How to Enhance Computer Skills

Whether you are preparing for today’s tough job market or simply trying to keep up with ever changing digital technology, having computer skills is very important. The following suggestions will help you improve your computer skills (Windows user).

PRACTICE BASIC HAND POSITION. No matter how fast you type on the keyboard, if you only use 2 fingers from each hand, it still doesn’t give the impression that you are a skilled user. Don’t be a hunt-and-peck typer. By following the basic hand position, not only do you increase your WPM (Words per Minute) with higher accuracy, you will also feel good and look more impressive. Your index fingers should always look for the bumps on letters ‘F’ and ‘J’ for the home position whenever you have to type something. It may slow you down at first, but once you get used to it, you no longer need to look at the keyboard or the monitor… it become a walk in the park for you.

USE KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS. Did you know that pressing ALT+F4 will quit the current application that is up on your screen without using your mouse? I always use keyboard shortcuts because it gives me speed and flexibility. Some of the shortcuts I frequently use are ALT+TAB (switch between open applications… helpful also when your boss is approaching and you don’t want him to see you playing games), CTRL+S (save), CTRL+A (select all), CTRL+C (copy), CTRL+V (paste what you copied), CTRL+Z (undo), Windows Logo+E (open windows explorer), and SHIFT+Delete (delete files permanently). And it is especially helpful when you don’t have a mouse and only using touchpad to move your cursor.

LEARN THE MOST BASIC TROUBLESHOOTING. Before calling a computer technician or instead of holding your line waiting for the next available Tech Support, why not learn how to at least narrow down your computer problem. First step is always to check physical connection to make sure there’s no loosely connected device to your computer. Restarting the device almost always solves the problem. There are lots of websites on the internet that will help you learn troubleshooting. It’s up to you to pick them up.

LEARN THE SPECS. Most users don’t know the hardware specification and software versions installed on their computers. You have to get to know your computer or at least know where to look if you can’t remember them. It not only adds 1UP to your skill level, but will also protect you from people who want to take advantage of your lack of knowledge in computers.

ASK THE GEEKS. If you know someone who is very knowledgeable with computers, hang out with him/her some time and it will help you learn something and upgrade your knowledge too. Don’t forget that you can also go to different IT forums where you can pick up some good stuff. These are cheap ways to enhance your skills without going to school.

GO TO SCHOOL FOR SERIOUS LEARNING. You can always enroll in a school with short computer courses or simply buy books/ebooks to help you get good computer fundamentals.

Skill enhancement does not always have to be expensive. There are cheap ways to do just about anything, all it takes is determination. Goodluck!

Comments (1)

Freelancer said:

	... Good article. A person can save themselves a lot of head aches by learning the basics.
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October 08, 2009
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