Best Preparation Strategy for SSC CGL Exam, 2018

"People like us don't even dream, and you're thinking of Miss India crown?!"
That was the reaction Manya's parents had when Manya wanted to apply for the beauty pageant.

Speaking about her father in a magazine interview, Manya says...

"My father would always tell me there are more heels in my bag than books!"

But that never stopped Manya from dreaming big.
As a daughter of an auto driver, Manya had to struggle to be where she is today. Working in a pizza outlet, washing the dishes there, cleaning the floor.... Manya has done it all!

Staying in a small village in Uttar Pradesh, Manya had to struggle even to get her basic education.

At one time, her mother even had to sell her silver anklet to be able to afford the fees.

"At 14, I saw girls around me enjoying their life, wearing good clothes, attending school. But my life was not like that."

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Despite this, Manya still had big dreams. And she felt that she may not be able to achieve them by staying back in the village.

So Manya ran away from her home. She took the train from Gorakhpur and came to Mumbai -- the place where she believed she could achieve her dreams.

Naturally, her parents were worried. But decided to follow their daughter to Mumbai, when she called them. This was the start of her struggle.... In Mumbai, Manya's father started driving an auto to support the family. As she didn't have enough money, Manya got a job at a Pizza outlet, which helped her complete her junior college. While working there, she observed how the customers carried themselves...The way they spoke, the way they wore clothes, and the way they behaved. This experience was a big learning for her. Simultaneously, she was also smart enough to then join a call center and study for her graduation in banking and insurance. During her graduation, Manya auditioned for more than 10 pageants but there too it was another struggle. She had to hear discouraging comments like, "You don't even know English!" There are a lot of girls like Manya...who have the potential to make it big but struggle only because they are not fluent in English. Not being comfortable in English impacts their confidence. Today there are many free courses available that help women improve their English. All one needs to do is have confidence in oneself and not give up. And this is exactly what Manya did. She did not let the negative comments of people affect her. Remembering her struggle Manya says, "Whenever I lost hope, I used to tell myself - Doh kadam aur Manya, Doh kadam aur. Life was harder on me, but I was harder on my life. "*

She worked on her English. Observed how her friends in college spoke. She worked hard. And then she tried again. She applied for the Miss India beauty pageant in December 2020.

Due to the Covid pandemic, Manya gave all her interviews online. From her 10 feet by 10 feet room in a Mumbai slum. And 2 months later she was declared Femina Miss India 2020 Runner Up!"
It is girls like Manya who not only make their parents proud but also set examples for generations of women -- showing them that nothing is impossible with hard work and determination.

Fortunately, we live in a time where learning can be done from the comfort of home. So if you're looking to start working again or want to improve your skills? Online courses are the way to go.

Doing an online certificate course also shows that you are taking steps to get better at something you like.

In the pandemic, online courses have become even more popular. So there are many options available. To make things easier, we have listed the top 9 free online courses that stay-at-home moms can apply for.

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1. Take Up A Creative Writing Course

   A creative content writing course is one of the best ways to improve your writing skills. Once you get into the habit of writing, you can slowly try making a profession out of it.

   An online writing course provides opportunities to learn good English. You will be given writing activities that uncover the passion you have for writing. Some of the lessons involve learning grammar, punctuation, and different writing styles.

   After understanding the basics of writing, you can apply for jobs related to content writing, proofreading (editing) or copywriting.

   You get to see your words used in magazines and websites! These types of jobs also don't have a strict working schedule. This is a bonus if you like to plan your own working hours.

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1. Develop Your Communication Skills

   Everyone feels slightly nervous about presenting confidently in the office, especially if there's been a gap in work. This is why it's necessary to brush up on speaking skills and more by taking up a communication skills course.

   With each class, you gain confidence to keep a conversation interesting and get the right points across to colleagues.

   Communication courses will teach you to find the right words to say and take control of a conversation. If you are interested in jobs linked to sales, media, or even teaching, you should definitely take communication skills courses.

   Most of these online courses also give importance to non-verbal communication skills. You get to practice maintaining eye contact and posture when you speak. All of these are equally important for good communication.

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1. Learn To Use Excel For Book Keeping And Accounting

   Do you love keeping a budget, tracking your income and expenses at home? Then you may have a passion for accounting. So why not take up a course on it to understand the basics of accounting?

   The knowledge you gain from such an online course can help when you land well-paying jobs in the finance industry.

   Microsoft Excel is a very useful tool for roles like professional accountants, where you have to look at data and make a financial strategy. This is why we also suggest taking an Excel course to know the proper use of it.

   Once you learn Excel, you will be able to do quick calculations and organize the numbers in neat spreadsheets.

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1. Do A Preschool Teacher Training Course

   Would you enjoy being a teacher to children in the age group of 2 to 6? Then we suggest that you do an online Preschool Teacher Training course. Teaching nursery kids is interesting because you get to make a huge impact on their lives.

   Besides taking a training course, you can also apply for short tutorials that help teachers to make lesson plans. Once you have the certificates, you will have more value in the job market. After that, you can apply to different preschools for a teaching job. There are several websites, like WONK, where you can work as an online teacher too and earn a good salary.

   Teaching is a rewarding profession and if you are interested in it, we highly suggest registering for several free teaching courses online. When you attend good quality courses, your teaching qualities increase too.

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1. Online Personality Development Course

   Like we said when there's a gap in employment, it takes effort to get outside your comfort zone. This is when many people take up online personality development courses.

   Personality Development courses prepare you for speaking in interviews and sharing your thoughts in groups.

   You also learn basic etiquette (manners) and tone of voice to use when you write emails or make phone calls. Knowing these small things can make a huge difference in the workplace.

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1. Pursue A Digital Marketing Course

   Digital marketing courses are in demand because technology is now present everywhere.

   When a new brand opens, the owners want the products to be visible to their potential customers. For this to happen, a lot of work goes into making a brand's potential visible on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more.

   If you would like to be part of the team that builds brand awareness for a company, you should pursue a digital marketing course.

   The things you learn from a digital marketing course will also help you get ideas for when you feel like running your own business. Overall, digital marketing is a vast field and there are various interesting job profiles you can consider.

   Also Read: 10 Simple Ways To Start A Career In Digital Marketing

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1. Beautician Course

   Have you always wanted to work at a beauty salon, spa, or clinic but never felt qualified enough? Then try a beauty therapy course to learn the basics of managing a salon and its jobs. You can take lessons on nail art, haircutting techniques, makeup, skincare, and more.

   The beauty of such courses is that you also get to meet other passionate people who also love the beauty industry.

   There are many self-taught makeup artists in India. But if you have a certificate from an online course, you are at an advantage. You will have a better chance of getting work.

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1. Basics Of Marketing

   Most big companies always give plenty of value to the marketing department. This is because the marketers take the responsibility to educate interested customers about the products. Without marketing employees, a company can even fail.

   The job of a marketer is to also generate leads (interested customers) for the salespeople. Now, this is not an easy task unless you have some knowledge about it.

   In a Marketing course, you will learn strategies used by companies to gain leads, manage them and bring profit to the company. If you are interested in marketing, take a free online course that introduces you to its basics.

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1. Human Resources Certification Course

   Human Resources is one of the many departments in a company. This group is usually always searching for new employees to fill open job positions. Their role involves finding the right candidate for the company and having an eye for detail.

   A person working in HR studies different profiles and sorts through resumes to find that one talented person who can become a part of the company.

   This is a very interesting job for many and the scope here is endless. You manage various administrative tasks for the company and you get to interact with new faces.

   You also get to welcome new team members and organize fun activities for the company. If you would like to learn more about this field, consider taking up a free HR course online.

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