LinkedIn Learning through the Ed Portal, which allowed me to study for and pass my LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certification exam – it was actually all I used to study for the exam. Without the Ed Portal I wouldn’t have even known about that program."
LinkedIn Learning is an online education platform offering over 15,000 courses focused on business skills, computer software, and creative pursuits. LinkedIn offers certification for those who take and successfully complete courses so recruiters can identify qualified applicants through LinkedIn. Through the Ed Portal, members can apply for a scholarship to access three months of LinkedIn Learning free of cost to pursue career development training.
"I needed a little bit more time to complete studying for my exam, and the Ed Portal helped me maintain my access to LinkedIn learning," said Majidian. "I’d encourage people in my position to be serious about their goals – it may take longer, but the result will be satisfying."
Majidian also credits courses he’s taken at the Ed Portal for helping him balance self-care with his mission to find a new job. He was able to find courses focused on mindfulness and resilience as well as classes that allowed him to explore his artistic side through painting and clay.
"Art was always a weird subject for me, because I was an engineer, but through the Ed Portal I was able to find courses I was interested in that were accessible to me," he said.
Majidian sees the value of the Ed Portal as a community space and said that he encourages people to at least start getting the newsletter to see what is being offered. He still gets the newsletter and is still signing up for new courses.
He recently started a new job working for a construction company as an assistant project manager. He said he wouldn’t have landed the gig without the Ed Portal.
The Harvard Ed Portal hosts a number of virtual programs that can be accessed from the comfort of your home. You can find a list of upcoming events here, or can sign up for the newsletter here.