What are the benefits of learning Microsoft office and why should I invest time in learning How to use it?
Because Microsoft Office is the industry standard in Office Suites, you will greatly benefit in learning to become fluent in all of its applications, as it will not only increase your productivity, but will make you a valuable asset to any business employer.
Learning how to use Microsoft Office is like learning how to drive a car. It allows you the freedom to expand your opportunities for growth beyond walking distance.
Below we will look at several benefits of learning Microsoft Office, but before we get there, lets take a look at why it is so important for you to become fluent in each Office application.
Why Should You Learn How to Use Microsoft Office?
Microsoft Office is comprised of the following 6 core applications and services: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and OneDrive. Learning how to use these core applications fluently will make you a valuable asset to any organization that communicates with its clients or other businesses. Would you hire a car mechanic who was not familiar with his tools? Why then, should you expect anything different from an Office Manager who is hiring office workers?
Employers are looking for people who can hit the ground running. They hire those who already know how to be productive in the work place. If you don’t already know how to use the care applications within Microsoft Office, and are hoping to work in an office setting in any capacity, you will need to squire these skills now.
Once you possess these skills, you will find yourself incredibly productive, and won’t find yourself asking others how to do certain tasks. In fact, if you make it a point to be fluent in using these applications, you will find others coming to you to learn how to do certain tasks, which will make you a valuable asset to your employer.
Only after you can easily teach others the ins-and-outs of each of these applications, can you honestly say that you have mastered them. It may take some time and effort on your part, but you can do it. The more determined you are to master these applications, the more valuable you will become to a potential employer. Having skills that you can teach others so that they can be more efficient in the work place is something any employer would want.
Now, let’s take a look at some additional benefits to learning Microsoft Office.
Microsoft Office is the Industry Standard
Since Microsoft first announced the Microsoft Office Suite in 1988, (which at the time comprised of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), it has only grown in popularity, and has long since been considered the industry standard, worldwide.
Another benefit of learning Microsoft Office is that every office suite company out there is trying to be just like Microsoft Office.
Every word processor, every spreadsheet program, and every presentation program tries to attain both the functionality and popularity of Microsoft Office. Even the completely free versions of office suites, such as LibreOffice, and most recently, FreeOffice, have not been able to topple Microsoft Office. The reason for this is due to it’s popularity in the business world.
Getting people to learn how to use a new office suite takes time and resources. It is much easier for a business to continue with an already established industry standard.
Google has tried to topple Microsoft Office by introducing Googles Office Suite to kids in school for free, which teachers and school administrators love. So far, arguably their plan is working. Google’s objective is to get kids used to knowing how to use Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc., in the hope that the kids will naturally continue using their office suite throughout their entire education. After all, it is free. This approach may take 15-20 years to bring down Microsoft Office, if possible at all, but they are trying.
But why learn Microsoft Office over any of it’s other competitors? Why not simply learn how to use FreeOffice (FreeOffice.com), or any one of the multitudes of other office suites available on the internet? The primary reason is because they come and go like the wind, and Microsoft Office is the industry standard in the business world.
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Because Microsoft Office has been adopted by businesses and organizations worldwide, while at the same time, having refined their office suite over the past 32 years, the applications that make up Microsoft Office are by far, more popular than any of its competitors by a wide margins.
Are you looking for a job in the business world? You absolutely must be fluent in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Even if you think that you’ll never use Excel or PowerPoint, the assumption of your employer will be that you are competent in using Microsoft Word, Excel, and know how to create and conduct a meeting using PowerPoint.
Your resume, cover letter, or any correspondence by way of electronic documentation must be formatted in Microsoft Word so that it can easily be read by the person you are sending it to. If you try using a different Word Processor, such as LibreOffice, for example, even though it can save the document as a Word Document, it may not format correctly when opened up in Microsoft Word. Of course, you would probably save the document as a PDF before sending it, but most companies will prefer it to be sent as a Word document. If fact, most online job sites only accept text files and .doc files (Word documents), as an acceptable format.
Microsoft Office is Easy to Learn and Use
One of the benefits of learning Microsoft office is that it is easy to learn. In fact, it is intuitive. If it were not so easy to learn or pick up, it would not be nearly as popular as it is.
Each application within the Microsoft Office Suite has its own built-in help system. They make it easy, by allowing you to simply type what you want to know how to do in its own search bar. If you want to learn how to create labels, simply type, “How do I create labels”, and as you type, it will provide indexed search results for you to choose from.
If you still can’t figure out how to do something in one of its applications, there are literally tens of thousands of resources on the internet that will help you address any question you have in how to use a given program within Microsoft Office. Simply Google it, and you will easily be able to find the answer, given its popularity.
Additionally, Microsoft Office is available on both the Windows and Mac Platforms, and is even available for use on the web. Though there are some subtle differences between each platform, once you learn how to use any of the office products on one platform, you can easily pick up how to use that application on one of the other platforms.
Microsoft Office is Very Affordable
When I was a young father, nearly 20 years ago my wife and I decided to invest in a Microsoft office license. At the time there were no subscription models available and the only way to purchase Microsoft office was to purchase it out right . . . on a CD, (let’s not forget that this was about 1999 – 2000. I was not aware that there was a “Student Edition” at the time, so we forked over the $500 it cost in order to obtain that license.
You have to understand that at the time $500 was more than an our monthly rent, so it was a huge investment. There were no real competitors at the time that could fully support Microsoft office documents, spreadsheets or presentation files. We knew that Microsoft Office’s Suite was leading the industry industry at the time, and appeared to us to be the industry standard for years to come. As a matter of integrity, rather than use a pirated copy, we bit the bullet and bought the license, thinking it was a valuable investment at the time.
Fortunately today, Microsoft now offers a subscription model so that you don’t have to choose between paying your rent on time or purchasing a license from Microsoft. Anybody can afford a Microsoft Office license. Even College students. I’ve written a complete article on “MS Home vs Business: What’s the Difference?” In that article, I break down who their subscription model and show which pricing plan would work for who, depending on how it will be utilized, and is well worth the read if you are looking to find the best solution for you or your family.
Closing Thoughts
I encourage you to invest your time and energy in learning how to use Microsoft Office as soon as possible. Today is a good day to start. It is very affordable, and when you become fluent in using each of the applications within the Microsoft Office Suite, you will be more productive, and be presented with opportunities you otherwise would not have.
Most people “wing it”. They only learn how to use part of the tool, but in so doing, they limit their growth opportunities and productivity. Don’t be everyone else.
Tim Chesonis
Tim has been helping people with computers needs for several years, and he loves to help people succeed. He brings a wealth of wisdom and insight from an entrepreneur's perspective and enjoys freelance writing. In fact, when he's not writing an article, you might find him binge-watching Suits or formatting his computer . . . again, just for fun. To learn more about Tim, click here.25 Basic Computer Tips for Windows!
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