In times like these, going over your employability prospects is important – even if you’re in full time work. Job security is at an all time low due to the pandemic, and so it can’t hurt to make sure your resume is geared and you know what your options could be if you’re let go, or if the firm you work for (or even run) encounters trouble.
This is not supposed to make you fearful of course, it’s simply a contingency we can consider to ensure we have the skills necessary to move forward and potentially find a job or alternative work if we need to. However, employability training is often not only geared towards finding a job, but learning how to advance in one.
As evidenced by the excellent advice offered by Stephen Michael Hourigan, getting ahead means blending a mixture of competent social skills and professional standards that help both you, your business, or your prospects.
But what advice can we give you in this framing? Let’s consider that together:
Your Professional Image
It can help to make sure your professional image is well polished, and that you come across smart, professional, and collected. This might involve making sure your professional wardrobe is well stocked and well ironed, even if that means reviewing what accessories you wear to work or the quality of your shirts. Of course, even in the midst of Covid-19 and the remote working standards it has incentivized, making sure your web camera and microphone are up to speed can help you come across more competently to would-be interviewers or professional contacts. Don’t be afraid to review your professional image from time to time, we all need to update ourselves occasionally.
Updating Your Resume
Your resume is an essential part of how you’ll advance in, attain or seek further work. If you’ve been employed for a while, it might need updating. Ensuring you still have references available can also be important, as asking your professional contacts to vouch for you if you leave may be very helpful in opening doors.
However, there’s also a double outcome here for those who wish to consider their options. By reviewing your CV you may realize that you have every skill and experience level needed to begin your own consultancy. As you can see, curating the brass tacks of your professional experience can come in handy no matter what level of the industry you’re playing in.
Networking
Social skills and being able to communicate with people is a vital need for almost any career. Of course, not everyone is born with charm, so this can seem quite exclusionary on the face of it. That said, you don’t have to be George Clooney to ingratiate yourself with people, to show your professional standards, and to wish those in your industry well.
Simply keeping up with past managers, leaving workplaces on good terms, connecting with those you work with, performing acts of goodwill, or simply being yourself can help you network and be seen in certain circles – this all helps with opportunities later on down the line. Who knows? One day, you might be in a position to offer those opportunities yourself.
With these tips, we hope you can curate the three best means becoming and staying employable.