New Year, new you? You’ve finally made the decision to focus on you next career move. But how does one make themselves more employable? Whether you’re ready to move up, change paths, or get back into the game, these five tips can help you be more employable and visible on the career front.
Upskilling: Upgrade your skill set / “Dress” for the job you want
Remember that old sage advice to dress for the job you want? Consider your resume to be the face you show the world and “dress” it with the skill set that aligns with your ideal career path if you want to be more employable. Even if you don’t have the experience yet, you can prove your qualification with the right education.
It doesn’t have to be traditional education either. Certificate programs, online courses, video tutorials can all be great sources that look great on a resume. And if you belong to a professional organization, watch for webinars, “lunch & learns”, or other opportunities to network in your industry.
Blogging: Showcase your skill set
You’ve curated and cleaned up your social media, you’ve optimized your LinkedIn and maybe even your website or online portfolio, but until you start blogging on your own page you are only promoting the people you re-post. Want to be more employable? Adding your own voice to your social media positions you as the authority and gives you the platform to promote whatever you want.
And don’t feel daunted, you aren’t need to beat the competition to be effective. You are only writing for the audience who is looking to hire you, and you won’t need a million followers for that. *Not a writer, try ChatGPT to help prompt, write and edit!
Volunteering: Give a little to get a lot
Even when the job market is slim, there is always someone who can use your help, either online or in-person. Volunteering your professional skills to a charity, teaching or mentoring online or getting involved with a professional organization related to your industry are great ways to become more employable by building experience, opening networking opportunities, and filling gaps in your resume with legitimate work (even if its unpaid) – all while helping your community and industry! Now THAT is a win-win!
Gig/Temp/Part-time: Work when you’re not working
If your budget won’t allow for volunteering, and you need another source of income while you are looking for your ideal job, consider gig-work, temp agencies or part-time work. It will fill a gap in your resume and give you the opportunity to learn new skills that you can add to your resume. And remember, if no one else is hiring, you can hire yourself! In addition to gig-work for others, you can offer your professional services as an independent contractor or start a side hustle related to your industry.
Hedge Your Bets: Bring Aboard a Professional Resume Writer
If you’ve never used a professional resume writer, you are probably still wondering how to break through to the next level. Maybe you’ve even watched colleagues get promoted ahead of you and wondered what they had that you don’t? What if they weren’t better than you, they just expressed it better on their resume? Professional resume writers know how to craft, edit, and market a resume to hit specific targets with more accurately, so your resume makes it to the top of the stack.
I’ve got news for you: when it comes to what makes a resume consistently successful, what you don’t know WILL hurt you.
Make the safe bet and have someone with a nuanced knowledge of document design help you with a more effective resume customized for you and your goals.
