Proactive Upskilling A Sure-Shot Way to Future-Proof Your Career

Proactive Upskilling A Sure-Shot Way to Future-Proof Your Career “Work to become, not to acquire.”â€" Elbert Hubbard However, it is not always a smooth sea for the newbies, and that is why you need to be prepared to face a lot of storms in the initial days of starting your career.Let that not deter you from having dreams of making it big someday, in whatever profession that you wish to excel.Always remember that all that you dream of acquiring in the course of your career are achievable with the right amount of determination and deliberation. One such suave method that is making the rounds among the college students and new employees at multinational firms is the effective use of upskilling.The competitive and disruptive backdrop in almost every industry paints a gloomy picture for the ones about to venture into the new world of unprecedented challenges and uphill tasks in their jobs.The uncertainty looming around the private sector jobs can always be frightening for the ones just about to start their careers, so it is best to come prepare d for they are about to face, and upskilling is one of the most effective ways to go about it.So, what is the upskilling all about, then?Simply put, it is acquiring new sets of skills to keep yourself updated to the increasing and evolving demands of the industry.evalEspecially helpful for college-goers who have the time to sign up for new courses, upskilling is a habit that you can benefit from throughout the entire course of your career.Why is upskilling important?You may be wondering about whether there is anything wrong with your current set of skills or whether you know enough to venture into the tricky waters of a new job life. Put those worries to rest, for upskilling is not about nullifying the skills and knowledge that you have.It is more of an enriching experience where you add on to your long list of things you are an ‘expert’ at or have received ‘certifications’ for. However, upskilling is not only about fancy online courses or about attending a series of career workshops. It also includes developing your personality and soft skills that help you become a more complete human being in all aspects.The bigwigs in almost every industry nowadays follow the current human resource development trend in hiring employees who show a lot of promise in their personal as well as professional realms.evalKeeping their requirements in mind, putting an effective upskilling mainframe to use that is suited to your career goals is the need of the day.1) Increase your professional credibility by upskillingevalWith the professional sphere changing and evolving rapidly to keep pace with the super-fast digital era, the need to upskill to increase your professional value is undeniable.Upskilling aids you to stay updated to the latest trends in the work sphere so you can be prepared or a step ahead of the changing work sector at all times. Industry trends and requirements, with their constant need for innovation, thus values employees with an excellent track record o f upskilling throughout their academic and professional careers. Do not become redundant in what you do so you are handed over the pink slip.Instead, look for ingenious ways that you can upskill and prove to be a useful employee to your organization. Honing your functional and business skills can work wonders to improve your performance and productivity at work, so upskill all you can to move up the ladder in your career.2) Bring about a breath of fresh air in your workUpskilling provides you with the scope of exploring new career options. With a lot of new skills in your kitty, you can always respond to the one that calls out to you.The digital age with its host of automation and mechanized systems of work nowadays call for professionals who are updated about the latest technological trends, and a course on, say, digital marketing, increases your employability by several notches.Acquiring emerging skills throughout your academic and professional career thus provides you with the op portunity of opting for a change in the career if and when you feel the need.Since your professional career thrives on creating opportunities and not being shy of exploring newer avenues, it is best to upskill with a variety of professional and personal skill sets combined to suit the requirements of the industries on which you wish to focus.3) Explore professional networking through upskillingPerhaps one of the best benefits of upskilling is the numerous opportunities that you get for professional networking. Meeting new people, whether in person or through social media websites for professionals, always has a positive impact.evalStaying connected to the people in your professional realm has its own set of benefits that are known to all. However, why upskilling is the way to go to achieve that is because you will develop as a better conversationalist and be a part of active communities dealing with the current trends in your domain.Providing you with a world of possibilities throug h effective networking strategies that you pick up along the way, upskilling is beneficial for linking you to the right people at the right time that holds the opportunities of taking your career forward by many miles.How can you upskill?Upskilling is not too troubling a task if you have your priorities and plans sorted. With a well planned out roadmap, achieving your upskilling goals is going to be a walk in the park if you are intent on collecting accolades as you proceed in your profession.Upskilling starts with awareness and the intent to develop oneself into a better and more evolved person and professional. A professional who is up to date with the latest trends that are ruling the industry at current times is highly valued for employers.That is why stepping out of your comfort zone and trying out an innovative approach towards upskilling is the need of the day. Here are a few expert suggestions that you can keep in mind while planning to upskill.evala) Embrace a regular readi ng habitAcquiring a habit for reading comes in handy at any age, and if you wish to upskill, then reading some great books in your spare time is the first step towards achieving it.You can choose from a wide variety of books, journals, magazines or blogs that pique your interest, gradually making your way through the dosage of inspiration and magic that words can bring into your life.Upskilling starts with learning, and what better way to learn than leafing through pages of a classic that’s acclaimed worldwide, or being moved by the inspirational tale of how an established entrepreneur of today made his way up the corporate ladder overcoming all difficulties.Source â€" unsplash.comb)Learn the basics of SEO and digital marketingevalThe digital age is here to stay, so the best we can do is adapt ourselves to the changes that it has brought on to every sphere of our lives, including the realm of careers and profession.Learning the basics of digital marketing and fundamental SEO trick s is thus a skill that many employers look for in their potential employees. Having an SEO trick or two up your sleeve will thus help you add to the long list of existing skills and keep you updated about the latest marketing trends in the industry.With increased telecommunication and advertisement tactics through the Internet and social media platforms, it is important to have some SEO and digital marketing skills in your kitty to make yourself more employable in the fast-paced digital age.c) Start bloggingIf you are someone with a passion for writing, then you can start a blog on any of the blogging platforms and write about things that interest you, or use the platform for your daily musings. Starting a blog has multifaceted benefits â€" from providing a space to jot down your feelings and thoughts to establishing a robust thread of resources to highlight your set of skills to future employers â€" which you can tap into for building a great upskill strategy for the times that lay ahead in your career.d) Put your networking skills to useMake deft use of your networking skills through upskilling. Establishing contacts and following up on those acquaintances that you make through networking is a great way to upskill your career for the future.Giving you a world of possibilities and opportunities, learning how to network like a pro is also a skill that is valued by many employers, especially in the service industries that thrive on the success of human relationships.Attending conferences, getting in touch with old colleagues or industry bigwigs through networking on LinkedIn and other virtual platforms in case you cannot spare the time to be present at the conferences or trade shows.e)Make time for “you time” â€" every dayThis is perhaps one aspect of upskilling that not many keep in mind but is imperative if you wish to attain newer heights of success and prosperity in your professional life and beyond. Set aside some time away for yourself every day witho ut fail when you can pause and take a breather from the daily activities and responsibilities.Use this time to complete that unfinished chapter from the book you were reading the previous night, or simply take a power nap to rejuvenate yourself.Whatever it is that you choose to do during this time, be careful not to include work or any other responsibility that you may have. Keeping aside some “you time” for every day is thus very important if you wish to develop as a career professional and as a person.f)Learn a new languageIn an increasingly globalized job market, the need to have multilingual skills is gradually on the rise. Picking up a new language to add to your set of existing skills can thus be a fun way to upskill yourself in your pastime. In case you cannot spare the time to enroll for regular classes at a language school, make good use of the digital resources at your disposal.Download language apps like Duolingo that will help you learn a language in your spare time with flashcards and quirky exercises for honing your linguistic skills to perfection.g)Attend webinars and podcastsGoogle can be your best friend for this one, for there is a world of webinars and podcasts that are available for the ones who can keep some time aside every day or week to attend some.Webinars and podcasts, along with the live screening of conferences and events relevant to your industry, are bountiful sources of knowledge and learning opportunities for those who know how to use them to enhance and hone their existing set of skills.More than picking up a new skill, attending webinars and podcasts from the bigwigs of your industry can help you have in-depth knowledge of the multiple specialties of your area of expertise.Upskilling can be a fabulous way that you can bring in a fresh start in your career or simply go about collecting laurels that help you increase your employability and credibility quotient needed for professional growth and prosperity.In an increasingly interconnected world, upskilling take your career a long way, and often down roads that await growth and prosperity for your profession in the days to come. Go ahead and start planning your upskill phase before it is too late!

What Can You Do to Improve Your Search

What Can You Do to Improve Your Search During a networking meeting for job seekers, we talked about their biggest frustrations with job search.   They listed things like, not hearing back from employers, not being considered perfectly qualified for a job, no names listed on job postings. There were other things too, however, all of these frustrations have a work-around. They arent show-stoppers. According to Newton:  To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction .   Change Your Expectations If you dont expect to hear back from an employer, you wont be disappointed or frustrated.   If you want an answer, how can you get one? Find A Contact Name You can and should find a contact in the company who can cautiously scout out where they are in the process.   Hopefully you have already found someone who inside to be a form of advocate for your resume. Are you using LinkedIn? Have you asked everyone in you immediate network? Contact HR You could contact the HR Department and ask them where they are in the process and briefly introduce yourself as an interested applicant and why you would make a difference to their company. Are Your Qualifications, Traits and Personality Coming Through? If you arent the perfect fit then perhaps you havent done a good job explaining yourself. Hiring is a very complex process, it isnt just about having the right skills.   It is about being the right fit in the organization.   Sure, sometimes you wont have everything they are looking for, but if the interviewer (and others in the organization) like you and you are otherwise a good fit they could  hire you, really!   Fit can mean many things, as Ive just said.   Sometimes organizations have certain educational requirements.   Those will be difficult and sometimes impossible to overcome, especially right now, but it has been done and can be done so dont let it deter you from applying or pursuing an opportunity. Instead of getting stuck, find the work-around.   Youll feel so much better!

Follow Your Passion Night at The Oscars

Follow Your Passion Night at The Oscars Last nights Oscars were all about following your passion.Perhaps because my purpose is to help others find their ideal careers but all I heard on Oscar night were messages about following your dreamsLets see if you agree.Here are some of my favorite follow your passion quotes:Best Original Score, Michael Giachinno I know there are kids out there that dont have that support system [that I had] so if youre out there and youre listening, listen to me: If you want to be creative, get out there and do it. Its not a waste of time. Do it.Best Sound Editing, Paul N.J. Ottoson Twenty-three years ago, Isold everything I had to come and be part of what you guys do over here.So many people have [had] faith in me and gave me a shot, maybe when I dont [didnt] know I [had] earned it yet. And thank you to all those people.For those of you who need a push to take steps everyday toward your passion or who as parents want to show your children the path to a career filled with purpose, read these insp iring messages from the top winners of the evening:Best Actress, Sandra Bullock to be an artist you had [have] to practice everyday. [advice from her mother]Best Actor, Jeff Bridges Thank you Mom and Dad for turning me onto such a groovy professionThey loved show biz so much and I feel an extension of them. You know, this is honoring them as much as it is me.You dont need to be in Hollywood films to follow your passion. You can start right where are you today by finding one thing you love about your job and expanding upon it. If you love working with people then serve your clients and customers to the best of your abilities. If you love solving problems then ask your boss whats keeping her up at night and brainstorm solutions. You dont have to be Oscar winning to make a difference but you do need to put forth your best efforts. I think Special Effects Oscar winner (for the movie Avatar) Joe Letteri put it best, And just remember, the world we live in is just as amazing as the one we created for you. Whats your passion? Do you wish you had more creativity in your career? Share your thoughts and comments below. Im happy to help and would love your advice and ideas on following your passion too!Photo courtesy of Oscar.go.com

On fear, letting go, and taking care (aka Fresh Boobs a comin!) - When I Grow Up

On fear, letting go, and taking care (aka Fresh Boobs a comin!) - When I Grow Up Always Remember by Dazey Chic On Wednesday of this week, Ill be going in for my Fresh Boobs (which is what Luke calls my bilateral mastectomy + reconstruction surgery). It was supposed to be on May 30th, but I got a call last week that said, Were moving it up! I didnt even know that could happen, but I did the rescheduling dance with some calls and clients, cleared my schedule almost completely, and freaked a bit about How Much There Is To Do and All The Loose Ends That Need To Be Tied Up. But really? After coordinating with my Virtual Wizard, Arwyn whos taking over loading blog posts and newsletter content, thankyoubabyJesus I took a look at What Had To Get Done and, really, its writing newsletters and blog posts in advance. And when I look at it from afar, if there are 2 blog posts that go up one week instead of 3, will it  really matter? And if I miss a week with the newsletterwill I have to go back to Corporate America? No. No I wont. Whats important, then? Taking care. Letting go. Getting better. Feeling good. Trusting my support system. Over the next few weeks, thats my main job. I wont lie about being really scared of this huge surgery Im having (Ill be under for something like 4 hours) enough so that Ive had to take anti-anxiety meds to fall asleep lately and all the pain I figure Im gonna be in (enough that theyre gonna give me an epidural pre-surgery to keep it at a minimum when I wake up. Blech!). As you might imagine, Im not so great with being the patient, or feeling out of control, or, um, having a high threshold for pain (which is why the tattoo Ive wanted since I was 16 has yet to grace my body)so this is Big Time Scary, you guys. And no, I dont have it in me to write a ukulele song about it (yet). Ive scheduled my blog content for when I come back, and its all about making the most of a slow time, finding (and enforcing!) your boundaries, asking for (and accepting!) helpdo we sense a theme here? These are the things I know Im gonna (begrudgingly) learn, and I have a feeling theres gonna be a new perspective here once I feel well enough to tear myself away from 12-hour marathons of  Friday Night Lights on my Kindle Fire in bed. If youre wondering how Im doing during/after surgery, my lovely husband will have my phone to Facebook/tweet how Im holding up. You can follow me on Twitter here and Like my Facebook page here to get the latest. So, Ill see ya on the flip side, but make sure you continue to come back regularly since I have a half-dozen amazeballs guest bloggers my regular features all ready for ya as per usual.  See? Im making sure to take care of you now, so I can take care of me later. Im already learning, begrudgingly or not.

The Nuiances of To Resume

The Nuiances of To Resume The Fundamentals of to Resume Revealed Utilizing a resume template is now an acceptable and smart practice for several factors. Understanding how to tailor your resume will obviously offer you an advantage. Together with describing your professional background and degree of expertise, your resume is the ideal location to highlight your abilities. Once you've reviewed resumes in your field, peruse resumes across fields to learn how to vary using action verbs and receive a feel for what makes a highly effective accomplishment statement. You should wow an expected employer by displaying your top qualification or accomplishment here. What you exclude is at least as critical as what you include. Additionally, you can comprise skills which were used at a specific job position in a particular period and don't neglect to mention your scholarship on resume. There are a lot of standard forms of resumes used to make an application for job openings. The Ult imate To Resume Trick As with other creative resumes, it isn't meant for the majority of employers, so you might want to get a traditionally formatted resume on hand to complement it. The MBA InterviewLaboffers step-by-step guidance on the best way to answer all the very best questions you're very likely to face in the interview. Resumes could be organized in various ways. Creative While it's important to get a professional resume, sometimes just a little creativity and innovation is suitable. The new kind of jobs give them with the power of driving own career to success with no help. Keeping your resume updated is also a wonderful method to chart your private growth. Writing a resume for employment in the art industry can be difficult. Your resume is intended to clearly show your experience pertinent to the job which you're applying for. You simply have to demonstrate how each job has prepared you for the job which you desire. Each time you apply to get a new job, check your resume to make sure that it isn't only targeted, but in addition current. Say you're asking for a job for a waiter. An excellent editing job will take a small longerand some particular tactics intended to catch resume errors. However much or what type of work experience you've got, there's a resume format that is likely to make your qualifications shine. The memorable resumes were quite different when it comes to experience, educational background, and individual interests. In the long run, everything on your resume must contribute to its highest relevancy and readability. The Benefits of to Resume Suppose you've completed all the above mentioned. Resumes may be used for a number of reasons, but most often they're utilised to secure new employment. Federal jobs often need you to have experience in a special type of work for some period of time. Transportation jobs involve plenty of responsibility and your resume will want to reflect you can deal with that.

The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles - Work It Daily

The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles - Work It Daily By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Dawn Rasmussen True confession time: Did you ever ‘tweak’ a job title on your résumé because the title you worked under didn’t quite fit the work you were doing? The truth is (and I’ve seen this a lot with clients as a résumé writer), many people have done at least some ‘creative job title engineering’ at some point…the fear of being caught diminishes simply as time has worn on, and as that particular job record slides further back into history, and the inhibitions to keep to the facts sometimes wear off as job seekers try to provide a more accurate snapshot of the work they did. But did you know when you change your actual job title of record to something different on your résumé, it is seen as lying by human resource personnel? Let’s put it this way: If a prospective employer is ready to make an offer and calls one of your former workplace human resource offices, the job title you have on the résumé absolutely better match what is on your personnel record...Don’t fall into the lazy assumption that, “Well, everyone at that company knew I did so much more than that job title â€" I was the glue that held it all together. They’ll roll with it and understand.” Wrong! The person at the end of the line is not going to be as understanding about any job title modifications. And, depending on how long ago your employment was at that company, consider this: Staff may have turned over to the point anyone currently in that position or department might not have ever met you before to even know what you did at a personal level. Changing official job titles a dangerous road to go down and is littered with potential landmines. Resist the urge to take any creative license on your work history. Why? Anything different than what is officially on record is a huge red flag and could lose you a job offer as a result. Your earnestness to convey the actual level of your work can also be misunderstood by a prospective employer as a deliberate attempt to deceive. All is not lost, however. There is a way to get across the FUNCTION of what you did when the job title doesn’t do it justice…and without misrepresenting yourself. A simple solution to this common problem is to provide the information as follows: Actual Job Title of Record (Title equivalent), Month/Year â€" Month/Year Example: Business Development Director (Vice President equivalent), 6/2003â€"7/2009 This way, you are stating the official title you held while conveying the scope and level as an equivalency, but not claiming it. However, there are some exceptions. Sometimes, business owners decide that they want to go work for someone else, and decide to throw their hat into the ring. While keeping to the facts and being honest, it would be a fair thing to say the business owner of a small company has worn many hats in a definitive role- they've been the 'chief cook, bottlewasher, and server.' These business owners run all operations, finance, marketing, human resources, sales, executive, and customer service roles. By conveying their specific job title towards their target job, they can position their experience towards that themed area. A good way to position experience in this situation is as follows: ABC Company Marketing Director / Owner, 6/2003â€"7/2009 By positioning the most desirable and relevant attribute of their business ownership towards the position for which they are applying, but also indicating ownership, they have covered the bases and satisfied role clarifications sought by human resource managers. Another problem I see is some clients will enjoy a steady progression of internal promotions in a company, but when it comes to listing the duration of their career at that particular employer, some people will take their most recent position and include all of the years encompassing their previous positions…under that one job. The fact remains they were not doing that higher level job for the entirety of their career at that company, and stating all those years at that company under a single job is considered lying as well. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started to delve into client work histories during consultations, only to be interrupted with the client stating that they had several positions at that employer (which were not stated/listed on the résumé). When I press for more details, it turns out that there are multiple positions that break down their work history into separate jobs. Claiming one long stint under one job title is an equally dangerous landmine in the road to a successful job search â€" some human resource managers see it as an attempt to extend the longevity and put more weight / attention onto that higher level position. However, the ironic part is most human resource personnel agree demonstrating career progression by listing those successive promotions is actually more helpful to them by demonstrating your value to the previous employer. Remember, being honest in developing your résumé means you have nothing to explain or defend in an interview. And with the amount of effort that it takes to actually land the attention of an employer these days, why would you want to jeopardize a potential job offer with a mistake (either intentional or unintentional due to laziness or assumptions) way back at the beginning of the job application cycle? Pay attention now, be honest, and never assume anything people will ‘understand.’ Tweet Share | Did you enjoy this article? Read more articles by this expert here. CAREEREALISM Expert, Dawn Rasmussen is the president of Portland, Oregon-based Pathfinder Writing and Careers Services, which specializes in mid- to executive-level professional résumés. She is a frequent professional speaker and writer on career management topics and teaches résumé writing and other job search strategies at several local community colleges and universities. Dawn is also the official “Get the Job” columnist for One+ Magazine, a trade publication distributed to over 26,000 meeting professionals worldwide, and Talentzoo.com, a job site for creative and marketing professionals. She is a frequent professional speaker on career management topics while also volunteering her expertise to help unemployed workers at the Oregon Employment Department with free classes twice a month. CAREEREALISM.com provides the best career advice from proven career experts on a daily basis. How do you find a job today? You get career and job search help from us! Sign-up today to get our updates daily. The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock. Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!

Its Quality, Not Just Quantity That Gets You Hired -

Its Quality, Not Just Quantity That Gets You Hired -Over the last few years, Ive heard a lot of very intelligent job seekers casually remark that they had sent out hundreds of resumes while looking for a job. These people firmly believed that job searching welches entirely a numbers game, so the mora resumes they sent out, the more likely they were to be hired.Unfortunately, these job seekers were flawed in their thinkingand were generally not getting any hits from their resumes. While its true that you have to be actively applying for jobs in order to get one, its also true that sending a generalized resume out to dozens of openings for which youre only peripherally qualified is a huge waste of time. Job searching is time consuming for everyone, and it can be especially challenging for those who are already working full-time. If you only have three hours per week that you can devote to job searches, chances are that youll fare better spending one hour each on three well-targeted app lications rather than taking 15 minutes each to submit a dozen resumes.Competition is stiff for every single job out there. Just last week I was talking to someone who had received 300 applications for an administrative position. Many of the applicants had graduate degrees but were unable to find work suitable to their advanced qualifications. Faced with that kind of odds, a general resume will almost always go directly into the discard pile. Your challenge as a job seeker is to produce a cover letter and resume that truly stand out to the hiring manager for each job you pursue. The simple truth is that doing this requires spending a significant amount of time on every application you submit.One of the greatest advantages to hiring a professional resume writer is the amount of time it saves you in your job search. A skilled writer will spend some time learning about who you are as a person and a candidate. He will then create documents that require minimal changes each time you appl y for a job. By hiring a professional, youre better able to play the numbers game by submitting a greater number of high quality applications as a result, you make the best use of your valuable time. Its the quality of your job applicationsnot the quantitythat will ultimately get you hired.How does your resume match up?Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class, resumes and cover letters that transform job searches into interviews and ultimately job offers. For more information about professional resume writing or to read more career and job search related articles visit http//www.greatresumesfast.com or call 1.800.991.5187.